Published on: 21/02/2019 Updated on: 20/02/2025
MAFRA sponsors the seventh edition of the unmissable race. And the Mattioli brothers on the track still promise sparks...
MAFRA and the WinteRace: a partnership that is repeated again this year! We will be present not only as Platinum Sponsor of the event to promote car care and detailing, but also with 2 cars driven by Marco and Massimiliano Mattioli. Now in its seventh edition, the WinteRace has become a reference for all fans of classic regularity, a race that sees the participation of 50 cars with crews from many other nations.
MAFRA to support WinteRace participants
As a sponsor, in addition to supplying our inflatable arches that mark the starting and finishing points of the 2 stages, we deliver to all crews a special MAFRA pre-race kit. As is well known, facing the roads of the Dolomites in winter driving classic cars requires the use of products that can withstand low temperatures and offer crews the best possible visibility. Precisely for this reason, the MAFRA pre-race kit dedicated to the WinteRace contains. Cristalbel Artic, an antifreeze windshield washer fluid specifically for harsh climates, which withstands extreme temperatures (down to -70° C when used pure), and Not-Ice Power, a powerful de-icer thanks to which snow and ice can be instantly melted from windshields and car windows. But one of the main problems to deal with when driving a vintage car in cold and wet weather is the windshield, which tends to fog up quickly, preventing drivers from having optimal visibility. Once upon a time, cars were not equipped with modern systems that allow the windows to be quickly demisted. To remedy this problem, our Kit contains Anti-Fog, the defogger that can be applied to the inside of the windshield to prevent it from fogging up during the race. Competitors then may also have to deal with rain or snow; that's why in our Kit competitors will find the exclusive antirain product #Aquavelox from the innovative line dedicated to detailing #Labocosmetica. Once applied to the windshield, #Aquavelox creates a water-repellent barrier that ensures perfect visibility in rain and snow without having to operate the windshield wipers.
WinteRace 2019 is also an opportunity to continue in our mission to promote the culture of detailing among classic car enthusiasts. That's why we are present with our #Labocosmetica team, professional detailers who perform live demonstrations and are available to answer questions and offer helpful tips on how to make any car shine like new again.
The race: between Austria and the Dolomites
As per tradition Cortina d'Ampezzo, the Queen of the Dolomites, is the heart of the event. It begins on Thursday, February 28, the opening day of Carnival, with scrutineering and the parade of cars with the masks of Cortina's Sestieri on board. On Friday, March 1, however, the race kicks off, heading for Austria. First pass through Lienz and then meet in Gmünd, Carinthia, where competitors visit the Porsche Museum Helmut Pfeifhofer, the first Porsche museum in Europe. Here you can see 48 cars that have made the history of this famous marque, including the 356 with hand-beaten aluminum bodywork that has chassis number 20. After lunch, everyone is back in the car to return to Cortina on Corso Italia, under the large MAFRA inflatable.
The cars in the race
On Saturday, March 2, the second day of the race, the cars face no less than 5 passes in the Dolomites: the Giau, Pordoi, Sella, and Gardena, as well as the Furcia, new to this edition of the WinteRace. Just on the Giau pass, competitors have to face 6 special stages at the end of which the prestigious MAFRA Trophy is awarded: a race within a race! At the end of the day they return to Cortina, again under the MAFRA arch in Corso Italia, where the winners of the 7th edition of the race are decided. In the evening there is an exclusive gala evening at the Grand Hotel Savoia, a true icon of tourism in the Dolomites.
There are 50 cars entered in the 7th WinteRace, all strictly built before 1976. In addition to the vintage cars, some 15 modern Porsches precede the caravan as they vie for victory in the 4th Porsche WiterRace. Among the most interesting historic cars taking off from Cortina d'Ampezzo are the 1937 Lancia Aprilia, driven by the Sisti-Gualandi crew, winners of the 2018 edition. Also of note: a 1937 Fiat 508 C, a 1953 Jaguar XK120, a 1953 Fiat 1100/103, as well as the large presence of Porsche B and C models. Two Porsche Italia cars will also be competing: the Carrera RS driven by Pietro Innocenti, general manager of Porsche Italia, in a crew with Ornella Pietropaolo, and the 356 A Speedster, driven by Ruoteclassiche editor David Giudici in tandem with Paolo Cattagni, CEO of Girard Perregaux Italia. Also sure to arouse much curiosity is the Lancia Stratos of the Swiss crew Mellinger-Gelmini.
Also this year we at MAFRA will be at the start with 2 cars. Driving are the Mattioli brothers: Massimiliano in a 1973 Fiat 124 Abarth Rally, paired with Massimiliano Gatti, while Marco is taking part in the race in a1974 Alfa Romeo Gt Veloce, assisted by his historic navigator Mario Pensotti. The 2019 edition of the WinteRace is a rematch of last year, when Marco Mattioli got the better of Massimiliano, taking a prestigious 32nd place overall and finishing 3rd in category 6, cars from 1972 to 1976. Our wish is that the challenge will be close and that the best will win!
A practical tip for protecting cars before the race
For all participants in the seventh edition of WinteRace, before the race, we recommend underbody protective treatment with Lubrigraph, to prevent the corrosive action of salt spread on snowy roads from ruining the car's underbody. Lubrigraph is a product that can create a protective layer on the treated parts and lubricate the mechanical and rubber parts.Thanks to its protective action, the salt and crushed stone lifted from the wheels will not damage the chassis, the inside of the fenders and all underbody components of the car.
Rely on MAFRA 's expertise to protect your car! To learn about the full range dedicated to car care, visit www.mafra.shop, our e-commerce portal where you can find the best products to take care of your car.
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