Often, the passion for retro cars passes from a father to a son, but there are exceptions to the rules. And Lorenzo Turelli is one of them. He told about the passion for racing, generational differences and the preservation of historical heritage in an interview with AutoClassicNews
—You participate in a rally with your father, did he instill in you a love for retro cars?
-I’ve been participating in regularity races with my father since 2009, but the strange thing is that I was the one who passed on the love for vintage cars to my father and involved him as a navigator. The novelty is that this year my son Luca Leonardo obtained his racing license, and I hope he develops a passion for this world. I hope I’m lucky enough to race with him soon.
-Have you ever participated in a rally without your father?
-Rarely, and when it happened, I regretted it.
-Do you remember the first race you participated in?
— Yes, I remember perfectly: An Italian Championship race (Trofeo Lumezzane) — a disaster. We knew almost nothing.
-You take part in the Italian Champions, the Milla Miglia, the Winter Marathon and many other events. Could you name «Top 3» events, which, in your opinion, are the best in terms of organization and competitiveness?
— I’d say that all the races we participate in have their own charm. Of course, the difference is made by the audience’s participation. As for competitiveness, nowadays, the levels are really high in any race. That’s the beauty of it.
-Some Italian crews participate in races outside Italy, for example, in Argentina. Have you ever participated in foreign events? If so, in which cases?
— Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to participate in events abroad, but I hope to do so when work commitments allow me.
-How many races do you think you need to run per year to be competitive at a high level?
— Certainly, training is important, but competing in races allows you to grow athletically. Ideally, at least ten races a year are essential.
-Over the past four years, you have been in the top ten at the Milla Miglia. How does this race differ from others besides the selection of cars and the length? If you had the opportunity to influence the sports regulations, what would you change?
— The Mille Miglia is always a unique event — demanding, long, and full of emotions to manage, and it requires a lot of concentration. For a pure regularity racer, I would increase the PC (time controls) to at least 200, so there would be 40-50 per day.
-You compete with pilots of different generations. What do you think, how generations differ from each other?
-Certainly, age makes a difference. The only thing is that guys my age (50 years old) have a passion for both stopwatches and classic cars, while young people focus mainly on results.
-Is it necessary to popularize retro culture among young people? If so, in what way?
-Surely, regularity racing should always be a reason to keep the world of vintage car collecting alive. So it’s up to us to skillfully pass the baton to our young people and make them fall in love with beautiful cars.