When this year’s edition of the world’s greatest road trip got kicked in the nuts by coronavirus we challenged teams to drive tiny cars to ridiculous places anywhere in the world. We called it the Mongol Rally X and Pietro and Mario nailed it.

They drove their car home after doing the rally last year so when the call came they dusted off their 1 litre beast and pointed it at one of the highest dirt tracks in Europe…

Mongol Rally X Field Report: Team Maremma Cinghiala Racing

Car: 1991 Renault 4

Engine size: 956cc

Ridiculous Place: Colle del Sommeiller, summit at the top of one of Europe’s highest dirt road in the Alps, on the border between France & Italy

Team: Pietro & Mario from team Maremma Cinghiala Racing

Nationality: Italian

Here’s their blow by blow story including a glorious breakdown 200 metres from the summit of the mountain.

(All translation from Italian to English mangled together using Google Translate.)

A new all-Italian challenge for the Maremma Cinghiala Racing Team  . Conquering the highest dirt road in Europe on the Sommeiller hill in Piedmont.

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Una nuova sfida tutta italiana per il Maremma Cinghiala Racing Team  . Alla conquista della strada sterrata più alta d’Europa sul colle del Sommeiller in Piemonte.

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First day: after the belt slipping, risked running dry and 600km traveled at 90km / h, we were warmly welcomed at the Gran Bosco campsite in Sauze d’Olux. Accommodation of honor in the middle of the road drivers, many came to browse around the Boar and exchange a few words. Tonight we finally sleep in the cool!

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Primo giorno: dopo la cinghia che slittava, rischiato di restare a secco e 600km percorsi a 90km/h siamo stati calorosamente accolti al campeggio Gran Bosco di Sauze d’Olux. Sistemazione d’onore in mezzo si fuori stradisti, in molti sono venuti a curiosare intorno alla Cinghialina e scambiare due parole. Stasera finalmente si dorme al fresco!

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Climb day:

We wake up in the morning with the curtains wet from the rain, the sky is overcast. Already from the first hairpin bends our car doesn’t want to go up, carburettor problems? Maybe too much humidity? Who knows. After several attempts we manage to overcome the great slope.

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Giorno della scalata:

Ci svegliamo la mattina con le tende bagnate dalla pioggia, il cielo è coperto. Gia dai primi tornanti la nostra macchina non ne vuole sapere di salire, problemi di carburazione? Forse troppa umidità? Chi lo sa. Dopo vari tentativi riusciamo a superare i punti di pendenza maggiore.

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The engine stops at an altitude of 2880m. There were only two hairpin bends to the summit. It is yet another stop on this endless morning. Pietro tries to solve what could be carburettor problems just 200m from the top.

Il motore si ferma a quota 2880m. Mancavano solo due tornanti alla vetta. È l’ennesima sosta in questa mattina interminabile. Pietro cerca di risolvere quelli che potrebbero essere problemi di carburazione a soli 200m dalla vetta.

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It seems that the Boar doesn’t want to get to the top …

Sembra che la Cinghialina non ne voglia sapere di arrivare in cima…

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Altitude 2900m. Coming out of the clouds we begin to see the summit.

Quota 2900m. Uscendo dalle nuvole iniziamo a scorgere la vetta.

Pietro also shot some stunning drone footage of the track up to the summit:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CE66n4XodFw/

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With great difficulty we reach the refuge at 2000m. Here we let the machine cool for half an hour. With little hope but all the desire to get to the top, we remove the air filter and ask everything from our little 956cc engine.

The road gets worse and worse but the Boar at this altitude begins to surprise us and gets better and better. We are forced to tackle the tightest corners in first gear at full speed in order not to lose engine rpm. Finally, incredibly, after a few hours of climbing we reach the top. We are at 3009m and a lunar landscape opens up to our eyes. Also this year the Cinghialina is not among those who have disappointed.

Another success and great satisfaction for Maremma Cinghiala Racing.

Con grande difficoltà raggiungiamo il rifugio a 2000m. Qui lasciamo raffreddare la macchina per una mezz’ora. Con poche speranze ma tutta la voglia di arrivare fino in cima, togliamo il filtro dell’aria e chiediamo tutto al nostro piccolo motore 956cc.

La strada peggiora sempre di più ma la Cinghialina a questa altitudine inizia a sorprenderci e andare sempre meglio. Siamo costretti ad affrontare le curve più strette in prima a tutta velocità per non perdere giri motore. Alla fine incredibilmente dopo alcune ore di salita arriviamo in cima. Siamo a 3009m e ai nostri occhi si apre un paesaggio lunare. Anche quest’anno la Cinghialina non chi ha deluso.

Un altro successo e tanta soddisfazione per il Maremma Cinghiala Racing. 

Watch their 1 hour Mongol Rally video on Youtube: