25 Antonio Ascari SA Italiana Ing. Nicola Romeo Alfa Romeo P2

15 Alete Marconcini A. Marconcini Chiribiri Monza

Roberto Malinverni R. Malinverni Bugatti T13 "Brescia"

Ascari wins the Cremona Circuit with Alfa Romeo

Ferrari wins the Coppa Acerbo with Alfa Romeo

At the First Coppa Acerbo race were 18 starters, divided into five Categories. Campari with the Alfa Romeo P2 Grand Prix car led the first two laps. When one of his tires burst on the road he retired as he carried no spare. His teammate Enzo Ferrari with a 3.6-L Alfa Romeo RLTF24 then led the remaining laps. He was challenged by Bonmartini (2.0-L Mercedes TF 1924) which kept the race interesting. Eventually after 10 laps Ferrari won ahead of Bonmartini, Beria d'Argentine (4.4-L Spa), Presenti (3.0-L Alfa Romeo), Spinozzi (Bugatti 1500 Brescia), Clerici (1100 Salmson), Marconcini (1500 Chiribiri) and Ciriaci (1500 OM) in eighth place. Marsengo Bastia (4,4-L Spa) and Platè (1500 Bugatti) exceeded the maximum allowable time and were not classified. The eight retirements included Masetti (2.0-L Mercedes TF 1924) and Campari.

The first international Coppa Acerbo automobile race was organized by the Honorary Abruzzo Committee, composed of outstanding personalities from Abruzzo, chaired by Baron Giacomo Acerbo, Vice President Baron Alessandro Sardi and Arturo Mercanti. The General Sporting Commissioner of the race was Stuart Gallenga, President of the Automobile Club of Rome, assisted by four Commissioners including Vice President Tullio Leonardi. The Automobile Club d'Abruzzo was eventually formed in May of 1925.       Minister Baron Giacomo Acerbo had named the race in honor of his brother Capitano Tito Acerbo, a decorated war hero, who was killed during the last year of WW I. The trophy, Coppa Acerbo, was a gift from the Baron Giacomo Acerbo, to the competitor who scored the best time. The Coppa was a Perpetual Trophy and was to be deposited at the Automobile Club of Rome until the Automobile Club of Abruzzo was established. To the base they were to add annually a plaque, to be engraved with the name of the winner, who received a reduced reproduction of the Coppa.       The triangular 25.537 km Pescara circuit was used, over 10 laps or a total of 255.370 km for all cars. The start was at Castellammare, north of the seaside resort of Pescara, where the road went straight for about one kilometer along the shore of the Adriatic Sea. Before Pescara the course made a wide right turn heading inland for about 11 km along a winding uphill road into the Abruzzi Mountains through the villages of Villa Raspa, Spoltore and Capelle. From here, the road led into the approximately 11 km long Montesilvano downhill straight to the coast where cars could reach their maximum speed. A right turn at Montesilvano railroad station led into the Lungo Mare straight along the coast and back to the start and finish at Castellammare.       The entries were divided into five categories, over 3000 cc, up to 3000, up to 2000, up to 1500 cc and up to 1100 cc. The total prize fund was 50,000 lire for the five categories. The overall winner, who completed the race in the shortest time, received the Coppa Acerbo, 5,000 lire and a large gold medal, the second received 3,000 lire and a gold medal and the third 2,000 lire and a gold medal. There were additional prizes for the different categories.

Entries: The Coppa Acerbo promoters received over 30 entries of which a total of 28 were numbered but only 18 drivers appeared at the start. The very large cars over 3000 cc were the favorites like the Alfa Romeo of Ferrari, the two 4.4-Liter Spa cars of d'Argentine and Marsengo Bastia and the 1914 Grand Prix Mercedes of Antonelli who had practiced but did not start for unknown reasons.       The 3000 cc Category comprised the Alfa Romeos of Presenti and Cavaliere Orlando, and also the Ceirano of Leonardi.       The 2-Liter Category included only three starters, Masetti and Bonmartini in two 1924 Targa Florio Mercedes and the new Grand Prix Alfa Romeo P2 in the hands of Campari. Four other cars did not appear.       There were six starters in the 1500 cc Category, two Chiribiris for Abriani and Marconcini, two Bugattis for Platè and Spinozzi, one OM for Ciriaci and one Fiat for Tattini. Five additional entries did not appear.       The 1100 Category for cycle cars included just three cars, two Salmsons for Lancelotti and Clerici and the Amilcar for Del Drago. A complete list of entries is shown at the beginning of this report.

Race: Sunday at 6:30 AM the stands were already crammed with spectators and crowds were all along the circuit. The starting area was cleared where the 18 cars lined up on the grid. The start took place in order of race numbers with an interval of three minutes between each category. At 7:00 AM Baron Giacomo Acerbo assisted by the timekeeper Marley, Mezzani and Damiani, lowered the yellow flag for the start of the over 3-Liter Category, Ferrari (Alfa Romeo), d'Argentine (Spa) and Marsengo Bastia started very fast.

3 d'Argentine Spa 1 Ferrari Alfa Romeo 4 Marsengo Bastia Spa

After a three-minute interval the 3-liter Category with three drivers, Presenti (Alfa Romeo), Leonardi (Ceirano) and Orlando (Alfa Romeo) were started.

6 Leonardi Ceirano 5 Presenti Alfa Romeo 7 Orlando Alfa Romeo

After another three-minute interval the 2-liter Category started, Bonmartini (Mercedes), Campari (Alfa Romeo) and Masetti (Mercedes). Campari and Bonmartini changed places.

8 Bonmartini Mercedes 9 Campari Alfa Romeo 12 Masetti Mercedes

The 1500 cc Category started after another three-minute break, Abriani (Chiribiri), Platè (Bugatti), Marconcini (Chiribiri), Ciriaci (OM), Spinozzi (Bugatti) and Tattini (Fiat).

16 Platè Bugatti 15 Abriani Chiribiri 20 Ciriaci OM 18 Marconcinini Chiribiri 25 Tattini Fiat 24 Spinozzi Bugatti

After another three-minute interval the 1100 cc Category started, Lancelotti (Salmson), Clerici (Salmson) and Del Drago (Amilcar).

28 Clerici Salmson 27 Lancelotti Salmson 29 Del Drago Amilcar

When the cars passed after the first lap, Ferrari's Alfa Romeo was in the lead with 14m58s. After a long time followed the two Spa of Beria d'Argentine in 16m24s and Marsengo Bastia in 16m35s, then the Alfa Romeo of Presenti in 15m44s. From the order of the passes at the grandstand, the spectators did not know the actual position of the drivers. It was evident that Campari's P2 was the fastest of all, but it was not easy to know which car was leading the race. In fact, Campari was in the lead in 14m07s, Bonmartini (Mercedes) in 14m23s was not far behind and third overall was Ferrari in 14m58s. After more than one minute followed the fourth Presenti, fifth and sixth were d'Argentine and Marsengo Bastia, seventh Marconcini (Chiribiri) in 16m37s, ahead of Orlando who was hunted by Luigi Spinozzi. Clerici was tenth overall, leading in the 1st Category in 17m39s, followed by Lancelotti, Del Drago, Leonardi, Ciriaci, Platè and Tattini last, who had a breakdown in Capelle and was delayed. Ciriaci raced with his regular OM. Platè stopped to change plugs. Masetti retired the Mercedes on the circuit with ignition problems and Abriani ended the race also on the road with ignition trouble. Passing slower cars was risky as cars trailed large dust clouds behind them along the dry dusty roads. Campari was in the lead with the order of the 16-car field as follows after the first lap: 1. Campari (Alfa Romeo) 14m07s 2000 cc 2. Bonmartini (Mercedes) 14m23s 2000 cc 3. Ferrari (Alfa Romeo) 14m58s over 3000 cc 4. Presenti (Alfa Romeo) 15m44s 3000 cc 5. Beria d'Argentine (Spa) 16m24s over 3000 cc 6. Marsengo Bastia (Spa) 16m35s over 3000 cc 7. Marconcini (Chiribiri) 16m37s 1500 cc 8. Orlando (Alfa Romeo) 3000 cc 9. Spinozzi (Bugatti) 1500 cc 10. Clerici (Salmson) 17m39s 1100 cc 11. Lancelotti (Salmson) 1100 cc 12. Del Drago (Amilcar) 1100 cc 13. Leonardi (Ceirano) 3000 cc 14. Ciriaci (OM) 1500 cc 15. Platè (Bugatti) 1500 cc 16. Tattini (Fiat) 1500 cc During the second lap Campari continued to push the P2 to its maximum. Bonmartini, with the Mercedes, was relentless and did not give up the chase. On the Montesilvano straight, Campari was timed over a 5 km section in 1m36.6s at an average of 186.335 km/h against Bonmartini's 1m41s. Ferrari, with the RLTF24 Alfa Romeo continued his fast pace. Campari remained in the lead, even after he lost 3 seconds on Bonmartini who followed him only 13 seconds behind at 14m05s, with an average of 108.705 km/h which, at the end of the race, was the fastest lap. The spectators in the grandstand followed the ongoing battle between the driver of the Italian car and that of the German car. At the end of the lap, the positions remained the same up to the seventh place. Clerici had advanced to eighth place, Orlando dropped to ninth, Lancelotti was now tenth and Del Drago was in eleventh place. Spinozzi, delayed by punctures, dropped to twelfth, Ciriaci was thirteenth and Leonardi was fourteenth. Platè, after two long stops changing plugs, could no longer regain the lost time and Tattini kept the last position in the field.       Campari ran into trouble during the third lap when the P2 burst a tire. As he carried no spare, Campari was forced to retire. Supposedly the gearbox also went out of use, ending the race of the new car before covering 75 km. The contenders did not notice the withdrawal, because Campari was hiding the P2 by parking it off the road, in the shade of a hedge that was hiding it from sight by the other competitors. Until the end of the race, driver and mechanic spent time at a restaurant. Bonmartini was unaware that he was now leading the race and continued his chase. But the Mercedes had to stop to change a tire, allowing Ferrari's Alfa Romeo to take the lead at the end of the third lap, which he covered in 14m31 with his total time of 44m04s. The Mercedes of Bonmartini slowed down with a lap of 15m55s. In the Alfa Romeo pits there was dismay about the retirement of the P2, as they were unable to know what happened to their car. The engineer Rimini remained in the pits to assist the Alfa Romeo still in the race, but Nicola Romeo left the grandstand accompanied by the designer Vittorio Jano and returned to the Leon d'Oro Hotel where both were full of hopes. The race, however, was not yet decided, because Bonmartini's Mercedes still posed a threat.       On the fourth lap Bonmartini tried to comeback on the leading Alfa Romeo. He covered the timed 5 km section in 1m42.4s but shortly thereafter a tire collapsed, so that his delay to the leader increased to 2m12s. During the lap, Tattini retired due to mechanical failure while Lancellotti burst the front left tire and spun off the road. The road surface, not sufficiently compacted, began to disintegrate and deep grooves were forming in many turns which made it difficult to maintain optimal paths while, on acceleration, the drive tires swayed in the rubble.       The fifth lap, mid-race, was the time for refueling. Ferrari returned to the track, with 1h13m17s in total time with a 2m32s advantage over Bonmartini's Mercedes. The Alfa Romeo of Presenti was third. In fourth place was the Spa of d'Argentine, seven minutes behind the leader and in front of Orlando, Spinozzi and Marconcini. First to stop was Marconcini who, in addition to the fuel, added water. Seventh was Clerici, followed by Marconcini, Del Drago, Ciriaci, Leonardi, Platè and Marsengo Bastia.       On the sixth lap, Ferrari drove with great determination and ended the lap in 14m33s. Bonmartini knew that he had to push to the limit to catch Ferrari and managed the lap in 14m19s, reducing his gap to 2m18s. Presenti was third followed by d'Argentine, Orlando, Spinozzi, Marconcini and Clerici. Leonardi, at the end of the Capelle descent had a tire burst, overturning the Ceirano which caused minor injuries to driver and mechanic. Another report claimed the crash happened due to steering failure. This accident allowed Platè to climb to eleventh and Marsengo Bastia to twelfth at the last place, but he was delayed by a hard gear shift. After the sixth lap, Ferrari was first overall in 1h27m50s, Bonmartini second in 1h30m08s, Presenti third in 1h34m53s, next d'Argentine in 1h36m07s, Orlando in 1h44m26s and Spinozzi sixth in 1h44m37s.       Ferrari completed the seventh lap in 14m39s at 178.759 km/h average and 1h42m29s total time. Bonmartini was even slower in 18m20s and a total time of 1h48m28s, increasing Ferrari's advantage to 5m59s. Presenti in third place now hunted Bonmartini, as he was only 1m30s behind him, with the total time of 1h49m58s. After seven laps, Ferrari's position had improved, Bonmartini's position weakened, Presenti's improved while d'Argentine's position was stationary. Spinozzi conquered fifth place to the detriment of Orlando who dropped to sixth. Marsengo Bastia climbed to the eleventh place ahead of Platè.       On the eighth lap Bonmartini had to stop at the pits due to a flat tire, completing the lap in 14m43s. Ferrari drove prudently at14m40s, 3 seconds less than Bonmartini. Ferrari was in the lead followed by Bonmartini and Presenti. Spinozzi was first in the 1500 class and Clerici led the 1100 class.       The ninth lap was eventful, with men and machines heavily tested by fatigue and resignation. Ferrari completed the lap in 14m39s, Bonmartini in 14m22s but a gap of 5m45s remained between the two contenders. Presenti had experienced a puncture but then lost considerable time due to a mechanical problem which allowed d'Argentine to grasp third place from him. Orlando retired after driving for some laps with a problem in his Alfa Romeo, so Clerici became sixth behind Spinozzi. Marconcini was seventh, Del Drago eighth, Ciriaci ninth, Platè tenth and Marsengo Bastia eleventh but already out of maximum time.       On the tenth lap, Ferrari slowed slightly with a lap in 14m47s to cross the finish line victoriously after 2h26m35.4s, at an average of 104.524 km/h. Bonmartini attempted to catch up with a fast lap in 14m09s but was still 5m6.8s behind at the finish in second place, ahead of d'Argentine, Presenti, and Spinozzi in fifth place. Del Drago experienced a lubrication problem with his Amilcar and broke down on the last lap, so Clerici became sixth, Marconcini seventh and Ciriaci eighth. Marsengo Bastia advanced to the ninth but did not classify, as he was out of the maximum time, because he finished more than 30 minutes after Ferrari, winner of the same Category. Platè who was in tenth and last place also exceeded the maximum allowable time. Enzo Ferrari was applauded and celebrated for winning the inaugural Coppa Acerbo race.