The Italian Job

General Meets + Track Day Reports
21

Hi SJW – much appreciate your exert input,

Unfortunately Autoslaap’s Den Bosch - Alessandria service stops at the end of August, but Autozug’s Dusseldorf - Alessandria service is still running in October and would get us to Italy two days earlier than the Bolzano route, but does mean taking Friday 28th Sept as holiday.

Taking on board your suggestion of not being too adventurous with the mileage in the Alps - have you got any recommendations for a twisty 3 day route from Alessandria to Monza?
No plans to visit any museums, but we do have to get from Monza to Mugello on Weds 2nd October which would take us right past Modena, unless there’s a more interesting twisty route?

Thanks for the B500 tip, I’ll definitely add that into the itinerary.

Do you have any other map routes or hotel recommendations you could share.
The Trackdays are fixed for Tues 1st October (Monza) and Thursday 3rd (Mugello).

Thanks again
Toby

22

Well, the furthest I have ventured south in Italy is Lake Como, where we high-tailed it back into Switzerland because it was so busy. That was in early June one year on the bikes, so should be quieter for you.

If you find Andermatt on the map, there is a ‘classic’ set of 3 passes (Grimsel, Furka, Susten) that anyone going that way should head towards, and there are plenty of hotels there. All hotels in the Alps will be quiet at that time of year, as they take a breather before their high (read skiing) season.

Just to wet your appetite, this is coming off the Grimsel pass, looking towards the Furka

and this is Klausenpass where there is a pre-1946 ‘race’ just before you would be passing by http://www.klausenrennen.com/en
Can be a sod if you get behind the local bus, as this one is a bit narrower

This is Klausenpass today from about the same location: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
http://www.klausenpasshoehe.ch/webcam/live1.jpg

23

If you go to Bolzano, consider staying at the Hotel Greif, it has an underground carpark, is very central and is a classy little boutique kinda place. Bolzano is itself very germanic with some fantastic roads through the Dolomites very close by, the road from Bolzano to Cortina is epic :sunglasses:

I’ve also done the car train from Nice to Calais. Its a lovely drive along the coast past Monaco when heading there from Italy. There’s an overnight service that works really well and saves that slog across France. I don’t know how they’d get on loading our super low cars onto the train? Its also really expensive IIRC.

Sounds like an epic trip :sunglasses: I think however if I did 2-3000 road miles and two trackdays in my car in a week I would need a couple of weeks holiday afterwards to recover!

24

Hi Benja - Damn! looks like French Motorail trains from Calais were discontinued in 2010…
I like the sound of Bolzano to Cortina and thanks for the Bolzano hotel tip.
You’re not the only person to suggest we might be being a bit ambitious with both track days, so I’m also looking into a slightly more relaxed route with only one of the trackdays.

Guys! If you had to chose just one of the trackdays - which one would it be?
For me, Mugello looks like the more interesting track and better suited to Exiges…

25

Never been to Mugello, but have visited Monza. The latter is a truly magical place, & imho would be fantastic circuit to drive. Spending a couple of hours walking around the infield, & scrambling up & down the incredibly banked sections is a must too! Must have bloody scary racing on the old banked circuit! A few photos I took whilst at Monza in 2009:

26

Depends what is more important driving the 2 tracks or swanning around passes, to me I want to do both tracks because it ticks the box to say I have driven both if I can even go :frowning:

27

I’ve been to Monza for the Grand Prix, and although I’ve not driven it, I feel that an Exige may feel a little lost on what is a very fast ‘straight’ circuit. That said it is a great place to visit as the surrounding parkland and remains of the historic track are worth seeing alone.

28

Always fancied doing a Euro-hoon so we’d also be interested in doing this.

From what’s been posted so far it’s apparent that it’d be difficult to find a schedule everyone would be happy with. From a personal point of view, it’s too far to go only to do the one track day (3,300 mile round trip to Mugello).

I appreciate some folks would prefer a more relaxed trip, but we’d be looking at 2 full days driving front & back end. So would be looking to cram as much in as possible. With this in mind we’d also want to do the Ferrari, Lambo & Pagani tours since you’ve got to pass Modena anyway.

Logistics wise, would it not be better to stay in the same hotel both the night before & after, so you leave your stuff in the room. Otherwise we’ll be leaving a week’s worth of kit in a garage while out on track.

29

I’m with Yvonne on all counts… :thumbup:

30

don’t forget we can transport your car there and back for £1295, which could work out cheaper that some of the other options mentioned on here.

if we get can truck-full, we could even schedule one of the trucks to come back to the UK a week later, giving you time to do an Alps trip without the miles from the UK at either end.

return flights are under £100 a the moment, albeit with the big fat gypsy airlines.

lots of options, all comes down to numbers - if we get enough cars interested in any one plan, we can make it happen :slight_smile:

Jonny
BaT

31

Thanks Jonny :thumbup:

32

Do we have confirmed dates yet ?

33

Yep - 1st Monza and 3rd Mugello. Signed the contracts and am staring at a couple of very large deposit invoices right now, so it’s definitely going to happen!

Jonny
BaT

34

Good bye bling paint job, hello Italy :laughing:

35

OK guys, many thanks for all your info. I have redone my plan taking a lot of your input on board.

For me, this adventure is an Alpine road trip plus trackday, so the itinerary reflects this.
I can only take 5 working days off, so the trip runs Sunday 29th Sept to Sun 6th October.
I’ve checked out both tracks on uTube and Mugello gets my vote as it has a mix of twisty bits, up and downs and straights. Whereas Monza looks like a mostly flat, superfast power circuit. I like the idea of shipping the car out, but I’ve decided to go Motorail out and drive back, taking in the Black Forest.

If this approach appeals then fill your boots and It’d be cool to convoy up, share a sleeper coach on the Motorail and party in the same hotels.
If you want to do both Bookatrack trackdays then you could head directly off to Monza after the Stelvio Pass on Monday, and we can hook back up at Mugello for the trackday, the Modena Ferrari visit and trip back. I’m more than happy for people to opt in to as much or as little of the trip.

Sunday 29th September – Sunday 6th October
Sunday 29th September (Day 1) Folkestone to Dusseldorf
Eurotunnel £131
Folkestone Euro tunnel to Dusseldorf - 295 miles 4h56m
17:13 Overnight Autozug Motorail AZ43313 train from Dusseldorf to Bolzano (Euro246.50 - 446.50 depending on ticket for car plus 1 person)

Monday 30th September (Day 2) Bolzano to St Moritz
Motorail arrives Bolzano 07:48 – 120m 3h10m
Stelvio Pass, Bormiio Pass, Livigno, Moloja pass, Bernina pass, St Moritz,
Hotel Station, CH-7504 Pontresina Tel +41 81 838 80 00 http://www.station-pontresina.ch/

Tuesday 1st September (Day 3) St Moritz to Brig
St Moritz to Brig 141m 4h33m
Nufenen, Oberalp, Linthal, Klausen, St Gotthard, Susten Pass, Furka Pass, Grimsel pass
Hotel: Ambassador Brig, Saflichstrasse 3, Brig 3900, Switzerland

Wednesday 2nd October (Day 4) Brig to Mugello
Brig to Mugello – 305m 5h4m
Hotel TBD

Thursday 3rd October (Day 5) Mugello trackday then to Modena
Mugello Track Day
Thursday early evening, Mugello to Modena - 80 miles 1h32m
Hotel TBD

Friday 4th October (Day 6) Modena to Altdorf
Modena - Ferrari Museum
Modena to Altdorf via Andermatt (Gotthard pass)
262miles 5hr 32min
Hotel TBD

Saturday 5th October (Day 7) Altdorf to Saint Avold
Altdorf to Saint Avold – 283m 5h42m
Via Black Forest, B500 south of Baden Baden
Hotel: Novotel, Route Nationale 33, 57500 St-Avold, France

Sunday 6th October (Day 8) Saint Avold to Calais
Saint Avold to Calais (Eurotunnel) – 313m 4h28m

Next Steps:
I’m going to book the Mugello trackday.
The Autozug Motorail ticket is even cheaper if 3-4 people book a sleeper compartment. So if anyone wants to share then come back to me quickly (before 17 March) and we can book this up. We should probably book the Eurotunnel fairly soon to lock down a cheap fare, but I think the Hotels can wait for a while.

It’s going to be an awesome trip :smiley:

36

BOOKED!


Que Sera, Sera
Whatever will be, will be,
we’re off to Italy,
Que Sera, Sera. :smiley:

37

Looking good Toby!! I just need a car that I can do it in now!!

38

I need to remove myself from this one. It makes better sense to go to the Ring with BaT and maybe get out and about early August then rush around like a mad man trying to fit Italy, Donnington, Oz, China & HK in October. Anybody else fancy switching?

39

I could be up for some Nurburgring action.

I have always fancied a European cruise taking in all the famous roads, but the reality is, I don’t really have a car that I can do that in at the moment.

40

Hang on lads, I’ve got another great idea………

Monza/Modena/Mugello will be the mutz nutz, but I’m afraid the Ring wins for me too, especially as it’s in August.
But I’m still going to do the Alpine tour before the Ring. So I’ve had a fiddle with the itinerary and I reckon the motorail to Bolzano on a Sunday is still the best bet.
So ‘The Italian Job’ becomes the 'Ring Fling" and it’s a day (possibly 2) shorter and now looks like:

Sunday 28th July – Saturday 4th August
Sunday 28th July (Day 1) Folkestone to Dusseldorf
Eurotunnel £131
Folkestone Euro tunnel to Dusseldorf - 295 miles 4h56m
17:13 Overnight Autozug Motorail AZ43313 train from Dusseldorf to Bolzano (Euro246.50 - 446.50 depending on ticket for car plus 1 person)

Monday 29th July (Day 2) Bolzano to Chur
Motorail arrives Bolzano 07:48 – 188m 5h4m
Awesome day doing the Stelvio, Bormiio, Livigno, Moloja and Bernina Passes

Tuesday 30th July (Day 3) Chur to Donaueschingen
Chur to Donaueschingen 185m 4h26m
Another epic day on the Nufenen, Oberalp, Linthal, Klausen, St Gotthard, Susten Pass, Furka Pass and Grimsel Pass

Wednesday 31st July (Day 4) Donaueschingen to Nurburgring
Donaueschingen – 277m 5h29m
Via B500 south of Baden Baden

Thursday 1st August (Day 5) Nurburgring Trackday
Bookatrack Nurburgring Track Day

Friday 2nd August (Day 6) Nurburgring Trackday
Bookatrack Nurburgring Track Day (halfday 08:00-13:00)

Saturday 3rd August (Day 7) Nurburgring to Calais
Nurburgring to Calais – 297m 4h27m

Same deal as the before, if anyone fancies the Alpine bit then fill ya boots, otherwise I’ll see you at the Ring :smiley: