The Bologna-Raticosa Hill Climb, one of the most challenging hill climbs in Italy and Europe, is the longest-running uphill automobile race in the world. The event is reserved for categories Turismo, Gran Turismo, Sport and Sport Prototypes.
The first race took place on a shorter 27 km route and was run on 3 October 1926 on the Rastignano-Loiano route. Antonio Testi won in a Diatto car with an average speed of 67.254 km/h.
The second race took place on a longer route of 43.501 km, on 7 May 1939, on the Rastignano-Passo della Raticosa section (elimination race of the “Volante Argento”). Enzo Seragnoli won in a Lancia Aprilia with an average speed of 84.082 km/h.
The third race took place on the longest route 47,600 km from San Ruffillo (Ponte sul Savena) - Passo della Raticosa, a route that will never be repeated so long, Giovanni Bracco win in a Ferrari 166 S with an average speed of 94,334 km/h in 27'28"3.
After the first three editions, from 1951 the route became 43.20 km route started from Via Toscana near the San Ruffillo bridge, on the outskirts of Bologna, to the Raticosa Pass made the race the second-longest hill climb in Europe after the Parma-Poggio di Berceto. From 1955 onwards, the hill climb was suspended for seven years, replaced between 1956 and 1958 by the shortest competition ever held in Italy, the 2,080 km Bologna-San Luca. The race resumed in 1962 with the 32.72 km short route with the start in front of the Bar Posta in Pianoro Vecchio. On 22 June 1969 was the last time the race was held.
Since 2001, historic cars have resumed racing on the Pianoro Vecchio – Livergnano stretch of 6.2 km until 2015. While since 2019, the race is a part of the Campionato di Velocità Salita Autostoriche (CIVSA). In 2025, the race was canceled due to bad weather. In 2026, the event, now in its 36th edition, will be confirmed as part of the Campionato di Velocità Salita Autostoriche (CIVSA) and will mark the 100th anniversary of the first edition.
NumberEditionDateYearDriversCarManufacturers1–3 October 19261926 Antonio TestiDiatto Diatto2–7 May 19391939 Enzo SeragnoliLancia Aprilia Lancia
Bologna-Raticosa Hill Climb winners NumberEditionYearDriversCarManufacturers311950 Giovanni BraccoFerrari 166 S Ferrari421951 Giulio CabiancaOSCA MT4 (1,100 cc) Osca531952 Pietro PalmieriFerrari 225 Sport Spyder "Tuboscocca" by Vignale Ferrari641953 Felice BonettoLancia D24 Lancia751954 Eugenio CastellottiLancia D25 Lancia
NumberEditionYearDriversCarManufacturers861962 Odoardo GovoniMaserati Maserati971963Hans HerrmannAbarth Abarth1081964 Odoardo GovoniMaserati Maserati1191965Hans HerrmannAbarth Abarth12101966 Giacomo Moioli, 'Noris'Porsche Porsche13111967 Johannes OrtnerAbarth Abarth14121968 Johannes OrtnerAbarth Abarth15131969 Vittorio VenturiTecno F3 Tecno
Classic Car winners NumberEditionYearDriversCarManufacturers16142001 Renzo RaimondiDe Tomaso Pantera De Tomaso17152002 Daniele GrazziniLotus 23 Sport Lotus18162003 Giuliano GiulianiBMW 2002 BMW19172004 David BaldiMcNamara Sport McNamara20182005 Roberto BenelliChevron B19 Chevron21192006 David BaldiOsella PA9 Osella22202007 Daniele GrazziniOsella PA7/9 Osella23212008 Marco NaldiniOsella PA9 Osella24222009 Umberto BonucciOsella PA9 Osella25232010 Denis ZardoOsella PA9 Osella26242011 Umberto BonucciOsella PA9 Osella27252012 Umberto BonucciOsella PA9 Osella28– 2013– – – 2929 2014 Stefano di Fulvio Osella PA9/90 Osella30302015 Salvatore Riolo Osella Stenger Osella31312019 Stefano Peroni Martini MK32 Martini32322020 Stefano Peroni Martini MK32 Martini33332021 Stefano Peroni Martini MK32 Martini34342022 Stefano Peroni Martini MK32 Martini35352024 Stefano Peroni Martini MK32 Martini36362026 Giuliano Peroni Osella PA8/9 Osella
References
External links Bologna Raticosa