The 27th edition of the Vernasca Silver Flag is due to take place from 9 to 11 June. This competition recalls the historic uphill speed race – held from 1953 to 1972 – dedicated to classic cars; every year, it packs out the Piacenza hills along a route leading from the enchanting medieval village of Castell’Arquato to Vernasca, a small town nestled in the Ligurian Apennines.
Maserati will be featuring at this year’s event. The Trident will be lining up four vintage gems, on display in a dedicated space. They will also take part in the legendary climb, where hundreds of vintage cars will parade among the most iconic and appealing models in the history of motoring.
Maserati is right at home at the race organised by the CPAE Club Piacentino Automotoveicoli d’Epoca, which appeared in the roll of honour with the 1956 victory of Fernando Pagliarini in the Maserati 150S, and with Odoardo Govoni’s 1961 win at the wheel of the Maserati Tipo 60.
The dynamic race to restore and preserve vintage cars culminates in a parade unmatched in its class of the most esteemed brands. Racing cars built from the early 20th century to 1972 compete for the big prizes in the competition: from rally cars to pre-war models; from prototypes to single-seaters and the most memorable grand touring vehicles. The best conservation and the best restoration receive awards, as do various other categories.
In this authentic museum in motion, Maserati will be reigning over the 2023 edition. The Vernasca Silver Flag will celebrate the Trident and its exemplary history of passion, tenacity, and creative, engineering and mechanical genius, as well as the countless successes that have taken the Modena-based brand to the tracks all over the world.
On Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 June, running between the panoramic hairpin bends of one of the most anticipated historical races among classic fans will be the 1953 Maserati A6GCS-53 Berlinetta Pininfarina – 4 models produced, the creation of which acted as a watershed between the worlds of race cars and road models. It is a 170-hp berlinetta with a top speed of 235 km/h of speed, a veritable workout for four-wheel specialists.
Alongside it on the catwalk will be one of the most successful two-litre sports models of its time, a 1949 Tipo A6-1500 GranTurismo that made its debut at the 1947 Geneva Motor Show. Characterised by its design by Pininfarina and the major innovation of a tubular chassis including components with a circular cross-section, only 58 examples were ever produced.
The 1961 Maserati Birdcage Tipo, 17 of which were made, was a formidable opponent for all the automakers taking part in the races of the time, as a result of its extraordinary handling and ease of driving. Last but not least, these models will be joined by the 2001 Tipo 320 S, the starting point for the Trident’s return to the track that simultaneously marked the then-imminent relaunch on the US market: a unique specimen, with its popular 3.2-litre 90° V8 engine, turbocharged with dual turbines and the ability to unleash 370 hp, driving the car to a top speed close to 300 km/h.
The “escort” for the vintage beauties will be a Maserati GranTurismo and a Maserati Grecale, provided for test drives by TridenteClub: the Trident’s past and present are coming together for an event with an international flair, a dynamic competition of the biggest names in the world motoring scene, with a timeless allure.