by Roberto Chiodi
Some delays in the customs warehouse and the inclusion of our 500 in the last batch to be checked delayed the delivery of the little Fiat. But when it arrived in the Shangri-La parking lot it caused a stir among local photographers and participants in the ninth edition of the Beijing-Paris.
It was already being talked about with a mixture of interest and skepticism; but once we saw it up close, a little raised, with matching rims and a sonorous and rounded De Filippis engine, we only received compliments and pats on the back.
Of course it won't be a walk in the park, 15.000 kilometers in 37 days of real racing, time controls on really challenging roads (when there are any...), all of northern China to the west, all of the Kazakh steppes, crossing the Caspian Sea, Baku, Istanbul, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, finally Paris: we really don't know how the Cinquino will get there. But we'll do our best to bring it to Place Vendôme on June 22.
Last night was a great evening at the Casa Italia Residence, with the entire 500 crew as guests of Ambassador Ambrosetti and a group of very curious (and knowledgeable) Chinese journalists.
There was also a couple with 500-branded T-shirts, scarves, lighters and hats: a souvenir photo against the background of the board announcing the event and a truly home-made lasagna that we will miss for 40 days…
