"The automobile is undoubtedly a mechanism, and it is equally true that the competition is a battle of racing machines. But that's the exciting part: the sole preparation of the car requires spirit, a lot of ingenuity and expertise. On the other hand, it has always been everyone's burning desire to cross the finish line first. The ancient Greeks competed with their four-horse chariots, which today have been replaced by our racing cars. The meaning has remained the same; the thrill of speed, the fight and the danger are the confirmation that, above all, the work on which you are working outweighs everything ".
Rudolf Caracciola (1901 - 1959) once uttered these words and, as one of the fastest men of his time, he certainly knew what he was talking about.
Regularity rally on public roads
Of course, the Passione Caracciola is driven on public roads as required by law, but the thrill of speed could be experienced later on the closed-off race track.
The starting point for the sixth edition was Basel, a city known today for its significant cultural and economic dynamism. Strictly speaking, however, the rally started at Kestenholz in Pratteln, from where it led to the Jura, Switzerland's youngest canton.
The Jura is an excellent place for a drive, the wonderfully hilly landscape with its many bends is ideal for putting the spurs to a sports car. The route to Saignelégier, where we stopped for lunch, offered breathtaking panoramas. The village is famous for its annual horse market, which attracts thousands of visitors from far beyond the canton of Jura.
Beautiful rider route
In the afternoon, we continued through forests and breathtaking curves via Chasseral towards Neuchâtel, a city that offers an incomparable view of the Alps and where the great writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt spent many decades of his life.
On the second day of the rally, the participants stayed in the region and drove back towards Chasseral to enjoy the track of the TCS driving center Lignières, the former and only permanent circuit in Switzerland. The route led along Lake Neuchâtel past picturesque places such as the small town of Murten, which boasts a perfectly preserved medieval old town.
The sixth edition of Passione Caracciola once again offered two full days behind the wheel with numerous special stages, a number of cut tests and a rich supporting program, which was once again given great importance.
30 years or older
Classic cars built up to 1989 were registered for the 2019 edition. The oldest car in the field was the Maserati 26M from 1928, with which the Hofers reached the midday station exactly 12 minutes before their next start time. The challenging route through the Jura Mountains demanded everything from the crew and they decided to push back the second start in order to at least have some time for lunch.
Three really special vehicles for sometimes very narrow track conditions were the Mercedes-Benz SS (1929), the Lancia Astura Pininfarina (1938) and the Dodge Polara (1966). With an above-average vehicle width, these cars were often forced to stop to allow oncoming vehicles to pass.
Professionally organized event
As in previous years, Umberto Ferrari, who has always been responsible for the route book and overall coordination, was in charge of the technical management of the rally. He was supported by Renato Bernardi and the timekeepers from the Italian Timekeepers Association (FICR), who are also involved in the Mille Miglia.
The 2019 Passione Caracciola was once again a successful mix of fantastic roads, the right dose of competition and, above all, lots of fun.
Satisfied winners
Of course, there were also winners and winners.
Incidentally, Rudi Caracciola also raced on two of the three brands. Here are the top three finishers:
1. M. Weilenmann/Y. Weilenmann - Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC (1977)
2. M. Pastore/M. Pastore - Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider (1963)
3. R. Meier/R. Meier - Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 Targa (1976)
A total of 24 vehicles were judged.
