The Mille Miglia in Monte Carlo

On Friday, February 11, with the splendid Principality of Monaco as its setting, the Mille Miglia presented the extraordinary new features of the coming race. As per tradition the first stop on the International Roadshow opens the road for the revival of “the world’s greatest road race”, which will bring to five continents the fascination and charm of this race.

Having touched down in recent years in New York and Shanghai, the Mille Miglia’s Red Arrow has chosen Monaco for the start of the International Roadshow 2011.

“Our Roadshows have always had great success throughout the world, and so Monaco was not just a casual choice for us. It is a tiny state with a grand history of great collectors and splendid cars. It has always been the Capital of Engines,” declared Alessandro Casali, President of the Organizing Committee of the Mille Miglia. “As I travel the world, meeting many captains of industry, ruling sovereigns, government heads from all places, I have found that the Mille Miglia brings with it two defining qualities, elegance and dreams,” concludes Alessandro Casali.

The multi-media presentation of the upcoming race, the Mille Miglia 2011, took place in the Belle Epoque Salon, of the Hotel Hermitage, in the heart of Monte Carlo. Present were government representatives, journalists, and collectors. Among the very prestigious guests were the Prime Minister of Monaco, Michel Roger; the Minister of the Economy, Marco Piccinini; and the Minister of the Interior, Poul Mattera; the Italian Ambassador to Monte Carlo, Antonio Morabito; and Charles de Bourbon.

At the heart of the event was the exclusive presentation of the first “Mille Miglia Auction”, organized by the German auction house, Lankes Auktionshaus e. K.

Another exciting new feature in 2011 will be the Tribute in the United States, which will bring cars from Mille Miglia to America’s west coast.

“Year after year, the requests to participate in the race keep growing,” said Sandro Binelli, the Secretary General of the Organizing Committee of the Mille Miglia. “The race in 2011 will have more than 30 different countries represented, including Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Japan, Hong Kong, Lebanon, and South Africa. Collectors from all over the world want to bring cars that have made history in the race. In fact, an amazing 60 cars have been accepted that have physically raced in the speed Mille Miglia of the past. These elements help make the historic revival a unique event of enormous fascination, so much so, that there will even be a Tribute across the Atlantic, in the United States, this year.”

Doing the honors of the house in Monte Carlo, were also Antonio Morabito, Italian Ambassador to Monaco, and Paolo Rubini, the Director General of Enit.

In the words of the Italian Ambassador, speaking about the Mille Miglia in Monte Carlo, “I would like to express my thanks for having chosen Monaco, a place where cars and the love of cars are a true passion. I am certain that this event will make history.” Paolo Rubini , Director General of Enit agrees, expressing his thoughts on the significance of this event, “The Mille Miglia is for the opinion leaders of the sector, a symbol of excellence and of style. It opens the road, it is the ambassador for top level presentations of our country to the world.”

Back in this year’s Mille Miglia, after its overwhelming success last year, is the spectacular Ferrari Tribute to the Mille Miglia, featuring 130 splendid Ferraris, built from 1958 to the present, leading the cars at the start of the race.

The Mille Miglia starts from Brescia on May 12. It returns on May 14, after its intermediate stop in Rome. The race in 2011 will pass through historic route names like Bologna, San Marino, and Modena, with stops for lunch in Sansepolcro and Buonconvent, and a passage in the Autodromo di Vallelunga.

After Monte Carlo, the International Roadshow 2011 will touch down in Los Angeles, as the guest of the historic 20th Century Fox studios. The first stop on the International Roadshow 2011 took place with the prestigious support of ENIT, the collaboration of the Italian Embassy in Monaco, the support of Mercedes Benz, Chopard, Stefano Ricci and Sixt, and with the participation of the City of Brescia, Province of Brescia, Region of Lombardy, the Brescia Chamber of Commerce, and Bresciatourism.