Stirling Moss (#42) powers his Maserati 300S along the seafront towards victory in the 1956 Grand Prix of Bari. (Top, right page) Moss collects the victorÕs laurels. (Top, left page) Cesare Perdisa and Jean Behra share the laurels after their Maseratis helped take the first five places in the 1956 race. (Photos: Maserati Archive). (Above, right) Fangio leads eventual winner Farina during the 1950 Grand Prix. (Photo: Alfa Romeo Archive)
    Motorsport Profiles

    Grand Prix of Bari – Turn Left at the Lighthouse

    Robert Newman

    No one was exactly thrilled when word reached Maranello, Modena, Arese and points north that the automobile club of an Italian seaside town called Bari was organizing a new Grand Prix. “Their own Grand Prix? The audacity of it all,” some said. “Who are these people? Where and what is Bari, anyway?” others shrilled.

    It was rather like Palmdale, California, preparing to host the Olympic Games. Little town, big ambitions.

    But the top teams of the day – and the not so top – began to sit up and take notice when they heard the starting money on offer; that’s what made Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Maserati et.al. take their cars and stars to what seemed like the end of the earth – well, Italy, anyway – and race.

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