The fun is over—South Tyrol bans car events
It is a radical decision—and that is precisely the point: "At its meeting on June 19, 2026, the state government adopted a regulation governing organized motorsports events on certain state and local roads ... The measure applies to roads in protected areas as well as areas above 1,600 meters above sea level. Organized motorsports events will no longer be permitted there in the future.”
This is what the Autonomous Province of Bolzano-South Tyrol states on its website. And in plain language, this means that group outings by car, classic car, or motorcycle drivers are no longer permitted there. Or to put it simply: Groups of motor vehicles should no longer arrange to drive up and down the mountains together.
It doesn't matter whether a club, association, company, or federation is behind it, or whether it's a rally or a race, or whether the vehicles are gasoline-powered or electric—to protect the area, events involving multiple vehicles are prohibited without a permit. And it's obvious that such a permit will not be granted.
This does not apply to any non-motorized events, such as bicycle races, or to any private individual trips. To avoid misunderstandings: Cars are not banned per se; they are still allowed to drive anywhere. But not as a horde running amok. Because that is where the problem lies.
The beautiful South Tyrolean mountain passes and winding roads have attracted so many motorists that not only hares and marmots have had to fear for their lives, but all residents of the South Tyrol recreational area as well. It's not the occasional classic car outing or the exclusive motorcycle tour, but rather the sheer volume of organized road hooligans.
Quite a few of them mistook the mountain passes for race tracks, where they really put the pedal to the metal. It's thanks to them that now no group is allowed to have any fun anymore.
This phenomenon is also familiar from other scenic stretches of road; here, comprehensive measures have now been taken to prevent drivers from switching to bypass routes. It's a shame it had to come to this. Now everyone is paying the price.
Hopefully, at least everyone will follow the rules now—otherwise, things will be regulated in an entirely different way. And then it'll really be no fun at all.
