
The seventh
Audi Sport Club-Italy of the 32nd historic cars and motors fair in Padova
city.One of the most important event regarding historic cars, not only in Italy
but also in other countries.
On Thursday
there was the pre-opening, that was dedicated to the industry. The clear
interest for historic cars has been perceived by this moment and was constantly
growing for all its forms declined.
Quest'anno come già ampiamente annunciato, lo stand Audi Sport Club - Italia è stato dedicato alla vincente carriera di Audi Sport Italia, dagli esordi dei primi anni '80 col nome di Audi Sport Europa Team alla storia moderna con le vetture impiegate nel Campionato Italiano GT, con Emilio Radaelli e Roberta Gremignani, come ospiti d'onore.
This year, as already announced, the Audi Sport Club Stand Italia stand was dedicated to the successful career of Audy Sport Italia, starting from the beginning of 80’s - under the name of Audi Sport Team Europe to modern history, with the cars that have been used in the Italian Championship GT. Emilio Radaelli and Roberta Gremignani were there as honor guest too.

The choice
of cars on display has allowed fans to retrace the most important Audi Sport
Italy phases: from the early beginning with Audi 80’s Group A. Before been
employed by Audi Sport team Europe, it has brought Stig Blomqvist to Sveden
Rally in 1982 and it was employed from
1985 Emilio Radaelli team to run the Italian Rally Championship. Here
started the war to win the A Group Crown, between Audi Sport Europe team an
Fiat team: the Jolly Club has been won by Bruno Bentivogli with a Ingolstadt
home made four-weel drive.

There was on its side another Audi Sport Europe team protagonist, what Roberta Gremignani called “mom”: the Audi 4 Group B. Without this car there wouldn’t have born the Audi Sport Europe Team first and Audi Sport Italy after. This vehicle was given to Michele Cinotto and Emilio Radaelli in 1984; after them Harald Demuth too, who emerged in many competitions in Italy and Europe. The saga of this Audi car lasted until 1987 with the drive of Paola Martini appearances.
Al centro dello stand i numerosi visitatori hanno potuto ammirare l'anello di congiunzione tra il passato rallystico ed il presente "pistaiolo" di Audi Sport Italia, una stupenda Audi 90 quattro gruppo A che dopo aver dimostrato la sua efficacia, affidabilità e robustezza nel Campionato del Mondo Rallye si decise di impiegare nel 1991 nel Campionato Africano FIA dopo i positivi "assaggi" nel rally del Bandama e dello Zimbabwe del 1989. La vettura fu affidata a piloti locali come Abe Smit e Patrice Servant affiancati dall'italiano Aldo Riva, che esordì al Safari dello Zaire venendo subito contagiato dal fascino di quel tipo di competizioni. A fine della stagione Aldo Riva si impose nel Rally del Burundi, un successo che bissato la stagione successiva, insieme alle vittorie in Zimbabwe e Zambia, diede al romagnolo il titolo, cui l'anno dopo seguirono i primi posti nelle graduatorie Marche e Copiloti. Tali vittorie, conquistate in un campionato così difficile ed impegnativo come quello Africano, risultarono come una conferma anche per il marchio Audi e per la stessa trazione quattro che dopo aver dimostrato l'eccellenza nei rally degli anni '80 ora potevano vantare anche i successi nelle difficili corse africane.
In the
center of the stand numerous visitors had the chance to see the link between
past rally and present circuit of Audi Sport Italia: a beautiful Audi 90 four
group A. After proving its effectiveness, reliability and robustness in the
Championship World Rally it was decided to use it in 1991 for the African
Championship FIA, because it gave some positive bites in Bandama and Zimbabwe
rallies in 1989. It was given to local driver Abe Smit and Petrice Servant with
the support of the Italian Aldo Riva, who begun his career with Zaire Safari
coming soon infected by this kind of competitions.
At the end
of the season Mr. Aldo Riva prevailed in the Burundi Rally and gained a
repeated success in the following season. This goal and the victory in Zimbabwe
and Burundi permitted him to gain the
title, after which the year after he become the March and Copiloti winner. This
kind of victory, became in a so difficult championship like the African one,
have been considered as a confirmation even for Audi and 4 wheel traction. That
permitted not only to demonstrate its excellence in the 80’s rallies, but also
in the Africa competitions.
La storia più recente di Audi Sport Italia si è potuta ammirare nella parte destra dello stand ed erano due vetture così simili ma anche così diverse, la prima un' Audi 80 quattro Competition del 1994, con la quale Emanuele Pirro conquistò il Campionato Piloti Superturismo e Dindo Capello iniziò la sua vincente carriera a bordo delle vetture con i quattro anelli vincendo la sua prima competizione al Mugello sotto una pioggia scrosciante.
Una vettura fortemente voluta e supportata dall'importatore, al fine di dimostrare le notevoli doti della trazione quattro in una scontro diretto con i marchi concorrenti nelle competizioni su pista e rendendo chiara la sua superiorità sui fondi bagnati.
Al suo fianco la recentissima Audi R8 LMS ultra impiegata nel Campionato Italiano GT con la coppia Marco Mapelli ed Andrea Amici, giunta seconda al termine della stagione GT3 e con la coppia Emanuele Zonzini e Dindo Capello che ha terminato la sua carriera agonistica giungendo terzo nell'ultima gara del campionato, proprio sul circuito del Mugello, dove 21 anni prima aveva colto la prima vittoria a bordo di una vettura Audi della squadra di Emilio Radaelli.
On the
right side of the fair we could be able to admire the Audi Sport Italia recent
history. There were two vehicles so similar and so different: one was the first
Audi 80 four Competition of 1994, with which Emanuele Pirro won the Driver Superturism Championship
and Dindo Capello begun his winning career from a rainy Mugello. A car that was
strongly supported by the importer, to make clear its powerful 4 wheel drive in
a direct match with the most important brands
on a wet surface.
Next to it,
the very recent Audi R8 LMS, that was used in the Italian GT Championship with
the couple Mario Mapelli and Andrea Amici, which arrived as second place in the
end of GT3 season with Emanuele Zonzini and Dindo Capello drivers. He finished
his racing career with a third place in the last season his own circuit
“Mugello”, the same place where 21 years ago he had his first victory on one of
Emilio Radaelli team vehicle.

During the four-days fair were numerous tourists, who was related with Audi Sport Italia world or were friends and members of Audi Sport Club – Italy, happy to give their tributes to Emilio Radaelli and Roberta Gremignani. They gave so much to the motors and 4four rings fans sharing with them engine stories.



The list of
guest is long:
Tamara
Vivaldi, who drove with Audi Sport Italia colours from the early beginning of
90’s; Giorgio Senna exdriver and now lamborgini Motorsport manager; he drove
with Filipe Albuquerque and now is the pilot of Audi Sport WEC championship,
with the Audi R8 IN GT3 Championship in 2009; Dieter Gass, Audi Sport DTM
program manager; The drivers Marco Mapelli, Emanuele Zonzini; Andrea Amici was
unfortunately absent because of its duties in Spain.


In addition
to the guest related to Audi Sport Italia celebration, there was also present
Thomas Frank, the Director of Audi tradition, in Villa Trissino Marzotto
location.
He has been
fashinated and impressed by the great interest; the conviviality was easily
palpable between the shareholders there and many guests, such as: Christian
Geistdorfer. He has been present for five years in the Audi Sport Club – Italia
stand and is a real member. Stig Blomqvist was very happy to take part of this
meeting in Padova.
The
participation of the Italian delegation was also relevant, Audi was able to
touch the results become by the Club and feel the event atmosphere. There were
the new Audi Press Director, Massimiliano Lo Bosco; the Audi Sales Manager Pierantonio Vianello and the Audi First
Choice Plus program manager Gianluca
Miorelli.


During
Saturday in Audi Sport Club Stand Italia took place the honorary cards delivery
for five new members: Tania Vidali, who is an enthusiastic element from 2012 of
the Club, so that she was the “Four Rings Ways” godmother in first edition
2015; Stig Blomqist spoke this year in Padova, to demonstrate his strong
attachment for the Club; Fabrizio Tamburini, test driver of Alfa Romeo, that
from 2012, thanks to tamara Vidali, is considered as a real member and friend
of the Club. In the end of the list, but important the same, received the
honorary title of Audi Sport Club -
Italia also Roberta Gremignai and Emilio Radaelli, who in 2013 and in this
edition were generous and full disposal in helping the Club to realize this
important and relevant project.
The
participation Audi Sport Club – Italia in seventh edition of historic Cars and
Motors Padua fair let know another important piece of Audi World to the fans.
As announced before, the aim was to deal not only with simple figure, but also
to the team. A team that during years gave many satisfactions to the Ingolstad
brand fans and let many drivers reach visibility and gain many great goals.

For Audi Sport Club Italia was right to focus the attention on a project, that began over thirty years ago with the Audi Sport Europe Team and become Audi Sport Italia with two key protagonists: Emilio Radaelli e Roberta Gremignani, who are the harms, the heart and soul of this adventure.