MOTOR SHOW

Prestigious brands like Abarth, Pirelli and Pagani will be the leading lights of numerous exciting events set to take place in the Mobil 1 Arena until 12 December

The tradition of Italian brands leading the way in national and international competitions will be very much in evidence at the 2010 Bologna Motor Show through track events featuring famous names in racing and rallying. The most high-profile of these events will be those orchestrated by Abarth, which will be involved in various activities on the spectacular and challenging track of the Mobil 1 Arena. It all starts with the new category for the youngest drivers, the Formula ACI/CSAI Abarth. On the track on Saturday 4 December will be the single-seaters that have contested this first year of the championship that is intended to train the future talents of the world of motorsport. This is set to be a high-level challenge in both competitive and technical terms. Abarth will also be in the spotlight in the covered-wheel races, thanks to the Sunday 5 December event reserved for the spectacular Abarth 500 Assetto Corses that have lit up the monomarque challenge successfully launched in 2009 in Italy and Europe. Having come up once again with a sporty variant of a well-established economy car, the Turin-based marque has created a number of monomarque Italian and European rally formulas using a 500 customised in accordance with the prescriptions of the R3T group, which requires the use of turbocharged engines of up to 1.6 litres.

         Cutting-edge Italian technology is very much at home in Bologna thanks also to Pirelli, which after twenty years is preparing to make its return to the great circus that is Formula 1, starting from next season. At the 2010 Motor Show, Pirelli is, as usual, the supplier of tyres to the drivers of the Findomestic Memorial Bettega. As part of the contract that for the past three years (2008-2010) has seen Pirelli supply its products – on an exclusive basis – to the official and private teams competing in the FIA WRC World Rally Championships, the vehicles competing in the Findomestic Memorial Bettega on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 December in the Mobil 1 Arena will also be using Pirelli tyres.

         The Milanese marque is fully involved in the Ferrari Challenge, which on Wednesday 8 December, as is now customary, will be centre-stage at the Motor Show. On the track will be the super-fast 490-horsepower F430s that last weekend in Valencia bid farewell to the 2010 season during the World Finals. It is sure to be an unforgettable day, entirely dedicated to the Maranello-made masterpieces. The most eagerly awaited event will be the Scuderia Ferrari F1 Pit Stop featuring an exhibition by official test-driver Luca Badoer.

         Another prestigious Italian name that will feature on the track of the Mobil 1 Arena at the Motor Show will be Pagani. The extreme fascination exerted by the Emilia-built “supercar” will be showcased at the Pagani Zonda Show, slated for Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 December. At the wheel of the powerful two-seater, 6-litre, 750-horsepower car will be Andrea Montermini, ex-Formula 1 driver and 2010 Italian GT champion.