Published on: 18/04/2024 Updated on: 20/02/2025
Mario Passanante, a Mafra ambassador, took a brilliant 2nd place at the Tuscan race of the Mugello Road Circuit behind the wheel of his 1937 Fiat 508 C, strengthening his leadership in the Italian Major Events Championship . Accompanying him again on this occasion was navigator Alessandro Molgora, president of the scuderia Franciacorta Motori.
A Challenging Mugello Road Circuit
It was not an easy race for our champion. In the first stage, Alberto and Federico Riboldi, also in a Fiat 508 C, managed to build up a substantial lead, laying the groundwork for their victory. Passanante, struggling with some timing problems, was not among the candidates for the podium in the early stages.
The second day, on the other hand, allowed the Sicilian driver to perform a great comeback, which led him to second place overall. In doing so, Mario put himself behind his main rivals in the championship.
"It was a good race," says Passanante, "difficult and very hard fought. Race director Lucio De Mori chose an interesting new route for the first stage, and the Tuscan roads are well maintained."
Mario tells that instead other competitions, such as the Milan-San Remo which he won, take place on roads that put a strain on the cars. Cars from the 1930s like Mario's Fiat 508C therefore require good maintenance. "After every competition," he explains, "we have to put the car on the bridge and tighten all the nuts and bolts, which get loose from vibration." The bolts securing the suspension arms and differential also need to be re-tightened.
Watch out for the brakes
In Tuscany, therefore, everything went smoothly, and now Passanante looks forward to his next engagement, the Gold Cup of the Dolomites(July 18-21). "Before then," he confides, "I am also planning a thorough overhaul of the brakes. In regularity races, in fact, they are subjected to particular wear and tear. The precision passage on the tubes that detect times is achieved precisely by a play on the accelerator and, indeed, brake pedal."
Thus, Mario Passanante will appear at the Dolomite appointment more fierce than ever. And we at Mafra We will, as always, root for him.
