WHEN THE STARS ALIGN
Synchronicity is the concept we invoke when events, through seemingly unconnected, align in a way that feels too perfect to be mere coincidence - guided, perhaps, by a higher order.
As I sit behind the wheel of the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, idling at the far end of the high-speed ring that wraps around the Balocco Proving Ground, I can’t help but wonder what astral alignment brought me here. The 3.0 V6 bi-turbo engine is purring inches behind my back, waiting for the signal to launch. It feels so surreal that even if a civilization-altering comet or meteorite were to unexpectedly blaze across the sky, I’d simply nod and say, “Ah, that explains it”. Because this - this very moment for me is about as close as it gets to the metaphysical in the world of cars. After all, this is Alfa Romeo’s maximum expression - a mix of artistry and technology at its purest.
It’s dawn. We arrived at Balocco in complete darkness, and together with my teammates Luca and Eduard, we’ve been handed one of the most delicate tasks imaginable: to capture the 33 Stradale exactly as the first light hits this legendary, secluded track, while the surrounding lush nature is still waking up around it. Our launch time is 07:01. The radio confirmation arrives : “Go!”
One shot, one chance? When you’re chasing synchronicity, that’s about it. So I launch with all 630 horsepower, unintentionally verifying the claimed 0–100 km/h in three seconds. The first gently left - banked first corner is arriving faster than expected - pulls lateral G’s I’ve never experienced in another car. It’s a bit frightening. But very exhilarating. And addictive. I have to do it again. And again. Just to be sure we got the shot. That one perfect moment.
But let’s rewind. After watching it impress juries and crowds alike at the major European events (Monza GP, Villa d’Este, Goodwood, Chantilly to link just a few) the 33 Stradale is back home. Alfa Romeo has invited select guests from around the world to Balocco, its own sacred testing ground, to finally drive and experience this new automotive icon - and we’re here to document it.
This is no ordinary press drive. This 33 Stradale is the pre-series prototype, chassis #00. It’s the only one of its kind, the very car used for development. It carries the weight of all 33 future examples on its shoulders, as Chief Vehicle Engineer from Stellantis Motorsport Jean-Philippe Delaire confesses: ”All the successful practical experimentations done on this car will also make their way on the definitive customer cars”.
A single mistake - too hot into a chicane, a missed braking point - and there’s no back up, no replacement. The 33 examples being built by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, entirely by hand were spoken for in just a couple of days after the initial idea was shared to a selected group of people. This prototype, however, needs to survive, as it’s destined to meet its spiritual 1967 predecessor at Alfa Romeo’s Museo Storico in Arese. But first, it must do its duty: to be driven, to be seen, to make good on the promise it is not just a dream, as courageous as it might seem.
Is Alfa taking a risk letting journalists and Alfisti push it around Balocco? Maybe. But in today’s world of AI improbable renderings and vaporware supercars, they’re proud to prove to the world that something as beautiful as the 33 Stradale can exist - crafted from carbon, aluminum, and the finest Italian leather, the 33 Stradale is a very real, very limited manifesto. So if it sounds like Alfa is taking a chance too high by trusting us with such a precious car - well, they’re confident enough to let it stretch its legs on track all day long because it’s a modern supercar. It’s comfortable, intuitive, and even welcoming once behind the wheel. Not quite a GT, but not a hardcore track toy either. The only other carbon monocoque car I’ve driven is the 4C, so maybe that’s why I instinctively relate the two. It’s made from the same fibre and spirit, it comes from the same school of thought, and that’s neither overselling the 4C nor underselling the 33. To me it just feels like the pinnacle of the genre of car the 4C showed can exist, with every piece and bit of the experience totally enhanced. It’s bigger, sharper, louder, quicker. But that same raw, elemental feeling of connection to the tarmac is there, as you’re always aware of the environment around you.
The electrochromic canopy is a cool party trick and thanks to the glasshouse taking a good part of the roof the entire cockpit feels open and immersive, letting in a bit of the space around you, almost like in a Spider. You also hear everything around you, even small stones hitting the underbody, while every little tap of the throttle is flooding the cabin racing your spine like thunder would grasp to a lightning rod with the most satisfying sound - the Biscione roar.
The cabin finish is a world apart from anything else, unexpectedly luxurious and a tactile delight with its minimalism. It has that typical stripped-down elegance - a very Italian kind of luxury. No clutter, just the most important commands - a few essential switches on the aluminium machined center console starting between the seats and their mirrored counterparts on the same triangular shaped panel on the roof. Raw, elementary materials and interactions that are so gratifying.
There are two driving modes to choose from, each with a corresponding interface on the digital instrument panel. In Strada, the car is civilized but ready to fight - linear power delivery, supple suspension, and exhaust valves that open only above 5000 rpm. Switch to Pista and be prepared for huge outbursts of adrenaline. Every control sharpens, pedals are even more sensitive and responsive, the suspension stiffens, and the exhaust valves stay open - always. A special delight is the “Partenza Veloce” feature activated via the Quadrifoglio-shaped button at the edge of the central console, optimizing the gearbox and the traction control for a launch with maximum grip and zero wheelspin.
The only thing I didn’t test? The top speed of this fastest road-going Alfa Romeo ever produced: 333 km/h. Out of deep reverence, there’s no qualms in admitting that. Balocco is tempting, but some lines shouldn’t be crossed. And that shot we were chasing - the one of the 33 Stradale tearing down the straight as the sun crests the horizon? We got it. Maybe even well enough to enter in an automotive short film competition. But even if no one ever sees that frame, I will never forget the moment. It was real. It happened. And if there’s such a thing as synchronicity, that morning at Balocco was it.
Video by Eduard Todiras.
Photo gallery by Luca Danilo Orsi.
