Discover our family’s passion for motorsports since 1925
We would like to dedicate this article to our maternal grandfather, Luis G. Vallet Arnau, who had a great passion for cars and racing. Also, to his grandson, José María Malagarriga Vallet, the current general manager of Hotel Continental and Hotel Continental Palacete, who has inherited this love for motorsports and has participated in various rallies, thanks to the sponsorship of Hotel Continental.
A historic milestone
Luis Vallet’s race at the Terramar Autodrome in 1925
Thanks to the care of our family, we can still read today the legendary 1925 issue of Stadium magazine, which highlights the automotive events that took place at the Terramar Autodrome, located in Sitges.
During this event, competitions with Bugatti cars were held, in which our maternal grandfather, Luis G. Vallet Arnau, took part. Luis Vallet participated in the qualifying races for 1,500 cc cars and also in those for 2,000 cc. In one of the 1,500 cc races, he faced off against Cera, who took the lead after the start, completing the 20 kilometers in 15 minutes and 11 seconds at a speed of 78 km/h.
Later, Luis Vallet participated in the 2,000 cc races, where he competed against Fernando de Vizcaya in an exciting race with challenging turns, reaching speeds of up to 145 km/h. It was in this thrilling race that he lost one of the wheels of his Bugatti—and the most remarkable thing is that we still have the photographic sequence of this moment!
We are excited to share this part of our family’s past with you, celebrating the skill our grandfather had as a driver and his involvement in the early days of major automotive events, being part of the elite of Catalan motorsports.
The passion lives on with his grandson José María
And the passion lives on! José María, the current general manager of Hotel Continental and Hotel Continental Palacete, has inherited his grandfather’s driving skills and talent.
From a very young age, José María has participated in numerous rallies, including the famous “Costa Brava” and the ice rally in Andorra, among many others, allowing him to enjoy one of his greatest passions: driving.
Hotel Continental has been a loyal sponsor, making it possible for him to maintain and participate in these races, which have brought us so much joy and satisfaction.
If you want to know more, feel free to write to us and comment on this post—we’ll be happy to respond!
