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| Mille Miglia Storica | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mille Miglia Storica |
| Caption | Classic cars at Brescia |
| Country | Italy |
| Inaugural | 1977 |
| Organizers | Automobile Club Brescia |
| Distance | approx 1000 miles |
| Frequency | Biennial |
Mille Miglia Storica The Mille Miglia Storica is a historic road rally for classic and vintage automobiles that retraces the spirit of the original 1927–1957 Mille Miglia race, organized by Automobile Club Brescia, with support from Brescia institutions and international automotive clubs. The event attracts collectors, manufacturers, and celebrities, linking automotive heritage sites such as Brescia, Monza, Mantua, and Rome, and involving partners including Fiat, Ferrari, and Abarth.
The revival was launched by Automobile Club Brescia in 1977 to commemorate the original Mille Miglia events that featured drivers like Tazio Nuvolari, Stirling Moss, and Rudolf Caracciola, and manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Mercedes-Benz. The modern event follows a 20th-century Automotive history tradition, celebrating vehicles from prewar eras to the 1950s and 1960s, while honoring organizers like Franco Mazzotti and institutions including FIA and ACI; it has been shaped by interactions with motor shows like Salone Internazionale del Mobile and international clubs such as Rallye Club de France. Over decades it has intersected with personalities from Enzo Ferrari to Gianni Agnelli and media outlets like La Gazzetta dello Sport and Autocar.
Entrants must present provenance linking vehicles to races or road use from the period, with documented histories frequently verified with archives from Museo Mille Miglia, National Motor Museum (Beaulieu), and marque registries such as Alfa Romeo Owners Club, Ferrari Classiche, and Maserati Club. Eligibility is overseen by technical commissioners and historian panels drawing on records from FIA and FIVA, and often involves collaboration with restoration workshops like Officine Alfieri Maserati and heritage departments of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Stellantis. Drivers and co-drivers require licences from national bodies such as Automobile Club d'Italia and international endorsements from Royal Automobile Club, German Automobile Club (ADAC), and Federation Internationale de l'Automobile affiliates.
The route follows a loop beginning and ending in Brescia and traditionally passes through cities and circuits including Bologna, Florence, Modena, Ferrara, Ravenna, San Marino, Rome, Rimini, and Parma, with timed tests held on closed sections at historic circuits like Autodromo Nazionale Monza and Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. The format combines regularity rally stages with transits on public roads under police escorts from Polizia Stradale and local prefectures, involving logistical coordination with regional administrations in Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Tuscany as well as cultural sites such as Palazzo Ducale (Mantua) and Piazza del Campidoglio. The event schedule includes ceremonial starts, scrutineering at venues like Piazza della Loggia, and overnight stops in partner hotels and museums including Palazzo Te and Museo Ferrari.
Cars are grouped by construction year and original race category, drawing on historic classifications used in Coppa Florio, Targa Florio, and prewar endurance events, with classes covering pre-1920, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s machinery from constructors like Bugatti, Bentley, Jaguar, Porsche, Lancia, Austin-Healey, and Rolls-Royce. Scoring uses regularity timing rather than outright speed, employing timecards and electronic timekeeping systems similar to those used in World Rally Championship historic tests, with penalties for deviations, transits, and missed controls administered by marshals from Automobile Club d'Italia and international stewards drawn from FIA lists. Special awards echo historic trophies such as Coppa d'Oro and manufacturer-specific recognitions from Pirelli and Bosch.
Safety standards are enforced according to protocols developed with FIA, ACI Sport, and regional authorities, requiring fire suppression systems, fuel containment, and period-appropriate but approved seatbelts, with inspections by technical delegates from FIVA and homologation checks referencing ISO safety norms and historic vehicle guidelines influenced by Lotus Engineering and Pininfarina. Coordination with emergency services includes 118 (Italy) medical response units, municipal police forces, and highway agencies like ANAS. Compliance extends to noise limits and environmental considerations aligned with policies from European Commission transport directives and Italian ministry regulations from Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti.
Notable drivers and personalities have included Clemente Biondetti-era veterans' descendants, celebrity entrants from Stirling Moss fans to modern figures such as Ettore Bugatti family members and collectors associated with John Surtees memorabilia; manufacturers often enter cars curated by Museo Ferrari, Museo Alfa Romeo, and private collections like the Pagani Collection and Zagato Archive. Iconic cars showcased include the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900, Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, Ferrari 166 MM, Jaguar C-Type, Aston Martin DB4 GT, Lancia Aurelia, Bugatti Type 35, Bentley 4½ Litre, Porsche 356, and Maserati A6GCS, many presented with restoration provenance from workshops like Mullin Automotive Museum restorers, RM Sotheby's consignees, and historic racing teams such as Scuderia Ferrari and Ecurie Ecosse.
The event has influenced automotive conservation and popular culture through exhibitions at institutions including Victoria and Albert Museum, Smithsonian Institution, and Museo Nazionale della Scienza e della Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci, and has been covered by international media outlets such as BBC Sport, The New York Times, Le Monde, Der Spiegel, Autocar, Motor Trend, and Top Gear. It has inspired documentaries and films produced by companies like RAI, Netflix, and National Geographic and has boosted tourism in cities like Brescia and Mantua while fostering partnerships with brands such as Rolex, Shell, Magneti Marelli, and Pirelli. The Mille Miglia Storica also intersects with cultural festivals and automotive auctions hosted by Bonhams, Gooding & Company, and RM Sotheby's, shaping the collector market and preserving motoring heritage recognized by UNESCO-style cultural valorization efforts.
Category:Historic motorsport events Category:Automotive heritage in Italy