Vernasca Silver Flag
The dynamic competition for historic racing cars on the Piacenza hills
About Silver Flag
The legend of the Castell'Arquato-Vernasca hill climb
The Vernasca Silver Flag is a unique event in the Italian historic motorsport scene. It takes place in the Municipality of Castell'Arquato, one of Italy's most beautiful medieval villages in the province of Piacenza (Emilia-Romagna), and extends along the scenic road that crosses Lugagnano Val d'Arda to Vernasca. The event faithfully reconstructs the historic Castell'Arquato-Vernasca hill climb, held competitively from 1953 to 1972 and then revived in the early nineties by the CPAE, the Piacenza Club for Historic Vehicles.
A dynamic competition, not a race
Unlike a race, the Silver Flag is a dynamic competition of conservation and restoration: the cars do not compete for the fastest time, but are judged by a jury on the quality of their conservation or restoration and their fidelity to the original configuration. Only racing cars built before 1972 with a documented racing history can participate. Every year, over 200 cars, from the most important European collections, tackle the 8.5 kilometers of scenic road with a gradient of almost 300 meters at controlled speed.
Three days in the heart of Val d'Arda
The main hub is Castell'Arquato, in Viale Remondini, from where the hill climb runs start. The village, with its famous Piazza del Municipio, the Collegiate Church, and the Rocca Viscontea, provides a spectacular backdrop for the checks and car displays, while the awards ceremony is held in Vernasca, at the Antica Pieve. For enthusiasts, it's an opportunity to admire up close cars that have made motorsport history, from Formula single-seaters to sports prototypes, from rally sedans to grand tourers.
An event for the entire province of Piacenza
Over the years, the Vernasca Silver Flag has become a symbol of the Val d'Arda territory and a driver for tourism in the province of Piacenza. Admission is completely free for spectators, who can watch the cars pass on the hairpin bends or at the scenic points along the climb. An event that combines automotive passion, hilly landscapes, and the historical heritage of Emilia-Romagna.
Silver Flag — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of the Vernasca Silver Flag celebrates an important milestone: the 30th edition of the modern event organized by the CPAE. From June 19 to 21, the scenic hill climb of Val d'Arda will once again be populated by historic racing cars, with the medieval village of Castell'Arquato as the headquarters. One of the announced novelties for 2026 is the commitment to sustainability, with the distribution of biofuel to participants to limit CO2 emissions.
As tradition dictates, the event includes checks, timed hill climb runs, and the final awards ceremony, in a weekend that attracts enthusiasts from all over Europe to the hills of the province of Piacenza.
Programme Silver Flag 2026
Friday, June 19 — Castell'Arquato
- 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM — Arrival of participants, administrative checks, and distribution of starting numbers
- Evening — Musical aperitif with concert at Parco delle Driadi for participants
Saturday, June 20 — Castell'Arquato-Vernasca Hill Climb
- 11:00 AM — First hill climb run (road closure)
- 3:30 PM — Second hill climb run
Sunday, June 21
- 10:30 AM — Third hill climb run starting from Castell'Arquato
- 2:30 PM — Awards ceremony for the Conservation and Restoration Competition in Vernasca (Antica Pieve)
Over 200 racing cars built before 1972, with a documented racing history, tackle the 8.5 km scenic climb at controlled speed. The indicated times follow the usual structure of the event; the final details will be published on the official website in the weeks preceding the event.
Highlights Silver Flag 2026
Thirtieth edition of the event. Over 200 historic cars from major European collections. 2026 novelty: distribution of biofuel to reduce CO2 emissions. Dynamic conservation and restoration competition with awards ceremony in Vernasca.
Prices Silver Flag 2026
Practical information — Silver Flag
How to get there
The starting point is Viale Remondini, 29014 Castell'Arquato (PC). It can be reached from Piacenza in about 35 minutes by car. During the weekend, the Castell'Arquato-Vernasca road, passing through Lugagnano Val d'Arda, is closed to regular traffic: access to the towns is guaranteed via alternative routes.
Admission
Admission for the public is completely free. Participation as a competitor requires prior registration through the CPAE.
Contacts
CPAE - Club Piacentino Automotoveicoli d'Epoca. Phone: +39 0523 248930. Email: [email protected]. Official website: vernascasilverflag.it.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Silver Flag
Castell'Arquato - Vernasca (Val d'Arda)
Viale Remondini, 29014 Castell'Arquato