Mille Miglia Fuels Italian Automotive Passion

The Mille Miglia has just finished its recent run in Italy, from May 18-21, and the route this year was Brescia-Padova-Roma-Parma-Brescia. And again it was described by its participants as more than just a race or rally, but rather as a religious experience. The route through Italy covers the 1000 miles, as described, but it covers more than just the scenic routes from town to town. It takes the participants through the towns large and small, and in these towns the locals stop and watch and cheer as the hundreds of cars take a full day to pass through. Many businesses are closed and children are let off from school so they can line the route and applaud the vintage cars and drivers.

This has been taking place since 1927 (except for the war years) and it was an institution in Italy and indeed the world. It was known universally as the greatest race of them all. It was a serious race until 1957 when an unfortunate accident involving spectators canceled the race. It was revived several years later as an historic revival and has become a fantastic success and its own right as the Mille Miglia Storico.

There were just 16 for Ferraris entered this year, down from the normal multitudes in the past but that is because the organizers are seeking to include all the cars that took place in the original Mille Miglias, both prewar and postwar. Thus they’re giving visibility to some of the smaller marques that never commanded the attention of the big guns but which did take part in this long and grueling event. But the 16 Ferraris were a great group and included some early sports racers, as expected, but also a nice sprinkling of GT cars, including the very worthy Boano. (The actual cars did not have to be in the actual old races but they have to be of the same model type of cars that did run in the original Mille Miglias.)

Here is a small sampling of some of the Ferraris and the roads they traveled on. A complete report along with serial numbers and drivers will be in the August 1 issue of Cavallino magazine. Also, we will have a report from a couple that took part in this year’s event, in one of the Boanos. It will be a great read of their trials and tribulations but also the joys of driving and finishing the Mille Miglia this year.

Subscribe and join us to see the full reports in the August 1 issue.

Images from your reporter in the field Vincent Yernaux.