On occasion of the centenary of the legendary "Peking - Paris" motor race, the "2007 Peking - Paris Motor Challenge" is due to get under way on 27 May, ending on 30 June in the French capital after crossing China, Mongolia, Siberia, Russia, the Baltic Republics and France. Amongst the one hundred and twenty teams which will tackle the trials and tribulations of the Peking - Paris this year will be a crew composed of Roberto Chiodi and Mariarita Degli Esposti, the pair behind the wheel of a 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta T.I., which, under official instructions from Automobilismo Storico Alfa Romeo, has been prepared for the event by the Scuderia del Portello.

Produced between 1957 and 1964, this was a very successful model for Alfa Romeo, and the Giulietta T.I. entered into the “2007 Peking - Paris" is more than ready to take on this challenging but fascinating 16,000 km journey along highways and byways. With a century of history behind it, taking part in such an extraordinary event is not a new thing for the Alfa Romeo brand: Peking, Hong Kong, Tripoli, the North Pole and Calcutta are just a few of the places that have been visited in the course of various races by Alfa Romeo cars - synonymous with reliability, power and class.

The “2007 Peking - Paris" is a challenge with a historical feel, but decidedly modern appeal, supporting brand visibility in markets which have not yet been fully explored. The legs of the “2007 Peking - Paris" are as follows: Peking (27 May), Ulaan Baatar (1 June), Novosibirsk (09 June), Yekaterinburg (13 June), Moscow (18 June), St Petersburg (20 June), Tallin (21 June), Riga (22 June), Vilnius (23 June), Gdansk (26 June), Potsdam (27 June), Koblenz (28 June), Reims (29 June) and Paris (30 June).

The crews will be flagged away from Tiananmen Square on 27 May heading immediately towards the Great Wall of China, then north to the Gobi Desert, into Outer Mongolia, at Ulaan Baatar the crews turn left, and pound the vast grassy plains of the Asian Steppes, through territory that has hardly changed since Prince Borghese gave local villagers their first glimpse of a motor-car. Then the teams will enter Siberia, Kazakhstan, Russia, rest at Moscow, and again at St. Petersburg, before entering Europe; an unforgettable motoring experience ending with a parade into Paris and a celebration at the Continental la Grand Hotel on Saturday June 30th, 2007.
 

There are several Categories, each with their own classes. Category One: The Pioneers, for cars of a type in manufacture before 1920. Restricted to 20 places. Category Two: The Vintageants, for cars of a type in manufacture before 1940, restricted to 50 entries; Category Three: Classics, for cars of a type in manufacture before 1960, limited to 30 places.

In 1997, the Peking to Paris re-enactment confirmed that older cars are not disadvantaged, they come with good ground clearance, simple mechanicals that can be fixed in the wild just as Prince Borghese discovered when he persuaded a local blacksmith to make him a wheel. The organisers have received entries from cars as old as 1912, and Lord Montagu has previously entered a 1914 Prince Henry Vauxhall – Lord Montagu intends to return, having told the magazine Classic and Sportscar: “the 1997 Peking to Paris was the best event I have ever driven.” The event anticipates a large number of pre-war cars, so the later Category is restricted, giving priority to those who bring an older car. Already planning to give Lord Montagu a run for his money will be Ray Carr from America who puts on his entry form “I’m older than Lord Montagu”.

No special qualifications are required but some travel experience, and a willingness to take the rough with the smooth, helps. Accommodation in Mongolia, and Siberia is basic. This is a drive that appeals to those with an independent free-spirit who are resourceful and have single-minded determination, the same kind of qualities that made the 1907 drive such an epic. The two previous Peking to Paris events both had of crews without previous experience. In 1907, the second-placed driver learnt to drive in order to take part; and in the 1997 Peking to Paris re-enactment event, over half the field were on their first-ever long distance marathon.