Gioel Molinari

b500 magazine

DRIVER

With Gioel Molinari

Gioel is a technology entrepreneur passionate about analog machines, food, photo, friends and great experiences in beautiful places. Raised in Milan, educated in the USA as an engineer. Currently on sabbatical pondering how to best integrate work and life.

It is reasonably well known to car people that a high concentration of some of the most scenic and drivable roads in the world can be found in the Dolomites, located in northwestern Italy on the border with Austria. The roads are well maintained and present a mix of tortuous hill climbs up and down mountain passes with stretches of straights in the valleys between. The mountain scenery is extraordinary in scale and is guaranteed to leave you breathless in awe.

What was less known to me is that this area also presents a unique set of culinary delights, generated by a fusion of influences from Austria, Italy, the mountains, and local flora and fauna. The purity of the air, grassy fields and wildflowers create a perfect environment for cattle and other livestock to lazily graze, while the land yields a broad range of vegetables above and below ground through the varying seasons.

Despite having been raised in Milan I had not spent much time on the East side of the Alps, as my family is from the West side of the Alps and lakes area of Piedmont. When the opportunity arose to combine driving great roads and eating fantastic food at a recent event organized by Canossa, I immediately inquired with

my two car trip comrades. Primary Car (Ferrari F50) and Support Car (Dallara Stradale) were selected, tickets booked, and anticipation built as it would likely be the last fair weather European driving event of 2021 for us. This was the first time using the F50 after our participation in July’s Mille Miglia Modificata and the wonderful team at Bonini had the car prepped and ready at the start for us.

Our 3 days in the Dolomites were magical and blessed with ideal sunny mild weather throughout. The roads were largely clear of traffic, likely due to the event being held in October between Summer and Winter seasons and we were able to compare and contrast the F50 and Dallara in their element thanks to the variety of roads. The Dallara was run open top throughout while the F50 had the roof installed ahead of time as there was a last minute chance of rain; its interior is not nearly as water friendly as the Stradale’s is.

Despite their age differences, the back to back showed there are quite a few fundamental similarities between these two cars and how they transmit the feelings and elements around to the driver. The open top carbon monocoque and mid mounted engine architecture,

a minimum of assists (particularly to steering), and a well functioning manual gearbox form the core of the shared experience. From there the Dallara distinguishes itself with torque and lightness which allows it to seemingly leap from corner to corner up and down a mountain pass. The combination of lack of weight and modern brakes allows the driver to move the braking points confidently into zones that well seem absurd to the passenger; prepare your guests accordingly if you intend to Give It The Full Beans. The F50 in comparison excels in the obvious area of engine and gearbox sound and in the less obvious clutch and shift lever package. Despite the F50’s age and Ferrari’s no compromise ‘as close to F1 for the road as we can get’ design philosophy, the shifting controls are incredibly delicate, tactile and balanced, which leads to a surprisingly easy and unstressful car to drive. I admit to being much more conservative on descents in the F50 compared to the Dallara as the braking system is not quite as confidence inspiring. Ultimately both cars performed flawlessly throughout and got us to some delicious meals with good company on time or better. If you have the opportunity to explore this area by car, bike, or foot you should not hesitate.