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European Motorcycles

Today in Motorcycle History

Tazio Nuvolari Museum


Address:
Tazio Nuvolari Museum
via Giulio Romano (on the corner with via N. Sauro)
46100 Mantua, Italia

Website: tazionuvolari.it
Facebook: fb.com/museotazionuvolari

The museum is located in the 15th century Church of Carmelino

Between 1922 and 1930 Tazio won an extraordinary number of motorcycle races, initially on American, British and Gilera machines, and from 1925 with Bianchi. Riding his Freccia Celeste 350 he dominated the sport for 5 years.

He then turned his attention to motor racing and became a living legend, racing with Ferrari and simply anhilating the opposition. He won the 1948 Mille Miglia in a Ferrari Tipo 166S by something like an hour, with the car in tatters when he arrived - missing both front and rear guards and engine cowling, and sitting on a bag of lemons because the seat had collapsed.

He was enormously popular in Italy, and hundreds of thousands would listen to the reports on the radio. Cafe's would erupt in shouts of "Nivola, Nivola!" (his nickname) when he took the lead or was described as doing something heroic.

Ferdinand Porsche said of Nuvolari, "the greatest driver of the past, present and future".

There is an aprophycal story which claims that he would drink a considerable amount of champagne during a motor race.

If you have a query or information about this museum please contact us