CITA
1947
To Franco Mazzotti was entrusted the rebirth of the Red Arrow. The three surviving friends, together with Mazzotti's brother in law, Binda, found themselves faced with a disastrous situation - destroyed factories were under reconstruction - roads and bridges to be completely reconstructed; Italy, still occupied, slowly began to come back to life, but appetite for car racing had increased, and the atmosphere was in ferment. The biggest problem was that of suggesting to the new Republic a show which had often been exploited by the nationalistic propaganda of Mussolini. But, as Canestrini wrote, authentic sporting values are not poisoned by politics and republican Italy accepted the challenge to bring back into being the great race with the same old efficiency, even with the scarce means available.
Castagneto succeeded in obtaining from the state a concession for sufficient petrol and a supply of tyres for every competitor, both things in those years rare and rationed. It happened, however, that at the start there were lined up about twenty participants fewer in respect of the entries: they didn't give back the tyres or the fuel. At the check-in at Piazza Vittoria nearly all cars presented were pre-war, with only two exceptions, the Fiat 1100MM (one brought to the race by Aymo Maggi and Antonio Brivio, who had become President of CSAI) and the very new Cisitalia, recently created by Piero Dusio, some berlins and other Spiders.
Compressors not being allowed, the most powerful car was an Alfa Romeo (in spite of all the official renounce by the makers), a 2900 B 8C of '38, which the then owner, the Brescian Emilio Romano, had fitted as a Touring berlin, after removing the two compressors.
In the Piazza, the day before the race, Romano, still without a co-driver, met a despondent Biondetti, without a car to race. Romano didn't miss the occasion and the two triumphed twenty years after Minoja-Morandi. In contrast there was the lonely old Nuvolari with an open Cisitalia 110 (still today celebrated as the "Spider Nuvolari"). The Mantovano, already ill, was delayed by the rain which fell uninterruptedly, giving all the advantage to the closed vehicles, forcing some to stop to dry out the electrical system.
14th MILLE MIGLIA - 21st/22nd JUNE 1947
STARTED: 155 - FINISHED: 54
Position in General Classification Vehicle
1° ROMANO-BIONDETTI
vinc. classe fino a 3000 cmc.
categoria Sport ALFA ROMEO 8C
2900 B berlinetta TOURING
2° NUVOLARI-CARENA
vinc. classe fino a 1100 cmc.
categoria Sport CISITALIA 202 S M.M. Spider
3° BERNABEI-PACINI CISITALIA 202 M.M. berlinetta "Cassone"
4° MINETTI-FACETTI CISITALIA 202 S M.M.
5° CAPELLI-GERLI FIAT 1100 S berlinetta
6° DELLA CHIESA-BRANDOLI FIAT 1100 S berlinetta
7° ERMINI-QUENTIN FIAT 1100 S berlinetta
8° COMIRATO-COMIRATO FIAT- COMIRATO 1100
9° BALESTRERO-BRACCO FIAT 1100 S berlinetta
10° SALICE-CORNAGGIA MEDICI ALFA ROMEO 6C 2500 SS
1948
After this great disappointment terrible days arrived for Nuvolari, who lost two children and worn and ill, retired to a convent in Gardone Riviera on the Lake of Garda to try to improve the bad state of his lungs. Here, a few days before the Mille Miglia, Enzo Ferrari ferreted him out, looking for drivers for his new automobile, one of which he had presented, withdrawing it, at the race of the year before. This man, already fifty-two, at the point of death, accepted the proposal and, asking for an open car, presented himself in the then very new, today mythical, wooden starting ramp in the Viale Venezia. Nivola, with a flask of Grappa at his neck, without ever having tried the Maranello vehicle, set off supported only by his class and his courage, keeping all Italy immobilized before their radios following his solitary progress. In spite of some incidents which damaged the vehicle, although he had to stick his head out to inhale a larger quantity of air, in Rome he led at a substantial distance ahead of Biondetti, also engaged by Ferrari. After another bump he was obliged to abandon the left mudguard and the bonnet; then, motor uncovered, at Bologna he remained always the first, but Ferrari, seeing the precarious situation of the vehicle and of his physically, begged him to stop.
Nuvolari, incorrigible, started off again, and Italy held its breath; few kilometres after Reggio Emilia, a spring pin gave way with a crash: his race finished, and Biondetti went on to win. It was not his physical condition, but his mechanical means which betrayed "el Nivola".
15th MILLE MIGLIA - 1st MAY 1948
STARTED: 167 - FINISHED: 64
Position in General Classification Vehicle
1° BIONDETTI-NAVONE
vinc. classe fino a 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport FERRARI 166 S coupe ALLEMANO
2° COMIRATO-DUMAS
vinc. classe fino a 1100 cmc.
categoria Sport FIAT-COMIRATO 1100 Sport
3° APRUZZI-APRUZZI FIAT 1100 S berlinetta
4° TERIGI-BERTI FIAT STANGUELLINI spider ALA D'ORO
5° G. SCAGLIARINI-MAFFIODO CISITALIA 202 SC
6° BIANCHETTI-CORNAGGIA MEDICI ALFA ROMEO 6C 2500 SS spider
7° C. SCAGLIARINI-MASI FIAT STANGUELLINI 1100
8° CHRISTILLIN-NASI FIAT 1100 S berlinetta
9° D. HEALEY-G. HEALEY HEALEY 2400 WESTLAND
10° COLNAGHI-POZZONI FIAT 1100 S berlinetta
1949
Although without the flying Mantovano, the story repeated itself to the advantage of Clemente Biondetti, who, in his 2 litre Ferrari 166 Touring, profited by a transmission break in Piero Tartuffi's identical vehicle, for a long time in the lead to enter into legend, winning his fourth Mille Miglia (consecutive if the anomalous race of 1940 is excluded). This Mille Miglia, the sixteenth, closes the transition period dedicated to construction, followed by the romantic period of the race.
16th MILLE MIGLIA - 24th APRIL 1949
STARTED: 303 - FINISHED: 182
Position in General Classification Vehicle
1° BIONDETTI-SALANI
vinc. classe fino a 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport FERRARI 166 MM barchetta TOURING
2° BONETTO-CARPANI FERRARI 166 MM barchetta TOURING
3° ROL-RICHIERO
vinc. classe oltre 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport ALFA ROMEO 6C 2500 Competizione berlinetta
4° AURICCHIO-BOZZINI
vinc. classe fino a 1100 cmc.
categoria Sport FIAT 1100 S berlinetta
5° G. SCAGLIARINI-MAGGI CISITALIA-ABARTH 204
6° BASSI-BRAMBILLA FIAT 1100 S berlinetta
7° APRILE-BOSSETTI MASERATI A64CS 2000 spider
8° ADANTI-MALLUCCI STANGUELLINI 1100 berlinetta BERTONE
9° CAPELLI-VERONELLI FIAT 1100 S berlinetta
10° G. HEALEY-WISDOM
vincitori classe oltre 1100 cmc. HEALEY 2400 WESTLAND
1950
The new decade opened the modern era of the Mille Miglia which returned to being international, became famous all over the world. These are the years in which the Brescian competition pressed to improve the roads, constructing others. These are the years of popular enthusiasm. Castagneto moved the table of results of the competition from Corso Zanardelli to Piazza Vittoria, doubling the size so that the Brescians could read minute by minute the performance of the drivers. For the rest of the Italians there were the radio and the special races of the Gazzetta dello Sport (which wanted Castagneto to organize the cyclists' Giro d'Italia) and the principal dailies. Foreigners reappeared in large numbers in Brescia, above all the English who are the most zealous about the race. They are always entertained by Aymo and Camilla Maggi in their magnificent villa of Calino. For this seventeenth Mille Miglia Enzo Ferrari lent two "barchettas" of 3300 cc, 214 cv, to Ascari and Villoresi, whilst Alfa Romeo deployed, besides Bonetto and Rol, the Argentinian Juan Manuel Fangio with an experimental 2500. The "enemy" is represented by the official Jaguar team (which has engaged Biondetti), Healey and Frazer Nash. It is easy to imagine the vexation to which the 22 year old Giannino is subjected - offspring of the Marzotto textile industry of Vicenza, when he presents himself at the start with his Ferrari 195 S, 2340 cc, developing "only" 155 cv, wearing an elegant double breasted jacket(with a tie which was blue like the coachwork of the Touring berlin), instead of the overalls, standard wear for the multitude of champions present. He wore the same double breasted jacket after thirteen hours when he presented himself in Viale Venezia, completely unexpected and loudly cheered as the victor. Marzotto, a sporting customer and not an official driver for Ferrari, remains the youngest winner of the Mille Miglia.
17th MILLE MIGLIA - 22nd/23rd APRIL 1950
STARTED: 375 - FINISHED: 213
Position in General Classification Vehicle
1° G. MARZOTTO-CROSARA
vincitori classe oltre 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport Internazionale FERRARI 195 S berlinetta TOURING
2° D. SERAFINI-SALANI FERRARI 195 S berlinetta TOURING
3° FANGIO-ZANARDI ALFA ROMEO 6C 2500 Competizione berlinetta
4° BRACCO-MAGLIOLI
vinc. classe fino a 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport Internazionale FERRARI 166 M.M. Barchetta Touring
5° JOHNSON-LEA JAGUAR XK 120 ROADSTAR
6° CORTESE-TERAVAZZI FRAZER NASH LE MANS REPLICA
7° FAGIOLI-DIOTALLEVI
vinc. classe fino a 1100 cmc.
categoria Sport Internazionale OSCA MT4 1100
8° BIONDETTI-BRONZONI JAGUAR XK 120 ROADSTAR
9° V. MARZOTTO-FONTANA FERRARI 195 S barchetta FONTANA
10° SCHWELM-COLONNA
vincitori categoria GT Internazionale ALFA ROMEO 6C 2500 SS coupe TOURING
1951
The first signs of recovered economic prosperity created the automobile phenomena and hundreds of enthusiasts tried their luck, on board little low power mass produced cars: the teams at the start abundantly exceeded three hundred units. About a hundred drove Topolinos, the Fiat utility. To render the position in the race of the participants clearer to the spectators, the starting numbers were assigned on the basis of time. At 4 o'clock and 5 minutes, with the number 405, Gigi Villoresi left: during the race he will leave the road, smash the clutch but on his return, although with the front patched up and only the fourth gear available, his Ferrari berlin, 4100 cc 12 cylinders, Vignale coachwork, will find itself ahead of all the rest. The revelation of the year is however a very new car, the Lancia Aurelia B20, with which Bracco succeeded in having a much more powerful vehicle, gaining an extraordinary second place Fagioli was also fantastic, eighth with an Osca 1100.
18th MILLE MIGLIA -27th/28th APRIL 1951
STARTED: 325 - FINISHED: 175
Position in General Classification Vehicle
1° VILLORESI-CASSANI
vincitori classe oltre 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport FERRARI 340
America berlinetta VIGNALE
2° BRACCO-MAGLIOLI
vinc. classe fino a 2000 cmc.
categoria vetture veloci LANCIA AURELIA B20 coupe
3° SCOTTI-RUSPAGGIARI FERRARI 212 EXPORT spider MOTTO
4° P. MARZOTTO-MARINI
vinc. classe fino a 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport FERRARI 166 M.M. barchetta TOURING
5° "IPPOCAMPO"-MORI LANCIA AURELIA B20 coupe
6° BONETTO-CASNAGHI ALFA ROMEO 412 spider VIGNALE
7° VALENZANO-MAGGIO LANCIA AURELIA B20 coupe
8° FAGIOLI-BORGHI
vinc. classe fino a 1100 cmc.
categoria Sport OSCA MT4 1100
9° CORTESE-TAGNI FRAZER NASH LE MANS REPLICA
10° BORDONI-SERBELLONI OSCA MT4 1100
1952
The fame of the Mille Miglia (become thanks to an American newspaperman universally and simply - MM) reached its consummation: the nineteenth race came to be called by the newspapers "the race of the century". Besides the traditional rivals, Alfa, Lancia, and Ferrari, with the English were represented with the Germans with the splendid prototype 300 Sl, anticipations of the "seagull's wing". Bracco, thanks to the magnificent display of the previous year, had at his disposal a more competitive car, obviously from Maranello - a three litre 250 S Vignale saloon.
The vehicle is intended for Villoresi, but the outgoing winner must give a forfeit for an accident. Bracco, however, was not considered a member of the Ferrari team and therefore didn't have the assistance of Ferrari. His poor financial position didn't even allow him refurbishment and spare tyres. While the forecasts are predicting Taruffi with the Ferrari or the old Caracciolo with the Mercedes will win, to the surprise of all are the behaviour of Kling with the 30081 and indeed Bracco. Bracco was preceded by the German at Siena, flew through the fog which wrapped around the passes of Futa and Ratiscosa. He fell on Bologna like a madman. Ahead by one minute, he had managed to recuperate eight over the German driver, risking everything through the Apennines.
Only at this point, his other drivers retired, did Enzo Ferrari order help for Bracco and, above all, tyres. The hardy driver from Biella was thus able to hold onto his advantage until reaching Brescia.
19th MILLE MIGLIA - APRIL 1951
STARTED: 501 - FINISHED: 275
Position in General Classification Vehicle
1° BRACCO-ROLFO
vinc. classe fino a 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport Internazionale FERRARI 250 S berlinetta VIGNALE
2° KLING-KLENK MERCEDES 300 SL Prototipo
3° FAGIOLI-BORGHI
vinc. classe fino a 2000 cmc.
Gruppo Gran Turismo Intern. LANCIA AURELIA B20 coupe
4° CARACCIOLA-KURRLE MERCEDES 300 SL Prototipo
5° ANSELMI-SEMINO LANCIA AURELIA B20 coupe
6° "IPPOCAMPO"-MORI LANCIA AURELIA B20 coupe
7° JOHNSON-MACKENZIE NASH-HEALEY
8° AMENDOLA-PINZERO LANCIA AURELIA B20 coupe
9° BRIVIO-CASSANI
vinc. classe fino a 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport Internazionale FERRARI 166 M.M. berlinetta VIGNALE
10° BORDONI-GERONIMO FERRARI 166 M.M. berlinetta VIGNALE
1953
The double m (MM) race carried Brescia forward to become, as in the dreams of the "Four Musketeers" a world capital of sporting automobilism; there was instituted the "World Championship for Sports Cars" and the races valid for earning this title, some on roads, others on racing circuits, are the "Carrera Pan-American", the "Le Mans 24 Hours", the "Spa 24 Hours", the "Tourist Trophy", the "1000 Km of Nurburgring" and naturally the "Franco Mazzotti Mille Miglia Cup". The line-up formation is imposing from all points of view.
For all the victories there are lined up names like Ferrari with Bracco, Villoresi, the Marzotto brothers, Hawthorn and Castellotti, Alfa Romeo with drivers of the calibre of Fangio, Kling and Sanesi. Lancia, finally with a prize vehicle, the D23, had Taruffi, Biondetti, Bonetto, and Maglioli. From the other side of the Channel came the splendid Db2 and Db3 of Aston Martin, driven by the experts Collins and Abecassis. From Coventry, with aces like Moss, Johnson and Rolt, is sent the very fast Jaguar C type (evolved from the Xk) which however proved unsuitable for the course.
Much cited are also the French Gordini and Maserati. Giannino Marzotto, accused three years before of an accidental victory, came with an official Ferrari 340, 4100 cc, anxious to demonstrate its qualities. Wearing elegant trousers and a comfortable cashmere jumper with V-neck so as not to dispense with a tie, he succeeded in joining and cutting off Fangio - in command for most of the race.
He reached Brescia in ten and a half hours, beating (at 142 km/h) the average set up by Biondetti in ’38. Lost in the crowd, Ingrid Bergman, wife of the director Rossellini, was waiting in Viale Venezia. Rossellini was at the race for a short while to shoot some film material.
20th MILLE MIGLIA -25th/26th APRIL 1953
STARTED: 481 - FINISHED: 286
Position in General Classification Vehicle
1° G. MARZOTTO-CROSARA
vincitori classe oltre 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport Internazionale FERRARI 340 M.M. Spider Vignale
2° FANGIO-SALA ALFA ROMEO 6C 3000 CM berlinetta COLLI
3° BONETTO-PERUZZI LANCIA D20 berlinetta PININ FARINA
4° COLE-VANDELLI FERRARI 340 MM spider VIGNALE
5° PARNELL-KLEMENTASKY ASTON MARTIN DB3 spider
6° GILETTI-BERTOCCHI
vinc. classe fino a 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport Internazionale MASERATI A6GCS/53 spider FANTUZZI
7° MAGGIO-ANSELMI LANCIA AURELIA B20 2500
8° BIONDETTI-BAROVERO LANCIA D20 berlinetta PININ FARINA
9° CABIANCA-ROGHI FERRARI 250 M.M. spider VIGNALE
10° MANTOVANI-PALAZZI MASERATI A6GCS/5
1954
Some months after the brilliant victory of Marzotto, Italian automobilism and Mille Miglia circles in particular, were struck by the death of Tazio Nuvolari. In remembrance, his Brescian friends decided to modify the route, passing through his home town Mantua and instituting a Nuvolari prize. The MM had undergone, over the years, a progressive technical evolution: from twenty hours of driving over a bad route, dusty and tortuous, of the earlier races, the time had been practically halved not only due to the power of the motors but by roads in perfect condition including tracts of motorway. The regulations, therefore, underwent changes which caused a fuss: for every vehicle the obligation of the presence on board of a second person- co-driver, mechanic or navigator - was abolished. The candidates for victory that year profited from this innovation - Ferrari (with Farina, Maglioli, Giannino and Paolo Marzotto) and Lancia (with Ascari, Taruffi, Castellotti and Valenzano). Lancia presented an exceptional vehicle, the D24, 3300 cc, six cylinders, certainly less powerful than the Ferrari rival (supplied with twelve cylinders of nearly five litres), but certainly more agile and with a better hold on the road.
All the powerful versions of the two makes, for various reasons, didn't return to Brescia with the exception of Alberto Ascari who, deservedly, finished the race victorious, inflicting thirty-four minutes of advantage on his followers. An exciting battle broke out in the 2000 cc Sport Class for the post of honour; where prevailed, in a run of more than 1600 Km, the Ferrari of Vittorio Marzotto over the Maserati of Luigi Musso - by only nine seconds.
21st MILLE MIGLIA - 30th APRIL/1st MAY 1954
STARTED: 374 - FINISHED: 275
Position in General Classification Vehicle
1° ASCARI
vincitori classe oltre 3000 cmc. LANCIA D24 spider PININ FARINA
2° V. MARZOTTO
vinc. classe fino a 2000 cmc. FERRARI 500 MONDIAL spider SCAGLIETTI
3° MUSSO-ZOCCA MASERATI A6GCS/53
4° BIONDETTI FERRARI 250 MM spider MOTTO
5° VENEZIAN-ORLANDI MASERATI A6GCS/53
6° HERMANN-LINGE
vinc. classe fino a 1500 cmc. PORSCHE 550 Spider
7° G. SERAFINI-MANCINI
vinc. classe fino a 1500 cmc.
Gruppo Gran Turismo LANCIA AURELIA B20 2500
8° CARINI-ARTESANI
vincitori classe oltre 1300 cmc.
Gruppo Turismo di serie spec. ALFA ROMEO 1900 TI
9° D e C. LETO DI PRIOLO FIAT 8V berlinetta ZAGATO
10° CABIANCA OSCA MT4 1500
1955
Public's interest for the race, although it seems impossible, was even more intensified by the arrival of television which, finally, gave a reality to the personalities and events along the country, which had often relied on imagination and exaggeration.
For the Mille Miglia and its city, it's an apotheosis. Coming from all over the world, five hundred and twenty-one competitors mount the "Rebuffone" ramp: starting take nine and a half hours.
The duel of the year is Ferrari-Mercedes. As already occurred in 1931, they prepared for the race at Stuttgart with a strictly Teutonic meticulousness. At the command of the charismatic manager, Alfred Neubauer, four crack drivers of the company repeated fifteen times the entire Mille Miglia run in some training 300 Sls. Denis Jenkins, Stirling Moss's navigator and British like him, devised a mode of preparation which resulted in the first example of "radar" in the story of automobilism. On rolls of paper, more than three metres long, he scrupulously noted every detail of the route. During the race he unrolled one after another "relating the notes" to the driver, as done in modern "rallies". This stratagem and the great talent of Stirling Moss allowed the two, not only to triumph, but also to establish the definitive record for the race with the fantastic average of 157.65 Km/h. The success of Mercedes, advantaged also by the withdrawal of Taruffi, who for the nth time found himself driving, was completed by the second placing of Fangio and by the first two places of the tourism class (fifth and seventh absolute) obtained by Fitch and Gendebien in two "gullwings".
22nd MILLE MIGLIA - 30th APRIL/1st MAY 1955
STARTED: 521 - FINISHED: 281
Position in General Classification Vehicle
1° MOSS-JENKINSON
vincitori classe oltre 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport MERCEDES 300 SLR
2° FANGIO MERCEDES 300 SLR
3° MAGLIOLI-MONTEFERRARIO FERRARI 118 LM spider SCAGLIETTI
4° GIARDINI
vinc. classe fino a 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport MASERATI A6GCS
5° FITCH-KURT
vinc. classe oltre 2000 cmc.
Gr. vetture Granturismo spec. MERCEDES 300 SL
6° SIGHINOLFI FERRARI 750 Monza spider SCAGLIETTI
7° GENDEBIEN-WASCHER MERCEDES 300 SL
8° SEIDEL-GLOCKLER
vinc. classe fino a 1500 cmc.
categoria Sport PORSCHE 550 Spider
9° BELUCCI MASERATI A6GCS
10° CASELLA MERCEDES 300 SL
1956
Redemption of the Prancing Horse over the "three pointed star" is immediate. Enzo Ferrari brings five cars to Brescia, four "Sports" driven by Castellotti, Collins, Musso, Fangio and one "Gt" for Gendebien. It is in this precise order that the five win the first five overall positions, with the Belgian driver winning the Gran Turismo category, in front of three Mercedes.
The twenty-third race is the hardest and harshest due to a deluge, which hit Italy for the whole length of the competition. The victory of young Eugenio Castellotti is unanimously acclaimed for his extraordinary skill in driving, in the rain, the newest Ferrari 290 MM, twelve cylinders, 3941 cc. Unfortunately also Castellotti, as had already happened with Ascari, died a year after his victory - during a test circuit. The loss of two Italian champions was only one of the numerous tragedies which saddened automobilism in those years, practically all over the world, involving not only drivers but also, as in the case of the eighty dead at Le Mans, the public.
The cause is probably to be found in the components, such as tyres, brakes and suspension, inadequate to the power developed by the motors. Giannino Marzotto, indeed in those years, confessed, "our cars easily go from 0 to 300 Km/h, the problem arises in returning from 300 Km/h to 0."
23rd MILLE MIGLIA - 28th/29th APRIL 1956
STARTED: 365 - FINISHED: 182
Position in General Classification Vehicle
l° CASTELLOTTI
vincitore classe oltre 3000 cmc.
categoria vetture Sport FERRARI 290 MM spider SCAGLIETTI
2° COLLINS-KLEMENTASKY FERRARI 860 Monza spider SCAGLIETTI
3° L. MUSSO FERRARI 860 Monza spider SCAGLIETTI
4° FANGIO FERRARI 290 MM spider SCAGLIETTI
5° GENDEBIEN-WASHER
vinc. classe oltre 2000 cmc.
Gr. Granturismo di serie (1A) FERRARI 250 GT berlinetta SCAGLIETTI
6° VON METTERNICH-EINSIEDEL MERCEDES 300 SL
7° SEIDEL-GLOCKLER MERCEDES 300 SL
8° POLLET-FLANIDRAK MERCEDES 300 SL
9° CABIANCA vinc.
classe fino a 1500 cmc.
cat. vetture Sport OSCA MT4 1500
10° RIESS-HERMANN EGER MERCEDES 300 SL
1957
The organisers of the Mille Miglia understand that the future of races, on the main roads, depends on the safety factor and decide to reduce the number of competitors, carrying out a strict selection, to avoid repetition of the accidents which in preceding years had cost numerous lives.
The Italian's love affair with "four wheels", favoured by the duel between Ferrari and Maserati in the World Championship Formula 1 (won by Maserati with Fangio) and in the World Championship for Manufacturers (won instead by the cars from Maranello), didn't anyway seem to diminish.
Then, it was easy to imagine the excitement of the spectators when the two firms deployed their champions in the twenty-fourth MM. Disappointed, having driven in the year before, with Maserati, the race for the fifth time, forced always to withdraw, Piero Taruffi arrived at the start with a four litre Ferrari of 400 Hp. Already fifty, with high standing adversaries like the team mates Collins and Yon Trips, as well as Moss with the Maserati, he was resigned to finishing his precious career without adding to his successes on the road, Carrera Panamericana and Targa Florio, the victory which he wanted above everything else. He had repeated for years to his always more worried wife, "I'll give up racing the day I win the Mille Miglia." After a difficult race he reached the finishing line a little upset over transmission problems which had prevented him from challenging the leader of the race, the Englishman Collins, and the unbridled acclamation of the crowd in Viale Venezia surprised him.
Incredulous, he asked for an explanation from his wife who, crazy with joy, repeated several times that he was first, that finally he had won. He couldn't know that Collins had withdrawn two hundred kilometres earlier. It is here, unfortunately that the story of the racing Mille Miglia is concluded: on 12 March 1957 when, at Guidizzolo, less than forty kilometres from Brescia, the official driver of the Ferrari team, returned from the Tour de France victory, Alfonso Cabeza de Vaca, 17th Marquis of Portago, twenty-eight, a Spanish Grandee and nephew of King Alfonso XIII, had a puncture, mowed into the crowd at nearly 300 Km/h and was immediately killed along with his co-driver Nelson and ten spectators.
At the checkpoint at Rome, he had invited the actress Linda Christian to get an aeroplane and go and wait for him at Brescia. Three days later the Italian government decreed the end of car racing on the main roads and there was nothing gained by the attempts of Castagneto and, Bruno Boni, the mayor of Brescia to reverse the decision: an epic was irrevocably ended.
But the Mille Miglia, as Canestrini said, is the spiritual state of a city: even if races on the main roads are finished. The Red Arrow cannot die.
The first attempt to revive it was made by Castagneto and Mayor Boni who, elected in the early post-war years soon understood the enormous advantages that organisation of the race brought to the city, and became one of its most enthusiastic supporters and collaborators.
It is curious to note that "Ciro" Boni never got a driving licence...
24th MILLE MIGLIA - 11th/12th MAY 1957
STARTED: 298 - FINISHED: 163
Position in General Classification Vehicle
1° TARUFFI
vincitore classe oltre 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport FERRARI 315 S PININ FARINA
2° BERGHE VON TRIPS FERRARI 315 S PININ FARINA
3° GENDEBIEN-WASHER
vinc. classe oltre 2000 cmc.
cat. Gran Turismo FERRARI 250 GT berlinetta SCAGLIETTI
4° SCARLATTI MASERATI 300 S spider FANTUZZI
5° MAGLIOLI
vinc. classe fino a 1500 cmc.
categoria Sport PORSCHE 550 A Spider
6° LUGLIO-CARLI FERRARI 250 GT berlinetta ZAGATO
7° "IPPOCRATE" (FERRARIO) FERRARI 250 GT berlinetta SCAGLIETTI
8° G. MUNARON
vinc. classe fino a 2000 cmc.
categoria Sport FERRARI 500 TRC
9° BUTICCHI FERRARI 250 GT berlinetta ZAGATO
10° KOECHERT FERRARI 500 TRC spider SCAGLIETTI
1958
Castagneto and Boni organise a sort of rally with various legs around Italy, but the rejection of the official car companies who by now are only engaged on tracks and therefore lacking suitable vehicles, means that the event does not take off. The diffidence of the newspapers and consequently of public opinion, leads to the disappearance of the new race after only two further editions, in 1959 and 1961. During the following years, every hope of re-opening the roads to the racing cars definitely fades, and the Mille Miglia is spoken of less and less in Brescia, with a single nostalgic exception on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary.
1967
The Brescian enthusiasts celebrate the anniversary with a race (on paper a reliability trial race, in reality a speed race) for pre-war vehicles that is disputed along the hairpin curves of the Brescian mountain Maddalena under the melancholy name of the 'Raid delle 10 Miglia'. For another decade the Mille Miglia falls into oblivion. The 1970s will remain famous as the decade of the criminalisation of the automobile. Following the petrol crisis, the most important car factories remove sports models from their lists, taxes for the owners of vehicles increase out of all proportion, the first speed limits are imposed on motorways and for a certain period a system is even introduced, based on alternating licence plates, to limit vehicle circulation on Sundays. To speak of the Mille Miglia or of races in general at this time is even considered blasphemous: but not for the faithful supporters of the Freccia Rossa.
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