By PIETRO SILVA
Sergio Peroni is, in the world of Motorsport, a name that needs no introduction, because for over 35 years he has been organizing events, demonstrations and championships for both modern and historic cars with great success.
We therefore wanted to hear from him firsthand what the news is for 2024 which is at the starting line.
Sergio, what are the previews you can give us for the season that will begin soon?
This year the ACI Sport Historic Cars Subcommission has decided to manage the organization of all the races of the Italian championship on the track with a calendar that promises to be quite difficult so we will be promoters of only two of the races scheduled this year. We have therefore decided to move independently in order to occupy a series of spaces dedicated to historic cars over the course of this year.
Let's start with the creation of a new trophy dedicated to single-seaters of smaller formulas whose number in Italy is very high and which have not been used for some time: I'm talking about formula 850, formula Ford, formula Abarth, formula 3 up to 1,600 and others. For this purpose we have moved in time to allow their owners to carry out all the works, both for raising or restoring, and for updating the safety regulations so that for the first race the attendance base is already high.
Then there is the world of the Junior formula which we took over last year by starting a painstaking job of researching drivers and collectors to revitalize a fleet of extremely competitive and interesting cars as already happens in the rest of Europe. We are working with various private individuals: there are no teams in this case but only enthusiasts who manage their cars with their trusted mechanic. We already have an interesting number of single-seaters which this year should increase considerably until around 20 units arrive for the first race.
What do you foresee for covered wheels instead?
We are starting this new championship dedicated to Turismo Youngtimers, therefore to cars built between 1991 and 2005, which is a world that belongs to us, because these categories have all passed through our championships over the years since their birth. We already organized a test race last year to understand and feel the pulse, we also did a lot of research: we know that there are really a lot of cars and we know who has them. The feedback we are receiving of interest in this championship is truly very high and therefore gives us hope for its success. We are therefore talking about Alfa 156, Audi A4, Mercedes 190 and BMW in the various models as well as other manufacturers.
Do you think that one day the world of Youngtimer Tourism can also be joined by Gran Turismo?
Absolutely yes, it is one of our objectives although obviously we do not intend to unite the world of tourism with the world of grand tourism, but the events will have to be totally separate. We have already tested the waters and we already have very positive feedback but we have to do things gradually and while the Touring Car championship will start, we are organizing to have the Gran Turismo championship too in a fairly short future so I can confirm that it will happen later.
What is your relationship with your European colleagues and what possible collaborations are you setting up?
Our structure has always been highly esteemed by European organizers and this year too we have defined a series of collaborations to bring many cars to Italy that we want to show to the Italian public and enthusiasts, furthermore we want to understand what are the characteristics that push and motivate foreign drivers to race with their cars: the level we have in Europe is very high and I would say that the relationship between them and us could be identified as 1 to 4 so I consider it fundamental and extremely useful to be able to have a series of organizers twinned with us in order to increasingly develop united work in the world of Historic Motorsport.
This year the Austrian Histo Cup will be with us, which brings around 200 cars to each event. Then I am very proud to announce for the first time the collaboration with Ron Maydon's English Masters International group which will bring all six classes that make up their championship to the Mugello event with cars of the highest level and prestige; Furthermore, as always, we will have the Boss GP which races the historic Formula 1 cars and last but not least, a test of the FIA Lurani Junior Trophy formula which is in addition to the promotion we are doing for these single-seaters here in Italy too.
The acquisition by ACI Sport of the organization of the Historic Cars championship seems to me to have generated various critical issues both in terms of procedural and bureaucratic complications, for example in terms of registrations, and also in the choice of calendar dates: what can you do? say about it?
We have been managing the historic championship for 35 years now and therefore we have a complete perception of this world and its participants. We have always followed the problems together with them, we assist them in the preparation of the HTP and in the various procedures related to registration; without forgetting that most of these enthusiasts are of a certain age and not very familiar with electronics, while on the other hand we find ourselves not a private individual but a public structure which therefore considers everyone in the same way and treats the young team of modern cars managed by people totally accustomed to the use of the computer and its peculiarities in the same way as those who are still tied to old customs and traditions and find it very difficult to manage a world that is now completely computerized. Furthermore, the calendar also suffers the same problem whereby dates are drawn up which are devoid of any logic as we find ourselves having two races a week apart from each other: this means that, of the two, one will be deserted while then there is a gap of two months where there are no competitions and therefore it is logical to think that those who practice that sport as a hobby are looking for something else to do. This is a great disappointment for me because I love historic cars, it's a world that I like but unfortunately the fact that these races are included in weekends of modern cars relegates them to the back of the list also in terms of event times and therefore a form of discomfort and discontent is created among the various participants.
So it comes naturally to think that in 2025 you are organizing to have your own complete championship or trophy or cup?
Exactly and this is exactly what we are working on, obviously it will not be an Italian championship but it will already have its own name which is Coppa Italia Autostoriche and practically we will return to the classic formula that we have been applying for a long time in such a way as to allow the drivers to have procedures and calendars that are as rational and convenient as possible.
I touch on a problem that is dear to both of us: the world of older historic cars, let's say from the 1950s. You've already tried it, with little success. Do you have any ideas to revitalize this fascinating world?
As you know, this world fascinates me enormously and I would very much like to be able to develop it, but unfortunately as an entrepreneur I have to deal with the budget and I have to have grids around 30 cars per race to be able to make ends meet. Every now and then I take some risks to evaluate the possibility or not of starting a new championship and that of the 1950s cars is something that has always interested me greatly. Unfortunately the spirit of the Italian driver is linked only to the performance of the car and not to its charm or history so, if you race with a period up to 1981, you are looking for the car with the approvals of December 1981. It would be truly fascinating being able to have a richer grid of 1950s cars. These cars today can race in the championships that exist but are obviously penalized. Having them in dedicated races would be the most exciting thing; it is obviously up to the drivers to have the strength to put together more cars that may be less performing but much more fascinating in order to have the numbers that allow us to continue with this program.
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