Mille Miglia 2008: the most beautiful dreams never end

«Yesterday evening, I felt a strong emotion when I saw car collectors from all over the world, leaving Brescia for an adventure of passion and love for the world of motors” these are the words of Alessandro Casali, President of the Mille Miglia Organising Committee, this morning, as the cars were leaving Ferrara.

The most beautiful race of the world finally left. Yesterday, in a happy Brescia, 371 crews got the permission from the race head office to participate to the 81st Mille Miglia, which is, like every year, under the aegis of the ACI Brescia. After the sports and technical controls, seven crews do not appear on the starting list: number 47 (Cané-Galliani, on Aston Martin Le Mans), number 52 (Marx-Donà, on Alfa Romeo 6 C 1750 G.Sport), number 84 (Bertoli-Bonomi, BMW 328), number 115 (Ishiyama/Ishiyama, on Cisitalia 204), number 186 (Piech-D/D, on Volkswagen 1/11), number 224 (Della Valle-XX, on Austin Healy 100/4), number 365 (Giletti-Vissani, Alfa Romeo 1900 C SS Toring Coupé). Following crews withdrew despite having passed all the controls: crew number 14 (Piantelli-Piantelli on Bugatti Tpwe 37 A), number 118 (Schoendorf-Spadaro, on Lancia Aprilia Corsa), number 196 (Rapisarda/Colombo on Mercedes Benz 220), number 234 (Alesi/Alesi, on Mercedes Benz 300 SLW198-I). Replacing them, the following crews from the waiting list have been accepted: number 378 (Rigotti/Altavilla, on Lancia Aurelia B20 GT), number 379 (Ricci/Bruni on Fiat 110 ES), number 380 (Giacomello/Spada on Jaguar XK 120), number 382 (Gansser/Fueglistaler, on Porsche 356 Coupè 1500), number 385 (Nalli/Nalli, su Lotus Eleven), number 386 (Barbiero/Barbiero on Triumph TR2), number 387 (Castelli/Valli on Porsche 356) and number 388 (Nicola/Morteo, on Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint). Let’s notice that a 1950 Ferrari 340 America will be driven by Cané and Primmer.

Now, the cars are on their way to Rome that they will reach this evening around 7 PM and, after many years, the Mille Miglia race will stop in the centre of the eternal city confirming the strong relationship between the race and the public and also in order to link the two cities of Brescia and Rome, together symbols of this big event. This is a photography of Italy the race is offering us, by connecting an economical Italian city with a cultural and historical one in one unique big Country, a country which “way of life” is admired worldwide.

“This morning hundreds of children greeted the Mille Miglia during the technical tests on Piazza Ariostea in Ferrara and it was a great emotion to see that this race is successful even among young people” these are the words of Sandro Binelli the General Secretary of the Mille Miglia Organising Committee.

For now, Rome is getting ready for the arrival of the participants with an “equipped village” beside the “Castel Sant’Angelo”, where performances, music, shows and food and wine tastings have been organised since yesterday evening.