The words of the protagonists after the challenge at the university of climbs.
Luigi Fazzino (1st Overall): «I can’t believe I won Trento-Bondone. It’s a dream to have beaten the king Simone Faggioli. Considering that I had never competed on this route, I came to Trento with my team with the aim of scoring as many points as possible, whatever came came without any worries, but always putting in maximum effort. In Saturday’s practice I set two excellent times with 9’30” and 9’22”, then in the race I tried to drive as cleanly as possible, even with less than optimal asphalt conditions, and success came, with a which has a few years on its identity card and also with tires that are a couple of years old. As in every race, I studied the route meticulously and managed to best interpret my performance in a truly tough competition, which puts the car and driver under stress. Now I enjoy this victory.”
Simone Faggioli (2nd Overall): «Trento-Bondone is always a long and difficult race and today I didn’t perform as well as on other occasions. I had to do better. After practice on Saturday I thought I could have achieved a time even lower than 9 minutes and 10 seconds, but instead I was 7 seconds higher. I made wrong choices in setting the car, which affected the race and I touched in one part of the route, thinking I had broken the circle and that lack of concentration cost me dearly, given the negligible gap to the winner. But well done to Luigi for the extraordinary performance he put together, considering that this is his first experience and good was also the other Sicilian Andrea Di Caro, who is from our team, capable of even hitting the record on his first participation with a 1,600. The young people are advancing, but let’s try to hold on for a little while longer. I’ll try next year for the centenary race.”
Achille Lombardi (3rd Overall): «I’m satisfied with the podium, but I also have some regrets about a trivial electronic problem on Saturday which forced us to stop, skipping the second test. So I missed some references and also wanted to test a harder tire. I tried to play the card of a tire I already knew, but in some places the choice didn’t pay off. Certainly nothing would have changed for the overall ranking, given the gap with the first two, but something could have been improved and there is always the desire to do better. It wasn’t an easy ride, at the 7 hairpin bends we were floating and even in the following kilometers the asphalt was a bit damp. However, I am happy, I thank the team, the engineer and all the sponsors.”
Diego Degasperi (4th Overall): «My objectives were two for this edition of the Trento-Bondone: to set a time under 9 minutes and 30 seconds and I managed it with 9’25” and get on the podium. Unfortunately the top Italian drivers went faster and I have to settle for fourth place, but I am equally satisfied. Race after race with my Norma I continue to improve, we should race every fortnight, like our rivals do, to increase the feeling with the car. If I think that up until 15 years ago, going below 10 minutes was a titanic undertaking, having established this time today gives me great satisfaction. Considering that I also hit the roadside and thought I had a puncture, I can consider myself particularly satisfied.”
Andrea Santo Di Caro (6th Overall): «Excellent performance in my first Trento – Bondone. A difficult race from both a mental and physical point of view. Among other things, being particularly young, it is also the first challenge so far from home. I usually take part in hill climbs in Sicily and in the past I have taken part in many karting competitions, an aspect that helps me especially on very guided tracks. I am satisfied with my performance, an unforgettable experience for the track, for the public, for the car which gave me excellent responses and thanks for Simone’s advice, which proved to be fundamental. It wasn’t an easy race due to the length of the track, the change of asphalt, the various slopes and the different temperatures.”
Matteo Moratelli (8th overall): «No, I’m not satisfied. From Saturday’s test I increased my time by six seconds. The tires were those of yesterday, but today it was hot and the car skidded continuously from Candriai onwards.”
Giuseppe Ghezzi (1st GT Group and president of Scuderia Trentina): «Starting from the race result, I am very happy for the victory and the time obtained. I thought I would finish with a performance around 10’35”, but instead I reached 10’33”, first in a group that included 19 cars at the start. Thanks also to my mechanics, who prepared a top vehicle, considering that I broke the driveshaft during testing. As president of Scuderia Trentina I am doubly satisfied because the organizational machine worked optimally. I have an unparalleled staff of enthusiasts and professionals. Thanks to everyone and thanks to the administrations and all the entities that collaborated. Starting tomorrow we will already be working on the centenary.”
Thomas Pichler (2nd GT Group): «The challenge for the group victory with Giuseppe was very close. To think that only 18 hundredths of a second divide us over 10 minutes of competition is really a trifle, but Ghezzi was better and so congratulations to him. I tried to prepare the car as best as possible, repeating all the steps of a route that I know very well in my head, so I have no regrets. GT cars are very fun to drive, but as they are cars designed for the track, in certain hairpins it is difficult to close the corner, especially in the first hairpin on the left.”
Manuel Dondi (1st E2SH Group): «In 2019 I obtained second place overall, but with the belief that we could do better. This year, however, I achieved a high level performance and the group record of 10’08” is proof of this. I am very happy, also because I immediately had positive sensations, starting from Saturday’s tests, with a high-performance car. Starting from the assumption that nothing is impossible and that even this year’s record can be beatable, I consider the undertaking particularly difficult. I’ll be back next year for the centenary.”
Alessandro Zanolli (1st Group E1): «Victory and superlative time. I am very happy with the result. I won’t deny that there is a lot of work behind it by the PA Racing team and I have to thank them. We started with some tests on the track in Castelletto to find the optimal set-up in the days before the race. Then I know the route perfectly, as it is my home race, and therefore a winning mixture emerged. Among the winning measures made after Saturday’s tests, the setting, softening the setup on the front shock absorbers to have a little more pitch, was certainly a good choice, as was the medium tire compound. I wanted to do well, I probably also took some risks, finding oil on the route, stationary cars that banged and damp in the final part. But it went well. I think the time of 10’32” with a rally car is difficult to beat.”
Giacomo Liuzzi (1st Rs Plus): «For me it was the first important race of the year and being able to achieve a category and group victory is a great satisfaction. I came to Trento to improve the record, unfortunately the weather conditions with the wet asphalt didn’t allow me to do so, resulting in a time that was one second higher than last year. Up until Candriai I drove very well and they were fast, then I thought about managing the car, so as not to put it in difficulty, and I left a few decisive seconds. The Trento-Bondone is extraordinary, with its treacherous, beautiful route. Not for all. It takes courage, tranquility and determination.”
Selina Prantl (2nd Rs Plus): «I’m halfway satisfied with the performance. I set out to do a time close to 11 minutes and 30″ and it took me 11’28”. So mission accomplished. We could have done better, but the tires suffered halfway through the track and I started to slide and therefore the final time could have been lowered further. But that’s okay.”
Anna Maria Fumo (1st Rs Cup): «I didn’t expect to win and precede my opponent Alessandro Giovanelli, who among other things was racing at home. I certainly drove well, I studied the route in detail which I now know, as it was my third participation in the Trento-Bondone, and then the GT Racing team provided me with a car in perfect condition. In the first test on Saturday I hit a hairpin, compromising the set-up, but the team guys worked a miracle and already in the second test session the car was at its top.”
Salvatore Riolo (1st historical): «Victory has finally arrived in the historic championships after third place two years ago and second last year. They don’t hide the fact that I also had the chance to set the class record, but it wasn’t an easy day, because we were the first to set off in the humidity of the night and we didn’t know how far we could push ourselves. Inevitably I had to be careful when driving, then I also had to overtake four cars. In any case, I’m very happy.”
Mario Massaglia (1st IHC): «Winning the European championship race at the first participation in a race considered the university of uphill competitions is a source of pride. I won’t deny that it was a happy surprise for me too. I arrived in Trento on Monday and had a few days to get to know the route. In the second test on Saturday a piece of the clutch broke. Mechanics Stefano and Luciano from Team Di Fulvio did an extraordinary job, working all night and closing the bonnet at 8 in the morning. I won thanks to them.”
