Photography by Armando Musotto
I think that every event has a path, from its start until the end. When I decided to shoot the Monte Pellegrino Historic, my question was, “How should I shoot this kind of event? How I should shoot a path carved into the Heirkte mountains?” When I climbed its twisted roads, my eyes found the answers.
Home to Romans and Arabs, full of 19th century villas and hunting homes, the area is full of greenery and views that take your breath away. Monte Pellegrino is a beautiful promontory that rises on Palermo, and one of the more ancient symbols of motorsport in the world.
Once a destination for racing enthusiasts who in the past would gather here for the Monte Pellegrino Hill-climb. Unfortunately, old racing habits were lost. But love and passion for cars is still alive here. Still, love is not enough.
For a true petrolhead, to see and feel is more important. The feelings and emotions must be palpable, touched, grasped, even driven. In need of gasoline and smoking tires, enthusiasts and drivers create one of the most beautiful events of the year here in Palermo. Namely, the Monte Pellegrino Historic Concours d’Elegance and Hillclimb, now in its fourth edition.
Over the years, the event has been growing, touching sacred places like the Sanctuary of Santa Rosalia and Pergusa, the historic Sicilian racetrack. The event began positioning itself for beauty, timed to happen just after the Targa Florio and surpassing it for organization and beauty on certain occasions.
Nino Vaccarella, Jean Guichet, Sandro Munari, Carlo Facetti, Anna Cambiaghi, Ariella Mannucci and Anneliese Abarth were the guests of honor for the event and for all four days were in the company of 120 drivers from all over the world. The historic Favorita Park Circuit was the first of the two rounds in Palermo, the paths of the park, where four editions of the Targa Florio where held at the end of the ’30s.
Monte Pellegrino was the protagonist on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, with the “Historical re-enactment” of the famous uphill race. I’ve witnessed many events, good and bad. Without a doubt, I can say that the Monte Pellegrino is my favorite one of the year. I had never seen so much elegance and beauty contained in a single event.
As I said, in the life of any car enthusiast, emotions should be touched and felt. They must explode in the heart as it’s the first time you’ve laid eyes on your dream girl. Trust me – when you see a long-tail Alfa Romeo 33, along with a Porsche 910, ready to do battle in a race, if you feel the same as when you fall in love then the organizers have done their job.
You can follow Armando’s photography on Instagram @ignition.imaging and on Facebook.
