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Breathtaking landscapes and daunting journeys, like that of

Ulysses to Ithaca, where what counts is not the destination

but the voyage itself; a Ferrari 308 GT4, which couldn’t

help but be accompanied by Riva, will really travel halfway

around the world on a thirty-six-day trip that speaks of style

and adventure, the old European world and the Gobi desert.

Breathtaking landscapes and daunting journeys, like earlier. We raced with one car, first me and then him,
View of the Museo Storico Cantieri Riva, in close-up the Ferrari 308 GT4 that of Ulysses to Ithaca, where what counts is not the in various competitions, and then with the same car in
and in the background, Riva 32 Ferrari
destination but the voyage itself; a Ferrari 308 GT4, 1978. We would see each other at rallies, though to be
which couldn’t help but be accompanied by Riva, will re- honest I didn’t do that many. Enrico only did rallies,
ally travel halfway around the world on a thirty-six-day I concentrated on speed racing, though I did indulge
trip that speaks of style and adventure, the old European in some strange adventures, like that African Safari
world and the Gobi desert. The journalists of Protago- Rally. . . In the case of this race, we’ll be splitting the driv-
nist met with Giorgio SchÖn, the champion driver tak- ing and navigation, and that will be much harder. But we
ing part in the race for the second time, and the found- don’t share the same tent . . . we have two of those.
er of Rossocorsa, Italy's biggest Ferrari dealer, and his
traveling companion Enrico Guggiari, an expert rallyist. ED: How do you get ready for such a complex
On a gorgeous sunny afternoon at Lake Iseo, with the race, both in terms of the car and on the naviga-
majestic Riva shipyard almost aglow with light behind tion side?
us, “la 308 GT4” made its entrance, polished to perfec- EG: For the car it is very complicated, especially
tion, totally charismatic. with this 308 GT4 that is an absolute novelty—no Ferrari
has ever attempted such a journey. And it’s a complicat-
Eleonora Dini: Greetings, Giorgio and Enrico. On ed car, with 8 cylinders. You have to reinforce it com-
June 2, 2019 you will set off on this splendid journey. pletely, so it takes a couple of years of preparation, and
Why do it together? How did all this get started? now we are doing the finishing touches. It seems to be
Enrico Guggiari: We’ve known each other for perfect, but then you realize there are still many things
years, because I began racing with the Trofeo A112, a that need to be tuned. The route cannot be prepared in Riva shipyard, the Ferrari 308 GT4
long time ago. We met for the first time in Kenya, in advance, because in the Peking to Paris it is announced on the banks of Lake Iseo
occasion of the Safari Rally. at the last minute; we have a “rough idea” of what it will
Giorgio Schön: But with two different cars! (smiles). be, but we don’t know the shortest route.
The first trip was in 1987, but we had already met much GS: In Mongolia, for example, there are no signs,

60 Rally Protagonist Protagonist Rally 61