On the dirt roads of Sicily…

In 1922, most car constructors travelled to Sicily, attracted by the potential publicity generated by Count Florio’s race, a competition that deserved the best they had to offer: the Austro Daimler, the Steyr, the Ballot, the Alfa Romeo, the Fiat, the Ceirano and the Mercedes.

The notoriety of the race was such that the news of the crash of the Fiat of Biagio Nazzaro was spread (without any verification) on the radio and even in France, the death of the driver was announced… even though he was unharmed!

The Mercedes of Giulio Masetti took victory after 542 km race on narrow unpaved roads, at the average speed of 63, 091 km/h. To be noted: Amongst the participants, a certain Enzo Ferrari, then official Alfa Romeo driver (picture above), and the one of French driver Jules Goux, winner of the Indy 500 in 1913, in a Ballot (picture below), the drivers being accompanied by a mechanic.