Modena Cento Ore - Tuesday, June 5th to Saturday June 9th

Modena Cento ore:

After winning the prestigious title of “Rally of the Year 2017” at the Octane Awards, the Modena Cento Ore is ready to fire its engines again.

the Canossa Events team has prepared a special edition for 2018, setting off from the legendary race track at Monza.

Boom in registrations, closed months ahead of time.

When the Modena Cento Ore won the prestigious title of “Rally of the Year” at the 2017 Octane Awards, the "Oscars of Motoring" reserved for the best classic motoring events around the world, it was an important acknowledgement for everyone involved in Italian motoring, for ACI that represents it admirably and for the Motor Valley that it represents in the world of classic car rallies. The award confirms the quality and exceptional nature of the event, the only one of its kind in Italy, as well as the excellence of the country’s motoring heritage.

The Modena Cento Ore has been organised as usual by Scuderia Tricolore and Canossa Events. It is the only rally in Italy, and one of just a handful around the world, where the drivers challenge one another on both the racetrack and special road stages: a captivating mix of a rally and speed trials on the track made even more exhilarating thanks to the starting grid at the departure.

An international race for classic cars; a winning combination of marvellous cars and gentlemen drivers from all around the world who come here to enjoy a uniquely Italian experience, combining the adrenalin rush of racing on track and on roads closed to normal traffic with the delights of Italian food and wine, and the chance to explore the country en route.

This year, the Modena Cento Ore will be held from Tuesday, June 5^th to Saturday, June 9^th with a brand new itinerary. Once again, the team at Canossa Events has prepared a unique programme for the crews taking on the four-day challenge on a most beautiful route passing through Lombardy, Emilia Romagna and Tuscany, from Monza to Salsomaggiore Terme, Forte dei Marmi, and Florence, with the last leg arriving in Piazza Grande in Modena, as usual, where the awards ceremony and closing event will be held. There will be three track races on the legendary Monza, Varano and Mugello circuits, an entertaining trial at the Modena race track and 12 hill climbs on roads closed to normal traffic.

There is also a ‘regularity’ stage held after the speed trials, following the same programme but with a more relaxed approach, with timed track races and average speed trials on roads closed to normal traffic: ideal for crews who would rather relax and enjoy the drive.

The boom in registrations shows the event has been met with great enthusiasm, as it sold out months ahead of time with applications pouring in from all around the world.

The organisers have confirmed 110 successful applications; 79 of these will take part in the speed trials and 31 will follow in the regularity section.

The 2018 Route

The route will cross Italy from Monza to Salsomaggiore, Forte dei Marmi, Florence and Modena with a chain of spectacular legs, that the public is invited to come and watch.

These marvellous cars will set off from Monza on June 6^th and compete against one another on the track at the famous Monza circuit, the third oldest permanent racetrack in the world after Brooklands (no longer in use) and Indianapolis. It is also the venue where the Italian Grand Prix has always been held, with 80 races taking place here out of a total of 88. They will then arrive in Salsomaggiore Terme.

The second leg will set off on June 7^th from Varano Racetrack, before crossing Emilia and Tuscany on the way to Forte dei Marmi, one of the most famous resorts in Versilia.

On June 8^th, the third leg will start at Mugello International Racetrack for an adrenalin rush on the track, and speed trials on roads closed to normal traffic, before driving down into Florence at the end of the day.

On June 9^th, the crews will leave Tuscany and drive back into Emilia where the rally will come to a close at Modena, the heart of the ‘Motor Valley’. At Modena, the cars face a special stage at the race track before reaching Piazza Grande, where the public will be able to watch these splendid cars arrive and line up below the Ghirlandina bell tower. They are expected to start arriving at 16.30 and the podium will be announced soon afterwards.

Details of the 2018 edition

Once again, 19 motor vehicle manufacturers will be represented at the 2018 edition of the Modena Cento Ore. As usual, the highest numbers are Ferraris and Porsches: this year, there are a few more cars by the German manufacturer. There again, there are some particularly interesting and valuable vehicles sporting the Prancing Horse, and some of them are quite rare. There are also two Maserati 250S barchette, both in ultra original condition and ranking among the finest examples of manufacturing in Modena.

More vehicles have registered for the speed section, reserved for cars built before 1965.

We are particularly pleased about the 10 cars that will compete in the special “50s sports cars” category, reserved for 1950s racing cars with drum brakes.

There has been no change in the number of women competing, who represent around 20% of the total; there are two entirely female crews of courageous and determined women who we are sure will not spare themselves to get ahead in the tough Competition section.

18 countries are represented: British crews prevail, but we have noted growing interest from overseas with twice the number of American competitors compared to last year, pointing to the global bearing of the Modena Cento Ore, which is also felt in countries even further afield, like Brazil, Hong Kong and New Zealand.

Why the Modena Cento Ore is one-of-a-kind

“The Modena Cento Ore is acknowledged as one of the most important rallies in the world and a meeting point for the top names in the industry,” says Luigi Orlandini, CEO of Scuderia Tricolore and the visionary founder of Canossa Events. “Winning the prestigious “Rally of the Year 2017” award at the International Octane Awards, the world’s ‘Oscars’ of classic car motoring is proof of that. Its success is mainly due to the heartfelt enthusiasm of all those taking part and the passion of the close-knit team of people who work for a full 12 months so that the next year’s event will be even better.

The event is made even more unique thanks to the support of high-calibre partners like RM-Sotheby’s, the world-leading auction house; Tenuta Setteponti, which will supply the wine for the evening events; Blackfin, which has created exclusive eyewear for the crews, and Cuervo y Sobrinos, which was commissioned by the Organisers to design a special automatic watch.

The Panathlon Club of Modena has once again confirmed its support, somewhat of a tradition by now, with an important donation in favour of sports projects for disabled children.

The organisers have also confirmed their eco-friendly outlook by deciding to implement a CarbonZero protocol this year and so completely offset the residual emissions of CO₂ by planting new trees in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines: the Modena Cento Ore is the only ‘zero emissions’ event of its kind.