Many of the foremost fighter aircraft of WW2 have their genesis in the Schneider Trophy racing aircraft of the interwar years. This may end up being the same thing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schneider_Trophy
Interesting that the winning plane in 1913, the first year of the race, was a monoplane. Then it was biplanes for the next ten years, then monoplanes after that. Also shows that the Italians had a knack for making not not just beautiful cars but also beautiful planes.
