The world's craziest road race?

Surprising history of the Targa Florio

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There's a tiled mural in the Sicilian town of Collesano commemorating the epic drive of Stirling Moss in the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. Not on the Mille Miglia but on the Targa Florio. The 39th Targa marked the sixth and final round of that year's FIA World Sports Car Championship, following the cancellation of the Carerra Panamericana. Mercedes hadn't taken part in the first two rounds, and withdrew from Le Mans that year. Even so, the title was between Ferrari, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz. Jaguar failed to show; Mercedes (true to form) arrived three weeks early and learnt the route, new for that year. Fielding three SLRs, the German team took first (Moss with Peter Collins), second (Juan Manuel Fangio and Karl Kling) and fourth (Desmond Titterington and John Fitch). Ferrari managed third, with Eugenio Castellotti and Robert Manzon in the 857S. Mercedes took the title.