The day that Ferrari broke the Speed Record … on Water

On October 15, 1953, Achille Castoldi sat in his boat on the water of Lake Iseo nestled between its more famous siblings Lake Como and Lake Garda. Surrounded by dense woodlands and soaring peaks, the lake remains the least known of Italy’s Lombard Lakes, but Achille was not there to enjoy his surroundings. He was there to travel faster in an 800kg boat than anyone had before him.

For this, he had the help of Enzo Ferrari. The power behind the record attempt was one of Ferrari’s Grand Prix Tipo 375 V12 racing engines.

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