SENZA PAURA - DIMENTICANDO I FRENI

In the second half of the 1930s, the automotive industry is the new symbol of a nation's power, set against a political backdrop whose balance has been completely upended by the outcomes of the First World War.

In Germany, power is seized by Adolf Hitler's National Socialist party, which intends to restore the nation to greatness and, to achieve these goals, finances factories and sporting enterprises.

Starting with the automotive sector, where the Führer bankrolls the activities of the 'Silver Arrows', which went on to dominate the world of international Grand Prix racing in the second half of the 1930s.

But among the two-seater Sports cars that have been competing for the Mille Miglia - the most beautiful and difficult race in the world - since 1927, it is the red race cars of Alfa Romeo that dominate. This troubles the Chancellor of the Third Reich, who makes the 'Red Arrow' (Freccia Rossa) a target to be conquered.

Now, almost a hundred years after the first edition of the race, in SENZA PAURA - dimenticando i freni, Paolo Capelli recounts the German offensive on the pre-war Red Arrow, focusing the narrative on the spectacular 1940 circuit edition. The last of the first cycle, dominated by the BMW 328s.

To contextualize the events, the volume opens by taking a look at the racing cars of the 1920s and the eleven editions of the Mille Miglia held up until 1937.

A substantial 'prelude' introduces the 1938 'Red Arrow' and the tragedy of Bologna, which prompted the suspension of the event on Italy's metropolitan roads and, at the same time, opened the intriguing chapter of motor racing in the Italian overseas colonies.

This latter subject is a little-known world that comes back to life in the book, bringing to light races that were quickly forgotten, having been overshadowed by the advance of wartime events. This includes the 1939 '1000 Miglia d'Africa', which anticipated the relaunch of the 'Red Arrow' on Italian territory by a year.

Until now scarcely explored in the race's literature, the thirteenth edition of the Mille Miglia, held on a circuit in 1940, becomes the main subject of the book. Here, it re-emerges through an exhaustive narrative, paying particular attention to the technical aspects of the great challenge.

SENZA PAURA - dimenticando i freni is enriched by a comprehensive visual section featuring 150 images. Text in Italian.