A success with the public and some of the most prestigious cars.
From September 4th to 7th, 2025, on the enchanting shores of Lake Lugano between Italy and Switzerland, the first Historical Revival of the Campione d’Italia Circuit took place. The event, of which Excellence Magazine was media partner, concluded amidst great enthusiasm. The event, created to commemorate the exploits of the great champions of the 1930s and 1940s, transformed the small street circuit of just 1,116 meters – described since the 1930s as “the smallest circuit in the world” – into an exciting and engaging event.
A dive into history and great names. The circuit hosted an epic challenge in 1937, featuring drivers of the caliber of Luigi Villoresi, Franco Cortese, Giovanni Lurani, Piero Dusio, Carlo Felice Trossi, and the winner, Giovanni Rocco. For four days the public has been able to relive that atmosphere of times gone by thanks to over 100 cars, 22 historic motorcycles, 20 karts, and 6 vintage boats exhibited in a unique and evocative setting.
A rich and detailed program
The event was organized by Ermanno De Angelis and Nunzia Del Gaudio of Victorious with the support and patronage of the Municipality of Campione d’Italia and the Automobile Club Lugano Classic, and offered an unforgettable spectacle, both for the participants and for the large crowd of onlookers and enthusiasts who flocked to the Italian exclave. Already on Thursday, September 4th, the first cars arriving for technical and administrative checks were parked in the lakefront paddock, forming a veritable museum of human ingenuity with authentic works of art from around the world. Pre-war cars such as Bugatti – six at the start, including the incredible Type 32 “Tank” – Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Amilcar, MG, Bentley, Lagonda and Jaguar were among the lineup, as well as more modern Ferraris, Porsches, Lotuses, Mercedes-Benzes, and a large number of Dallaras.
A considerable attention was attracted by the five stunning Formula cars present, coming from the collections of the Silvio Moser Museum and Master Class Motors, including the Brabham Cosworth BT24-3 F1, Graham Hill’s Shadow DN1 3A, and Riccardo Patrese’s Arrows A1, which were greeted by a throng of spectators. Also on display were prestigious motorcycles, boats, and, to the amazement and amusement of the crowd, a selection of vintage karts built since the 1950s. Against the evocative backdrop of the Campione Casino, a symbol of the lakeside town, a wide range of activities were organized to complement the event, including stands, aquatic displays, pop-up stores, virtual entertainment with NeroForte simulators, available free of charge to the public, and a fun contest with prizes, street food, and music.
Campione Mayor Roberto Canesi and Senator Elena Murelli, President of the Italian Parliamentary Intergroup for Historic Vehicles, were not to be missed at the inauguration of the parc fermé. Murelli then took an active part in the event driving a FIAT 508 Morelli from the EverGreenCars collection. Among the illustrious guests, it’s also worth mentioning the legendary racing driver Jurgen Barth, winner of the 1977 24 Hours of Le Mans and always happy to sign autographs for the public between driving sessions in a splendid 1950 Jaguar XK120 OTS. Finally, the event brought the spotlight back to the city’s glorious motorsports past with the “Campione in Pista” exhibition, set up to showcase Campione’s roaring soul, combining aesthetic beauty and historical memory. Hundreds of people visited the four-day show.
On Thursday, September 4th, the crews arrived in Campione d’Italia, welcomed by the organizational staff inside the Galleria Civica Don Sandro Vitalini for registration. The first surprise was a personalized welcome bag produced by Tucano , the official event jacket produced by Mille Miglia Shop with a discount voucher, a Lavor pressure washer, a Ma-Fra cleaning product kit, a discount voucher redeemable at The Mall Luxury Outlet, the official buffer of the Campione Circuit, and the Campione Casino umbrella.
On Friday, September 5th, the show really got underway: after the checks, the cars warmed up on the circuit, followed by a briefing with the race director in the Salone delle Feste on the ninth floor of the Casino. In the afternoon, the vehicles paraded through the center of Lugano and showed off their skills in the main squares of the Ticino town, welcomed by the managers of EGM Cigars with a fine, personalized Circuito di Campione cigar. In the afternoon, local tour guides accompanied the crews on a discovery of Lugano’s historic center. This was followed by a charming aperitif in the Lugano Town Hall, organized by Banca del Ceresio. Also on the top floor of the building, designed by architect Mario Botta, the prequel to the event concluded with a gala dinner, attended by approximately 300 guests, including crews, institutional guests and partners.
The Circuit reenactment officially kicked off at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 6th. Divided into seven groups by age and category, the cars competed in dynamic sessions, presented to the public by renowned journalist and enthusiast Dedo Tanzi. The final act of the day, held at night, was particularly impressive, with the entire lakeside promenade illuminated by the lights of the paddock and the cars, which concluded Saturday with the final closed-road driving sessions. The response from the public was once again splendid, with a great display of affection and interest, filling the entire venue, both in the parc fermé and along the trackside.
The culmination of this splendid weekend of celebrations took place on Sunday, September 7th, with the final laps held in the morning and the awards ceremony for the Concorso d’Eleganza Dinamico, again at the Salone delle Feste of the Campione Casino, attended by over 200 people. Bernard Weber’s Lagonda V12 Le Mans triumphed in the car category, ahead of Horbach/Muller’s Ferrari 348 TB Challenge and Jean Marc Rusconi’s Amilcar C6.
Among the motorcycles, Emilio Castelli’s Aermacchi 408 took home the prize, while the boat that won the Campione Circuit Trophy was Gianluca Lopes’s Riva Olympic. Finally, in the karting category, Leonardo Garatti’s charming 1962 “Tony Kart” took first prize. At the end, the Best in Show award was presented, the car that best represented the spirit of the event in terms of beauty, originality, and operation. The magnificent 1978 Arrows A/1 from Marco Coppini’s Master Class Motors collection was also the most acclaimed by the public. Numerous special trophies were awarded by museums, institutions, and partners.
Sustainability and Local Area
The reenactment confirmed the focus on environmental sustainability and the strong connection with the local area, boasting the distinction of being the first classic event to receive an ESG Sustainability Certification, thanks to the collaboration between the organization, BrainsHub and GSD Global Sustainable Development. This prestigious milestone was celebrated on Saturday with the symbolic planting of a tree and the unveiling of a plaque by Falegnameria Svanotti, in the presence of the Mayor of Campione, the President of FIVA, Tiddo Bresters, the Italian Ambassador to Switzerland, Gian Lorenzo Cornado, Senator Murelli, the organizers, and Ivan Porfido, CEO of GSD Group. The ceremony followed the evocative presentation ceremony of the Poste Italiane stamp, dedicated to the event.
The stamp was available to enthusiasts throughout the day in the space dedicated to Poste Italiane, and will be preserved in the Poste Italiane Museum. On Friday, children from Campione d’Italia schools visited the exhibition space; with the support of teachers and parents, they represented and drew the cars, interpreting their perspectives emotionally. In the coming days, the drawings will be exhibited at the Civic Gallery.
Acknowledgements and future prospects
Behind the scenes, the team of specialists from the motorsports platform Victorious, together with the Brains Hub team, oversaw the organization and coordination of the event down to the last detail. Thanks to their experience, the event attracted a prestigious audience and received an excellent response from the public. Admission, which was completely free, encouraged widespread participation by residents and visitors, representing a valuable advertisement for the entire historic motorsports movement, tourism, culture, and the promotion of the local area.
Finally, special thanks go to the Municipality of Campione, all the crews, volunteers, sponsors, institutions, the Carabinieri of Campione d’Italia, the Melide Fire Brigade, the Giubbe Verdi, the National Association of Carabinieri of Olgiate Comasco, the Campione Municipality’s public street cleaning service, the tow truck service, and the partners who made this celebration of classic motoring possible.
The main sponsors of the event are the Mantua-based company Lavor and the “Salone delle Feste” of the Campione d’Italia Casino. The Official Watch is the Swiss brand Bomberg, the Official Wine is Cantina Il Cavaliere and the Official Drink is Bliss; Tucano Milano 1985, the official bag; Matrix and Nero Forte gaming partners, F&H Lugano 1881 Official Jewellery, Official Cars Garage Maffeis, Official Insurance TSM, Website by Web Valleys, Official Assistance Noci Motor Classic, Cultural Partner Wikimedia, Official Photographer Renè.
The other event partners are: Swiss Diamond Hotel Lake Lugano, MCM Motors, 1000 Miglia Shop, EGM Cigars, Altair Ego, Pacto, GSD Group, MAFRA, and The Mall Luxury Outlet. Partners also include Enrique Napp, who produced the “official Circuit poster” and all related artwork, Legend Grand Prix Salzburgring, La GeCO, 31 International, Società Navigazione del Lago di Lugano, Aperigala, Securitas, and Free Oldtimer Meeting. AFM Banqueting and ASPEN Group.
Heartfelt thanks also go to the sponsoring organizations: the Municipality of Campione d’Italia, first and foremost, and the Regio Insubrica Working Community, the Automobile Club Lugano Classic, FIVA, the Ticino Section of the Swiss Touring Club, the Automobile Clubs of Como and Novara, Lugano Airport, Federitaly, Aiti Servizi and Cercle Pegase Amilcar. Finally, mention should be made of the event’s cultural partners: the Tazio Nuvolari, Fangio and Mille Miglia Museums, and the Italian and Swiss sections of Wikimedia.
Special thanks to Automobile Club Como, represented by President Enrico Gelpi and Director Roberto Conforti, for providing course marshals, who ensured a high level of safety and the smooth running of the event. The permanent medical station and ambulance service were provided by Italsoccorso. A round of applause goes to all the residents of Campione d’Italia, who, despite obvious traffic disruptions in the city, enthusiastically shared and supported this shared adventure.
Thanks to the City of Lugano and the City Police for providing space, escorting, and facilitating the arrival and parking of participants. Finally, thanks to all the organizing staff who made a crucial contribution to making this event possible: Michele Di Mauro, Francesca Suzan Cipani, Fabiana Simonelli, Vania Tonello, Diego Passera, Davide Tirabassi, Elio Fontana, Massimo Balinzo, Alba Camponovo, Elisabetta Brozzi, Matteo Fadda and Sandro Rusconi, host of the gala evening.
Thanks to this extraordinary success, the organizing committee is already planning the next edition, with the goal of growing and consolidating the Campione d’Italia Circuit as an exclusive reference point for classic car enthusiasts.
Photos ©Victorious
