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China Tour - Lhasa to Golmud
From Lhasa back to Golmud the group passed bemused locals and breathtaking highways, as their journey turned into a potential Guinness World Record attempt.
The Ferrari 612 Scagliettis between Lhasa and Naqu
This time the route taken by the 612 Scagliettis to the Tibetan pass of Tanggulashan was in the opposite direction. The pass is some 5321 metres above sea level and leads to the city of Lama and its natural beauty and architecture.
The crews spent time along the main streets of Lhasa, ones that border the imposing Potala. They then took the road for Naqu, visiting the abodes of the local farmers that surround 'God's throne'. From here, the Ferrari caravan moved on towards Golmud along the traffic-free highways of the plains.
The 2+2s left the city of Lhasa on the morning of 23 September 2005 together with their support vehicles. The team enjoyed spectacular views in the city while the Tibetan people had the unusual experience of seeing these exclusive vehicles driving down their streets.
The local population was also involved in a charity event with the distribution of Ferrari packages containing books, games and educational materials to around 200 children.
The Maranello 2+2s spent more time at the Potala, the imposing stone, earth and wood construction. It is 1187 metres tall and is divided into two parts: the Red Palace and the White Palace. One thousand rooms are situated along its 13 floors. There are ten thousand chapels and two hundred thousand statues.
The tombs of the Dalai Lamas are found in the Red Palace. One of these, that of the fifth Dalai Lama is embedded with 3,700 kg of gold. The White Palace was the official seat of government and hosted meetings of the Tibetan national assembly. The Scagliettis were ready, after visiting this marvel, to leave the capital of Tibet to head back towards Golmud.
Ferrari 612 Scaglietti on the road to Golmud
Though Lhasa is situated high above sea level, moss grows there and greenery can be found. Lakes extend throughout the mountain plains. It was then onto Naqu for the Scagliettis, a city they reached in the evening after a 330km leg at an average altitude of around 4000 metres.
It was along these demanding stretches that the 12 cylinder, all-aluminium models displayed their sprightly handling and torsional strength. The innovative stability and traction control, installed on standard Scagliettis as well as those used in the Ferrari 15,000 Red Miles Tour, really came into play.
The Qinghai province was crossed for the second time on the road to Golmud. The scenery was as breathtaking as ever with salt water lakes sprinkling the plains. The strong winds and springs added to the eerie charm.
The teams reached Golmud on the evening of 25 September 2005 and began preparing for the next stage. This saw the crews head towards Urumqi, in Xinjiang, another city steeped in fascinating history.