Pirelli celebrates a century of motorsportFrom Paris to Beijing aboard the Itala car using the same type of tyres that were used 100 years ago, hand made for the occasion by Pirelli technicians and engineers: that is how the Italian manufacturer will be celebrating its
century of participation in motorsports.
Pirelli's history of victories on the roads of the world began in 1907 with Prince Scipion Borghese's Itala which, thanks to its tyres as reported by the period's newspapers, managed to beat all its rivals.
One hundred years later, Pirelli and the 45hp Itala have reunited again to conquer China: the tyres fitted on the Itala for the roads of Europe and Asia were put together in Pirelli's Turkish plant and are identical in design and shape to the orginals, but made of compounds which are much more resistant.
In fact, all tyres prepared for the Itala incorporate an innovative technology aiming particularly for enduance, elaborated for the occasion by Pirelli technicians, which should not alter their performance and safety characteristics during the entire trip.
In over 100 years, the history of Pirelli has been linked to the history of the automobile itself, as the company launched its activities in 1872 and has supplied car tyres since the end of the 19th century.
The motorsport aspects started in 1907, with the Beijing-Paris event more precisely, and has continued since with champions named Nuvolari, Ascari and Fangio.
The Itala, star of the Turin Automobile Museum, has been refitted and will run over 15,000 kilometres of the original itinerary across Europe and Asia, passing through the capitals of both continents.
The modern Paris-Beijing edition will take off from Place de la Concorde (its finish line a century ago) on 20 July and should arrive in the Chinese capital on 20 September.
