Targa Florio

Targa Florio
CategoryEndurance
CountryTour of Island of Sicily, Italy
Inaugural season1906
Folded1977
Last Drivers' championItaly Raffaele Restivo,
Italy Alfonso Merendino
Last Constructors' championUnited Kingdom  Chevron B36 BMW
Official websitewww.targa-florio.it
Alessandro Cagno (1883-1971), winner of first Targa Florio in 1906. Pictured at 1907 event.

The Targa Florio was a public road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near the island's capital of Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973. While the first races consisted of a whole tour of the island, the track length in the race's last decades was limited to the 72 km (45 mi) of the Circuito Piccolo delle Madonie, which was lapped 11 times.

After 1973, it was a national sports car event until it was discontinued in 1977 due to safety concerns. It has since been run as Targa Florio Rally, a rallying event, and is part of the Italian Rally Championship.