Photos by Author and Ferrari
I once woke up as my train stopped briefly at the Modena station. That’s the stop if you’re going to Maranello. I didn’t realize I was even going by there. I found myself making the sign of the cross.
This kind of explains why.
Nicely dressed people were walking all over, asking questions and passing judgment, crisp in their blue jackets and white hats. All those around them were either hanging on their every word, answering queries graciously, or preparing for when they themselves would be put under the spotlight. It was like you were in a different world, answering to the gods.
Which was pretty accurate, actually. The world was the beautiful grass and historic tarmac of Fiorano. The one-word explanation for those that understand the importance of Ferrari’s test track in the middle of their Headquarters in Maranello. And answering to gods? Again, that’s something those that understand this place would see as pretty much how things have always been. Historically, that deity would have been (and still is) Enzo Ferrari. The person who just over seventy years ago created something that still shakes the ground and stirs the imagination. Today, his blue-coated white-hatted minions were here to judge how well mere mortals kept to the faith. How well they preserved something that was, in their minds, priceless.
It was fun to watch.
Today, his blue-coated white-hatted minions were here to judge how well mere mortals kept to the faith. How well they preserved something that was, in their minds, priceless.
Historically, that deity would have been (and still is) Enzo Ferrari. The person who just over seventy years ago created something that still shakes the ground and stirs the imagination.
The judges and the cars were at Fiorano for the 2017 Concorso d’Eleganza. The other hundreds of cars and thousands of people were here to celebrate the first seventy years of red passion. There was a week of festivities all around the area, Ferrari clubs drove in from all over the world, fans flew or drove or biked their way from all points as well. Ferrari (the company) was holding parades and hosting an auction by RM Sotheby’s, throwing a party and putting on a show that somehow managed to arrange for thunder, lightning, and pouring rain to come in on cue. It was still drowned out by the roar of the crowd.