SAN MARINO (ITALPRESS) – Jan. 20, 2025. A daring feat, a combination of history and adventure, a new page in the annals of motorsports. For the first time, the iconic Fiat 500, a symbol of popular Italian motoring, will tackle the epic Beijing-Paris, one of the world’s most challenging historic car races. Leading the unprecedented journey will be a crew partly from San Marino and partly composed of seasoned Italian veterans, driven by a deep passion for motoring. The initiative, in addition to representing a high-level sporting challenge, takes on a special significance for the Republic of San Marino, as it will be the first time that a car with a Titan license plate will ply the roads of the legendary competition. The car, a Fiat 500 R registered in 1973 and belonging to Federico Pedini Amati, Secretary of State for Tourism of the Republic of San Marino, has been renamed with a special name: Lucia, after his daughter. “Lucia” was specially
prepared to face the pitfalls of a route that winds through deserts, steppes and impervious dirt roads. At Pedini Amati’s side along the prohibitive route will be Stiven Muccioli, a dynamic entrepreneur and CEO of fintech BKN301, who is also a motor enthusiast and determined to complete a test of human and mechanical endurance. Accompanying and alternating along the route along with the San Marino pair will be professional journalist Roberto Chiodi and dental surgeon Fabio Longo, who, by the end of the race, will have amassed as many as seven participations between the two, making them the “doyens of the Beijing-Paris.” The historic car, one of 4,250,000 produced, will compete with far more powerful and high-performance vehicles in a challenge within a challenge. The organization plans daily stages of about 450 km, without any form of scheduled assistance, putting the reliability of the vehicles and the adaptability of the crews to the test. On board the small 500, in addition to the two drivers, essential equipment such as spare parts, at least two spare wheels, fire extinguisher, water reserve, satellite navigation devices, maps, road book, food supplies, video filming equipment, tent and sleeping mats for the 5-6 nights planned in bivouacs in the steppe and desert crossings will be provided. This is a FIVA rally, where in order to win you race to the limit (and by doing so you risk serious damage to your vehicle) on difficult tracks even for camels and goats. The preparation required, the solidity of the cars, the impossibility of having assistance (unlike rallies like the Dakar, where teams have truck-workshops every night), the age of the cars and the length of the route and the race itself make it the “Everest of rallies.” This is not a tourist trip, but the extreme limit of motorsport with cars at least 50 years old! Doing it with a 500 with San Marino license plates gives meaning to the claim “beyond imagination.” The participation of such an iconic car in the Beijing-Paris 2025 attracts great interest both nationally and internationally. Indeed, the initiative is a tribute to the history of the automobile and an exaltation of the spirit of adventure that has always animated motoring enthusiasts. “The start of the most beautiful and oldest race in the world, the Beijing-Paris 2025, is approaching,” comments Pedini Amati, “and our 500 is getting a makeover. We are going to see some great things.” He is echoed by Stiven Muccioli: “Supporting the Beijing-Paris is tangible evidence of our commitment to innovation and the ability to push the boundaries. Seeing a legend like the Fiat 500, tackle such a challenging route, with a San Marino crew, perfectly embodies the spirit that drives BKN301: daring, experimenting and embracing new challenges.” Statements filled with excitement and anticipation, for a feat that promises to be a memorable one. The Beijing-Paris 2025 will not just be a race, but a journey through history, culture and mechanics, an ode to human ingenuity and passion for engines. Because to get far, you need not only “horses,” but above all heart and tenacity.
(ITALPRESS).
Photo Pedini Amati