Rieti-Terminillo — Coppa Bruno Carotti

A climb that is already a legend

The Rieti-Terminillo — Coppa Bruno Carotti is one of the oldest and most prestigious hill climbs in Italy. The first edition dates back to 1966, when the race joined the national calendar and Romano Martini claimed the inaugural victory in an Alfa Romeo TZ1. Since then, the race has never lost its charm: legends like Mauro Nesti, the absolute master between the seventies and the early nineties, built their reputation here, as did more recently Simone Faggioli, who has collected a long series of victories and records on the Terminillo.

The route

The track winds along the SS 4 bis del Terminillo, in the territory of the Municipality of Rieti, the capital of the province of the same name in the heart of Lazio. It covers 13.450 kilometers of ascent, from the start at Colonna di Lisciano (about 550 meters above sea level) to the finish at Pian de' Valli, at 1,579 meters: an elevation gain of 1,029 meters with an average gradient of 7.5%.

• Four challenging hairpin bends and two chicane variants;
• Average speeds approaching 170 km/h for the fastest prototypes;
• A wide and fast road surface, but with sections where mountain wind and fog can change everything;
• A natural amphitheater ideal for spectators, who position themselves along the authorized areas of the climb.

Championship and sporting value

For years, the Rieti race has been a stage of the Italian Mountain Speed Championship and the Italian Supersalita Championship, the series that brings together the top drivers and cars of the discipline. It is therefore not just a simple local race: every year, the paddock hosts over one hundred teams, with Nova Proto, Osella, and Norma two-seater prototypes, high-displacement GTs, TCR cars, and E1 and E2SH touring classes. The overall title is often decided right here, in the final meters before Pian de' Valli.

The city's weekend

For Rieti, the Coppa Carotti is not just a competitive event: it is a festival that involves the entire community. Friday is dedicated to technical and sporting checks in the city center, with cars on display to the public and drivers available to fans; Saturday features official practice runs, while Sunday morning is reserved for the race itself. The event is surrounded by evenings meeting the drivers, historic car parades, and moments of remembrance dedicated to Bruno Carotti, the figure after whom the cup is named.

Terminillo, the mountain of Rome

Terminillo, historically nicknamed "the mountain of Rome," is one of the most well-known holiday resorts in the Central Apennines. Racing — or watching — on this road means crossing beech forests, high-altitude pastures, and panoramas that open up over the Rieti basin. Those who arrive for the race therefore also find a setting of great natural value, just over an hour and a half from Rome.

Why it's worth the trip

The Rieti-Terminillo is one of those events where Italian motorsport shows its most authentic soul: open paddocks, direct contact with the protagonists, a knowledgeable audience, and a mountain that acts as a natural grandstand. For fans of hill climb speed, it is an almost mandatory stop in the Lazio summer; for the curious, an opportunity to discover Rieti and the Terminillo during one of their most lively weekends.