Gran Premio del Mugello

The Gran Premio del Mugello was restricted this year to prototypes, sports, and GT cars of a capacity not exceeding 2 litres. The reduction of the race length to five laps (331 kms) also took some of the sting out of the event, which usually rivals the Targa Florio as one of the world’s toughest road races.

The works Fiat Abarth driver, Merzario, in a 2-litre prototype had little trouble in repeating his 1969 victory, but Kinnunen in a similar car might well have caught him had the race been its usual length.

Only two other cars would have challenged the Abarths but each had problems. Elford, in the Escuderia Montjuich B.16 chevron, suffered fuel leakage onto his person, the resultant discomfort contributing to a minor accident, while Nanni Galli in the very new Ecurie Evergreen Lola T.210 made fastest lap but was delayed by a broken throttle control.