Bologna-Raticosa

A century of speed in the Apennines

The Bologna-Raticosa is much more than a car race: it is a piece of history that crosses the Apennines, a ritual that every year draws historic motoring enthusiasts from all over Italy to the Municipality of Pianoro, in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, in Emilia-Romagna. It is a hill climb reserved for historic cars, where each car tackles the climb towards the Apennine ridge alone, against the clock.

The 2026 edition has a special flavor: it marks the one hundredth anniversary of the first Bologna-Raticosa, held in 1926 and won by Antonio Testi at the wheel of a Diatto. Despite a limited number of editions actually run, due to wartime interruptions and territorial difficulties, the race has become deeply ingrained in Bologna's sporting and cultural identity.

The Futa route

The modern track runs along the Provincial Road 65 "della Futa" (formerly State Road 65), starting from Pianoro Vecchio and ending towards Livergnano. The climb measures 6.210 kilometers, with an elevation gain of about 348 meters and an average gradient of 5.61%. It is a technical and evocative route, made up of curves and hairpin bends immersed in the hilly landscape of the province of Bologna, which tests drivers and the mechanics of vintage cars. The original 1926 route was much longer, about 42 kilometers: the current version preserves its spirit in a more compact form.

Champions and legends

Among the names that have written the history of the race are drivers of the caliber of Clay Regazzoni and Cesare Perdisa. It is said that Perdisa himself, in 1954, lost the duel with his rival Eugenio Castellotti because he stopped to greet friends at every turn. Since 2001, the event has been revived as a race valid for the Italian Historic Car Speed Hill Climb Championship, renewing the link with tradition.

An event for enthusiasts and the curious

In addition to the timed race, the Bologna-Raticosa offers the spectacle of open paddocks in the heart of Pianoro, where you can admire rare and valuable cars up close, and a parade that allows a select number of historic cars to travel the route closed to traffic. For the public, it is an opportunity to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of vintage motoring, amidst the roar of engines, the smell of gasoline, and the passion of those who keep this tradition alive in the Emilia-Romagna Apennines.