Oxford Universities Motorsport Foundation takes on the ‘Giro Panoramico’ - 14th July 2024

On Sunday 14th of July, OUMF were lucky enough to be invited by the Alfa Romeo Owners Club to take part in their annual ‘Giro Panoramico’, a tour through the finest Cotswold countryside, culminating in a ‘cars and coffee’ style event at the Classic Motor Hub just outside Bibury in Gloucestershire.

The OUMF team had an early morning, leaving the HQ at around 7:30am in our 1966 Alfa Romeo Giulia GT Sprint Veloce - with the ‘Ypres’ crew of Ding at the wheel and Sean on the maps and clocks, and Charlie Lemme, Erica, and myself in Seb’s Ford Focus chase car. Our first rendezvous with the other 40 AROC crews on the ‘Giro’ was at the Ye Olde Hobnails Inn, at Little Washbourne, near Tewkesbury. The weather could not have been better and with clear blue skies above and virtually no traffic for the whole trip, we knew this was going to be a day to remember. Following an hour of exhilarating driving, we arrived to be greeted by a great mix of new and old Alfa Romeos parked in the pub car park, which were perfectly complimented by breakfast and coffee in the sun! After some chatting with the other owners, it was time to start the tour, and it was my turn to navigate the road book in the Inca. For half an hour we wound our way through the rolling countryside and most picturesque nooks and crannies of Gloucestershire, following directions to Broadway Tower, the ‘highest castle in the Cotswolds’. The views from this historic 18th century landmark on such a clear day were stunning, with Birmingham clearly visible 60 miles off in one direction, and the Brecon Beacons and blue Welsh hills discernible 90 miles away in another. The spectacular views from the tower make it a popular destination on a sunny summer Sunday, and many of the other visitors there were intrigued by the rosso red ‘Inca’ Alfa rally car and its fascinating history.
With Sean again guiding the Alfa, further country lanes, tiny golden-stoned villages, and superb views were enjoyed on our way to the second stop at the beautiful village of Bourton-on-the-Water.

However, no classic car drive would be complete without at least one mechanical gremlin, and this event was no different. A small electrical fault meant the cooling fan stopped, leading to the Alfa Romeo getting rather hot, rather quickly…

​Thanks to the quick work of the OUMF team, the faulty electrical switch was bypassed, and the Alfa Romeo was back in the running in no time, with Charlie doing the map reading on the final leg.​

Meandering B roads led the team to our ultimate destination for the day, the Classic Motor Hub at Bibury near Cirencester, where the car had been entered into the Alfa Owners Club Concours competition. This is the first time any OUMF project car has been entered into such a competition and so, as we lined up with immaculate original cars on either side of our ‘working’ historic rally car, we didn’t really know what to expect. I’m pleased to report though that the ‘Inca’ unexpectedly triumphed, winning the “Great Effort” award. Whilst the ‘Inca’ didn’t technically fall into a particular category, the judges were impressed by the famous rallying history of the car – in the UK, Europe, the Caribbean, and South America - and the obvious hard work and time that goes into its maintenance and preparation. The whole of the OUMF team would like to thank Nick Wright, Jon Pestell and all the Alfa Romeo Owners Club for the invitation to this superbly planned and well-organised event, as well as all our amazing sponsors for their support in our endeavours. Finally, just a note to say that the beautiful ‘Inca’ Alfa Romeo is now for sale, and interested parties should direct their enquiries to Ding Boston on +44 7761 823609.

Written and edited by Ollie Ridsdale-Smith – Motorsport Engineering Student