Rallies

Great photographer Manrico Martella covers in this book the entire history of world rallying through his lens, from the early `70s to today. “What are rallies to me? They are over 40 years of life throughout the world, 40 years of joy, pain, emotions, human contact, but above all they comprise a long period of time of constant research for the right shot, one where newspapers had to make them the lead story or illustrate a centre page double spread. That picture has always touched on the difficult task of catapulting the reader right into the heart of Kenya and its sand and unlimited sky: in the midst of Sweden’s ice or through the damp British forests. This has always been the main objective of my search, to live the atmosphere of a location, the pathos of a moment and the excitement of being there, all encapsulated in one shot. It is also for that reason that rally cars are never the key protagonists of my images, but rather one of the various elements that compose those rallying panoramas comprising people, villages, woods, mountains or the sea – whatever – all indisputable protagonists equal to the cars and their drivers”. Those are the words of of this extraordinary photographic artist: the most fabulous and victorious cars and the greatest drivers never got away from his eye. The text is by Emanuele Sanfront, sports journalist, `60s and `70s driver and navigator.