Rome Historic Grand Prix

A Roman tribute to the legend of motoring

Established in 2022 by the Orgoglio Motoristico Romano association, the Rome Historic Grand Prix has quickly become the benchmark event for historic motoring in the capital. It is not a speed race, but a grand, widespread exhibition: static displays, processions, and dynamic parades that recount a century of Italian automotive history, from the roaring bolides of the 1930s to the Formula 1 single-seaters of the 1980s. The event takes place in the Municipality of Rome, within the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the heart of the Lazio Region.

Three iconic locations, three unique days

The formula that has cemented the event's success is its urban roaming: every day changes the setting and the tone. The institutional opening is held at the Farnesina square, home to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where historic vehicles from law enforcement agencies—Carabinieri, State Police, and Guardia di Finanza—are displayed alongside competition cars, weaving together engines and national identity.

The second day brings the automobiles to Rome's most elegant drawing room, Via Condotti, where the parade of historic single-seaters and grand tourers dialogues with high-fashion shop windows: a juxtaposition of automotive design and Italian style that has made this leg the most photographed of the entire event.

The grand finale moves to the EUR, the rationalist district designed in the 1930s, where a dedicated track is set up for dynamic exhibitions: here, the public can finally hear the engines in action, with close-up passes, meetings with drivers, and gatherings of clubs and collectors.

The star vehicles

The fleet changes every year but maintains a consistently high standard, with pieces sourced from private collections and corporate museums. Recurring highlights include:

• Alfa Romeo 184T, a 1984 Formula 1 single-seater;
• Maserati 4CLT from 1938, linked to the names of Tazio Nuvolari and Gigi Villoresi;
• Brabham BT12 from the 1960s;
• March 761 Beta Ford from 1975;
• vehicles from Ferrari, Lancia, Abarth, and Porsche clubs, alongside sports prototypes and rally cars.

An open and inclusive event

The Historic Grand Prix is not just for industry insiders: the exhibitions take place in public spaces and are freely accessible, allowing even those strolling through the center to stumble upon a Formula 1 car by chance. In recent years, the organization has also developed motorsport initiatives for people with disabilities, in collaboration with FISAP, the Italian federation that manages special licenses for motorsport.

Towards a historic Formula 1 in the Capital

The stated ambition of the organizers, led by president Stefano Pandolfi, is to transform the event into a true historic Formula 1 Grand Prix on a city circuit in the EUR district, modeled after the Monte Carlo track. It is a complex project involving the Automobile Club Roma, ACI, and local institutions, which is intended to take shape in future editions. In the meantime, the Historic Grand Prix remains one of the most beautiful occasions of the year to see Rome from a different angle: that of a city that, for one weekend, lets itself be crossed by the roar of vintage engines.

Why visit

For enthusiasts, it is a chance to see cars live that are usually kept in private collections; for tourists, it is an unusual way to discover three different faces of the capital in the same weekend, from the ministerial district to the fashion triangle and the monumental architecture of the EUR. The atmosphere is familiar and relaxed, also suitable for those bringing children.