Paul Picot at the 10th Morandi Memorial 2018
Another edition to add to the trophy case, the tenth, for the Morandi Memorial. The flagship event of the Castiglionese Club of Historic Cars and Motorcycles celebrated, as is now tradition, the feats of the Castiglione driver Giuseppe Morandi. A parade of over thirty cars built before 1940 retraced the steps of a driver who, between 1921 and 1932, distinguished himself by participating in and winning numerous speed races at the wheel of an OM.
Among these was the famous first edition of the Mille Miglia (1927), won in partnership with Ferdinando Minoia.
The start took place in the suggestive setting of Desenzano del Garda, in the central Piazza Cappelletti. A beautiful sunny day welcomed the crews who arrived on the shores of the lake.
After the time check at the Yokohama company headquarters in Carpenedolo, the passage through Castiglione took place, with a new timed test held at Parco Pastore (the name of the family of another famous racing driver). Afterwards, the crews returned to the shores of the Garda, this time in Salò, where they attended the gala dinner at the Hotel Laurin.
On Sunday, they set off again at 8.00 am for the final timed test session along the route of the famous “zette”, the hairpin bends overlooking Salò, the theater in the 1930s of the Garda Automobile Circuit, a race in which Morandi was often and willingly a protagonist.
After a series of suggestive passages on the nearby Brescian Prealps, the cars returned towards the lake and, after an aperitif at Villa Pasini, concluded the successful two days with lunch and awards at the “Il Rivale” restaurant in Padenghe del Garda.
Winner’s prize: new edition of the Paul Picot Gentleman 41 Morandi, PVD case and rubber strap.