Mirco Gentilini of Cassia Corse wins the Italian Hillclimb Championship in the 1600 Silhouette class

Mechanic by profession, he has been a lover of engines and power since he was a child and has been racing for three years

The 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT Veloce (1600cc) with which Mirco Gentilini raced is weird, in the 1600 Silhouette category. Forced to compete against super-prepared, more powerful, mid-engined and much lighter rivals which are Fiat X1/9 weighing 460 kg against the 900 kg of the GTV. Blame the widened fenders and never homologated, otherwise it would be in the race in the second group. And it is also fenders: with front engine and rear-wheel drive, “in the curves it “flaps”, it must literally be held with the arms”, says Club Cassia Corse’s president Luigi Berra, who is also the owner of the Alfa. Nevertheless, after starting almost as a joke, Mirco went all the way by beating the other six competitors. In total he only participated in five climbs, because one was canceled due to the pandemic and other times he did not go because the places were too out of the way. In short, he thought of everything except to win, as he himself told. Instead, in his third championship, he hit the mark. Florentine, born in 1974, he lives with his wife and two children in Chianti, where he has been working since the age of 15 as a heavy vehicle mechanic. He has been in company with a colleague and friend for quite a while now.

Historical speed lover. Mirco got to know the world of vintage cars and racing through his club, the Cassiacorse Storica 264, with a first experience of climb in 2018 with a very positive outcome despite the fact that the car was not competitive. Then, little by little, he started making improvements to the car and training to take the corners like lightning. The championship? He shields himself by saying that he almost “stole” it, as the guy who was in the lead had a running accident. But the fact is that in races whoever reaches the finish line wins; it’s unuseful to be the best if you don’t cross the finish line. As for the most beautiful moment, the blond driver with an always cheerful and playful temperament, has no doubts: climbing along the historic route of the Coppa della Consuma gave him immense emotions. “Even though I ran into a wall during rehearsals”, he says. Fortunately, the damage was not serious and the next day he was able to do the race. “A race that I also liked for the beautiful, spectacular natural context in which it takes place”, he adds.

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