In 1901 Vincenzo Florio thought of a race around Madonie Mountains; four years later, in 1905, Vincenzo came out as organizer of races by planning the chrono-scaling from Palermo to Monreale.

In 1905 the original idea started to take shape. Exactly that year Florio runs through the streets of Madonie Mountains again, in order to map out a motor route; that year, while he is in Paris, he meets Henry Desgrange, the editor of the sporting newspaper “L’auto” and he showed the editor the route of the future Targa Florio. It was the Big Circuit of Madonie Mountains: 148 Kilometers to be traveled over for three laps.

At the beginning the route reached Cefalù, apart from Cerda, Caltavuturo, Castellana, Petralia, Geraci and Castelbuono; but the route through the Norman town of Cefalù meant an obstacle to the circuit because it was crossed from the railway that would have “broken” the circuit. So an internal variant was fit in , it wound from Castelbuono through Isnello, Collesano and Campofelice:The Big Circuit was born. A difficult route, in the middle of a wild and strong nature, which climbed from the sea level to an altitude of over 1000 meters ; an almost inexistent route able to test not only men but also cars, in each competition.

From 1906 to 1973 fifty-seven competitions of Targa Florio took place in circuit, which each time were called “Big Circuit”, “Medium Circuit”, “ Little Circuit” ,“Sicilian Lap”, everyone joined by the same purpose: a race through an unique landscape, able to make cars and pilots be unique.

Through the chronological division you will get to the root of the race: a web-chronicle about the moments that have made famous pilots, cars and circuits all over the world.