Trofeo Delle Industrie: The Oldest Race In The World


  29 October 2014
 

The annual Trofeo Delle Industrie (Industry Trophy) is a long running and famous karting event in Italy. Originally conceived by leading kart industry identities in 1971, the event ran at the Parma circuit through to 2008, then (after Parma closed) Pomposa, Castelletto di Branduzzo and now Lonato.

Organiser Parma Karting sent the following event promo which might be of interest to readers who study (or have been involved in) the rich history of this sport.

The 43rd running of the event takes place at Lonato on November 7-9.

industry trophy larting
Above: Fernando Alonso (100cc Formula A) competing in the Industry Trophy, 1998

press release

Started in Parma back in 1971, in agreement with the main constructors of the time, the Trofeo delle Industrie has already lived 42 editions and is still organized by Parma Karting. A lot of the protagonists of the International Karting have competed and won the Trofeo delle Industrie ahead of completing the whole trip to Formula 1.

The “Trofeo delle Industrie” is the oldest karting race in the world. It is organized by Parma Karting as the most full of history and glorious karting race. Among the numerous protagonists that started their career at the Trofeo delle Industrie, several have kept their momentum becoming great names of the main formulas of motor racing.

Everything started back in 1971 from an initiative of the Parma's Kartodrome owner Umberto Pellegrini, who has made the circuit of Emilia become the fulcrum of international karting  organizing several Italian as well as European and World Championships: precisely, 37 Italian, 4 European and 5 World championships. It was not by chance that Umberto Pellegrini used to call his track the “Mondial... track!”.

industry trophy larting
Above: Trofeo delle Industrie, 1978, Clerk of the Course: G.Franco Riva

The tradition of the “Trofeo delle Industrie”, as well as that of the other big event taking place in Parma, the Andrea Margutti Trophy, is still lively thanks to the commitment of Umberto Pellegrini's children Tiziano, Donatella and Germano.

This is the memory of Umberto Pellegrini: “When I started to manage the circuit of Parma, back in 1968, Italy housed only a few important karting events and those couple of appointments were held one at the Pista d'Oro of Rome (the famous Champions Tournament) and the other at the Pista Rossa of Milan. From September to March there were no races. This is why talking with Sala from Birel, Grana from Iame and other constructors we came up with the idea to organize an event in autumn at the circuit of Parma. This initiative started in 1971 with the support of the main kart constructors of the time, among which Birel, BM, Pcr, Parilla, Tony Kart, Dap, Tecno, Kalì-Kalì by Calogero, and this was the reason why the event was called “Torneo delle Industrie” (Industries Trophy). It was a huge success since the beginning.”

For a long time the “Trofeo delle Industrie” has been the jewel in the crown of the international karting and this round became so important that in the Seventies it was used by the companies to present their products for the following year. This was a particularly lived event and one that was awaited by the whole karting world. It was also blessed with a rich money-prize made available by the karting constructors that take part to it, back then as still happens today.

industry trophy larting
Above: 1991 - 1. Bonetti, 2. Filippi, 3. Vettel

The Absolute Title for all categories has always been awarded to the driver scoring the best overall result. The Absolute Trophy was named after Commendatore Carlo Fabi who was a huge fan of motorsport. After his departure, his famous – due to the motorsport success – sons Teo and Corrado kept this tradition alive and the trophy is still named “Memorial Carlo Fabi” today.

THE BEGINNING IN 1971

The first edition of the “Trofeo delle Industrie” was organized in 1971. It involved 4 rounds, that  became 5 in 1974  and then 7 in 1984, 1985 and 1986 due to the high number of entered drivers. From 1987 it went down to 5 rounds again and then to 3 for several years and finally to 2. From 2009, due to the decommissioning of the Parma Kartodrome, the event started featuring only one round.

All the main drivers have been competing in the “Trofeo delle Industrie”, a lot of which have moved shortly after to professional motor-racing and to Formula 1. Among the main names winning the Absolute Trophy, the first winner back in 1971 was Gabriele Gorini, and then Corrado Fabi (1973, 100cc), Ivan Capelli (1978, 100 Cadets), Stefano Modena (1981, 100 Avenir), Giancarlo Fisichella (1990, 100 International) and Daniil Kvyat (2008, KF3).

industry trophy larting
Above: 1981 - Antonio Tamburini

THE PROTAGONISTS OF 70s AND 80s

A lot of other drivers that came to the fore winning their category at the Trofeo delle Industrie have then moved on to an excellent career in motorsport or have become great karting interpreters. Successful debuts at this event were made by Beppe Gabbiani (from 1971), Eddy Cheever (1972), Riccardo Patrese (1972), Elio De Angelis (1973), Teo Fabi (1974), Andrea De Cesaris (1974), Paolo Barilla (1975), Emanuele Pirro (1975), Roberto Ravaglia (1976), Gianni Morbidelli (1980), Gabriele Tarquini (1980), Antonio Tamburini (1981), Mike Wilson (1981), Roberto Colgiago (1982), Gianluca Beggio (1982), Alex Zanardi (1982), Emanuele Naspetti (1982), Vincenzo Sospiri (1982), Tamara Vidali (1982), Massimiliano Papis (1982), Luca Drudi (1982), Fabrizio Giovanardi (1983), Enrico Bertaggia (1983), Andrea Montermini (1985), Luca Badoer (1985), Luca Rangoni (1986)

Some like the President to be of the Italian Karting Federation Oddino Domenichini and  the FIK Advisor Giampaolo Melonaro have also been competing at the 1975 edition of the Trofeo delle Industrie.

Year 1988 was Jarno Trulli's turn to claim the victory at the end of a good challenge with Giancarlo Fisichella, then Fabrizio De Simone (1988), Gabriele Lancieri (1989), as the latter is currently a Federal School instructor. At the beginning of 80s, other drivers have also been racing at the trophy before becoming important constructors like  Roberto Robazzi, Albino Parolin, Jorn Haase, Michele Panigada, Roberto Ninzoli and Giuseppe Cavaciuti, or future team managers like Dino Chiesa, Armando Filini, Pietro Sassi, Sandro Lorandi or  Guido Cappellini, who became motorboating champion. Others owned circuits like Francesco Calzavara (owner of Jesolo's track), Fabio Torsellini (Circuit of Siena), Marco Corberi (South Garda), Massimo Wiser (Pista Winner), Matteo Grassotto (Pista Friuli Venezia Giulia). A very good interpreter of the Trofeo delle Industrie was also Andrea Margutti (1988).

THREE F1 WORLD CHAMPIONS IN THE 90s

90s started with Giancarlo Fisichella winning the Absolute Title of the 100 International in 1990. Andrea Belicchi won the Trophy in 1991, year that saw Tonio Liuzzi's presence in 60 Mini and that of Ronnie Quintarelli. Some journalists also took part in those years at the Trofeo delle Industrie, such as Giovanni Paterlini, Maurizio Voltini and Alberto Sabbatini in 1991, who is Autosprint's director, and Fulvio Cavicchi, who is the son of Carlo Cavicchi, Autosprint director first and then Quattroruote's.

Among the main names of the 90s, Giorgio Pantano, Thomas Biagi, Alessandro Sferrella, Raffaele Giammaria (1993), Fabio Francia (1993), Francesco Laudato who won the Trophy back in 1995, Fernando Alonso in 100 Junior (1995), Marco Ardigò and Stefano Fabi both in Mini (1995), Alessandro Balzan, Alberto Pianta, Alessandro Manetti (1996) and the several times winner Danilo Rossi (1996). Among the girls, Ketty D’Ambroso managed to shine in 1997 and before winning the 2004 edition of 100 ICA.

industry trophy larting
Above: 2008, KF3 - 1. Kvyat, 2. Giovinazzi, 3. Marciello

The driver with the highest number of victories is Alessandro Piccini, who won it three times in a row in 1992, 1993 and 1994 in 125 International.

In 1998 Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton alternated at the victory of ICA Junior in the same year when Fernando Alonso won Formula A. Edition 1999 of the Trofeo delle Industrie housed a good number of future F1 champions with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg competing in ICA, that were joined by Nico Hulkenberg and Sebastian Vettel in Junior and Robert Kubica in Formula A. Hamilton won the ICA Tournament while Vettel was third in Junior.

Among the protagonists of the Trofeo, three drivers went all the way to become Formula 1 World Champions:  Fernando Alonso (2005-2006), Lewis Hamilton (2008) and Sebastian Vettel (2010-2011-2012-2013).

In the nineties, the number of drivers partaking in this event became quite remarkable, with the record of 261 entered drivers in the first round of 1993, and a total of 718 drivers in the three races run in that year.

SEVERAL MORE CHAMPIONS IN YEARS 2000s

A lot of foreign drivers joined the race in 2000s. A total number of 19 foreign countries were represented in year 2000, while in 2002 the Trophy was run in two rounds. In 2003 Jaime Alguersuari was at the start, while some champions currently present in the international scene made their debut in Mini such as Felice Tiene, Flavio Camponeschi, Lorenzo Camplese, Mirko Torsellini and Kevin Ceccon.

Daniil Kvyat made his debut in Mini together with Antonio Giovinazzi in 2005, while Mini's debut  for Carlos Sainz Jr came in 2006, when he ended fifth in final one ahead of Kvyat. Aaro Vainio got the win in 2007's edition of the race in KF3. The 2008 Absolute Trophy went to Daniil Kvyat, who won in KF3 ahead of Antonio Giovinazzi and Raffaele Marciello.

industry trophy larting
Above: 1999 - Lewis Hamilton

The “Trofeo delle Industrie” relocated to Pomposa in 2009 and was run in one round only. The race moved to Castelletto di Branduzzo in 2010. After a sabbatical year, the race restarted regularly at the South Garda Karting circuit of Lonato.

Davide Forè won the trophy in 2013, in KZ2, repeating the success he had in 1989 in category 100 Italia.

The winners of the other categories in 2013 were Nicola Abrusci in Mini, the Russian Alexander Vartanyan in KF3, the Briton Callum Ilott in KF2  after previous year's win in KF3.

industry trophy karting italy
industry trophy karting italy
industry trophy karting italy


Above: Daniil Kvyat with Parma's Umberto Pellegrini (centre) in 2008. Interesting that Kvyat raced an FA Kart and now races against Alonso in F1

Home



kartsportnews promo banner