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By
EWAN KENNEDY
22 January 2007
On 17 May 1947 Enzo Ferrari launched his first ever car, the
Ferrari 125 Sport. Just two weeks later it won its first Grand Prix,
fittingly the Rome race. The company that is about to celebrate its 60th
birthday has become arguably the best known maker of racing and sports
machines in the world today.
Many events are being held throughout the year to
celebrate the momentous date in Ferrari's history. These include a
fascinating drive, The Ferrari 60 Rally, that will visit five
continents and many countries, including Australia.
Participants in the Rally will drive their own
Ferraris and carry a baton embossed with symbols of the 60
greatest moments in the company’s history.
Each country along the way will be asked to donate
an object representative of their local culture. This object will
be given to the local Italian embassies in each country to be
forwarded to the Farnesina Palace in Rome where they will go on
display for all to see.
The event will start on 28 January on the site of
a Ferrari theme park that’s to be built in Abu Dhabi and will
arrive here in March. Exact details are still to be finalised, but
keep in touch via www.ferrari.com.au/. The Rally will finish at
Ferrari’s legendary head office in Maranello on 23 June.
Even better, if you visit the company’s museum,
the Galleria Ferrari, in Maranello you may be able to arrange a
visit to the famed Fiorano test track. Normally, it’s as hard to
get into Fiorano as it is to Fort Knox, because that’s where the
F1 cars are tested and tuned, but Ferrari is making special
arrangements to allow public tours as part of the 60th birthday
celebrations.
The bad news is that the offer ends on 31 January,
but if you’ve got some car loving friends over there at the
moment jump on the phone or computer and let them know what's
happening.
A book is soon to be published by Opera Omnia
on Ferrari's tremendous history. Sounds like an epic in its own
right as it will contain pictures and data on all road and race
cars built by the company.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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