Mille Miglia 2015

Press Conference in Brescia.

The red arrow history is a long story, at first made of boldness and technological progress that becames an unmatched ” travelling museum”: what will happen from 14 to 17 of May will be the thirty-third revival, eighty years after the first of the twentyfour speed editions raced from 1927 to 1957.

“All over the world the Mille Miglia image evokes boldness, loyal sport rivalry, legend, beauty and – most important thing – tradition of hospitality and charm of our city and our country“, so declared Brescia Automobile Club‘s President Piergiorgio Vittorini, adding “Since 1927 that we do not have to mislay the awareness that Brescia is the keeper of a glorious fragment of history that belongs to all sportive motor lovers. This inheritage made Brescia Automobile Club, keeper of an historic patrimony built by one of the richer brand in tradition and sport, human and technological glory. The Freccia Rossa brand.

SIXTY YEARS SINCE MOSS AND JENKINSON RECORD

“Mille Miglia is more than race cars, pilots, winners and losers. Mille Miglia is part of Italian lifestyle and its effects extend all over Italy down up to Sicily” These words were written by Denis Jenkinson, the famous bearded journalist

Exactly sixty years ago “Jenks” invented the road book never used by anyone before to “give notes” to Stirling Moss during the 1955 Mille Miglia edition. The result was that the two Englishmen, on a 300 SLR Mercedes- Benz routed everybody, winning a red arrow edition, that become famous for the incredible record average of 157,65 km/h, over the about 1600 km, from Brescia to Rome and back, that remained unbeaten.

FOUR DAYS ORGANIZATION

This year Mille Miglia will be, for the third time, organized by 1000 Miglia Srl, a company wholly owned by Brescia Automobile Club, owner of the red arrow’ brand, since the first edition in 1927. After the good experience of last year, Mille Miglia will continue to be run in four stages, in four days. The additional stage has allowed more people to assist in the passage of racing cars: in particular, race arrival moved on Sunday- instead of Saturday night- allowing families and young people affluence.

1600 KM ACROSS ITALY

Marko Makaus 1000 Miglia Srl Managing Director has introduced the route with this declaration: “By definition an universal exposure doesn’t happens every year, so is understandable how Millle Miglia coincidence with Expo opening in Milan was a too greedy opportunity to be ignored. That’s the reason why this year the route will by quite different by the one that characterized the last Mille Miglia”

The race departure – brought forward to 2:30 pm on tuesday 14 May – will be, as always, from Viale Venezia in Brescia: the first stage will end in Rimini.

“The First stop has been decided also to made second stage lighter and to allow an earlier arrival in Rome” said Makaus.

On Friday 15 May, after San Marino, competitors will continue to Senigallia -where they will have lunch over the seafront – Pesaro and Ancona than proceeding south, along the coastline until arriving to Loreto, Recanati and Macerata, followed by Ascoli and Teramo.

From there the long tail of cars will enter through the center of Italy, towards Rieti. The arrival in the Capital differently from other editions, will be earlier, with the first car that will reach Castel S. Angelo at 20:30. On saturday the 16th the route will be quite the same from Rome to Tuscany, passing through the beloved and usual passages to Ronciglione, Viterbo, Radicoafani and Siena. Resting stop will be for the first time in Cascina ; following Pisa and Lucca, the racing cars will cross the Passo dell’Abetone, to reach the plane up to Reggio Emilia.

The third stage will end up in Parma, with the final control in front of the famous Teatro Regio at 21:00.

From the Ducal city, on the morning of Sunday May 17th passing through Monza, Bergamo and the Franciacorta, cars will return to Brescia, after more than 1760 Km.

THE TRIBUTE TO EXPO WILL REACH THE MONZA TRACK

The fourth stage proposes two absolute news on the red arrow path: in order to bring a tribute to an extraordinary event that is Expo Milan 2015, avoiding congesting the roads to the exhibition with its high number of cars (more than 1000 cars), Mille Miglia will make a tribute by making a pass control at the Villa Reale of Monza , masterpiece of Piermarini, similar to the Scala building, that is the representative headquarter of the Lombardia Region for the Expo 2015 period.

Furthermore, for the joy of the racing pilots and of spectators, the Red Arrow will enter the Monza Track, thanks to an agreement made by the owners of these 2 icons of car racing, the Automobil Club of Brescia and of Milan. In the Brianza track, including the high speed section (also knows as the “Soprelevata”) recently restored, competitors will dispute some chronometrical and average speed trials: the winner will receive a trophy by the Automobil Club of Milan, dedicated to the famous Alberto Ascari, that died in Monza, in May 1955, exactly 60 years ago.

TRIBUTE TO FOUNDERS

The path proposed to tribute Expo passes for a new route: passing for the first time in Franciacorta, the cars in race will offer the tribute of the Red Arrow to two of its founders , passing in Chiari, in front of the magnificent residence of Franco Mazzotti and in Calino, in front of a Villa Maggi, house of Aymo.

MILLE MIGLIA: FIGURES

A look at the figures helps to understand the system set in motion by the Mille Miglia, which this year will have 438 cars racing, a record of all editions. Andrea Dalledonne, CEO 1000 Miles Srl explainis the figures of the 2015: ” Important, indeed, are even numbers, often up to themselves but in this case the true litmus test of what we stand for: beyond economic data, I am thinking of more than 2,000 people involved in the organization of the race, 1,500 accredited journalists from all over the world, almost 4,000 hotel rooms booked for the days of the race. Other numbers ? More than 200 municipalities crossed, 438 cars at the start, these details are very hard to quantify; countless reports, e-mail and meetings to make an event like the Mille Miglia possible. This is the Mille Miglia, an event that is the sublimation of a brand now of great international significance and that after the first two years of management has become even stronger.

“Why? Simple, now the brand of the Red Arrow, the great heritage of Aci Brescia, has definitely grown thanks to the results of 1000 Miles Srl.”

Even under the sport point of view there are some news: in 2015 the number of trials that will determine the placement will increase rising to 84 including 76 traditional trials and 8 based on regular average. The coefficients applied to cars remain unchanged, but there will not be anymore the ” bonus ” awarded to cars having participated in one of the editions between 1927 and 1957.

FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WITH A MILLE MIGLIA DREAM IN MIND

The ‘trend in the enrolment at the Mille Miglia 2015 edition, has confirmed the past years trend, and was higher than expected: despite the continuing economic crisis, which has naturally affected the number, the total is almost an identical to the one of previous years. The only difference is the ‘ increase of six countries represented, that climbed to 44: Argentina , Australia , Austria , Belgium, Bosnia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Japan, Greece , Hong Kong , India , Ireland , Isle of man, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand , Netherlands , Poland , Portugal , United Kingdom , Czech Republic , Republic of China , Republic of San Marino , Romania , Russia , Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, United States , South Africa , Sweden Switzerland , Thailand.

617 CARS BUILT UP TO 1957 ASKED TO PARTICIPATE

Among the cars entered, the brands represented were Alfa Romeo and Jaguar with 58 cars; followed by 43 Lancia and Fiat with 42 cars, as well as 42 are the Mercedes – Benz; Porsche follows with 36 cars, Aston Martin with 29, with 22 Bugatti, Ferrari and Austin Healey with 21; the list is completed by other names for a record total of 73 manifacturer.

430 CARS ACCEPTED , MORE 8 OF THE MILITARY CATEGORY

After the hectic work of selecting, applying strict criteria of merit , the Selection Committee has approved a list of accepted cars with a qualitative value, a collection value and a sport value are very high. Of these, fewer than 68 are car that have participated in at least an edition of the Mille Miglia, in 1927-1957.

In order to broaden the historical value of a fleet of vehicles that no event for classic cars can boast, the selectors have decided to accept, in addition to 430 cars selected , other 8 cars recorded by the Armed Forces, in the special category ” military ” for a total of 438 cars, a record figure.

Among the participating cars are examples from Museums of manifacturers as Mercedes – Benz , Alfa Romeo , BMW , Jaguar and Porsche .

The cars that will be deployed at the start of Viale Venezia , in the evening of Thursday, May 16 , belong to 61 different brands : the highest numbers are the ones of Mercedes – Benz and Alfa Romeo with 38 cars : Jaguar follow with 36 , 34 with FIAT , Lancia with 30 and with 22 Porsche cars .

FIFTY CREWS IN WAITING LIST

On such a large number of competitors each year it happens that a dozen of these are forced to give up before the start. Some, perhaps to a fault or a last minute accident, do not show up to inspections in Brescia .

Those forced to give up are replaced by a crew in the ” waiting list “. Opposite to what many people think , this list is not a ranking : in the list there about fifty cars because the idea is to try to replace the retiring with a car as similar as possible. For example, a Fiat 508 Sport 1934, the mythical Balilla was replaced by a car of the same model. The same goes for Porsche of the fifties and so on .

THE FAVORITES ON THE CENT OF SECOND

Also from a sporting perspective, this year’s edition promises to be one of the most fought: at the start of the race there will be the best Italian and South American regularists and the abolition of the bonus – even though it may have displeased some purists – undoubtedly has leveled sporting values in the race. Along 76 traditional trials and 8 based on regular average, the favorites will battle: Andrea Vesco Juan Tonconogy without forgetting Giuliano Cane, John Moceri, Ezio Salviato, Carlos Sielecki and Giordano Mozzi, winner of the last edition.

From a technical point of view, there is a breakthrough of great importance. Thanks to the joint efforts of the Italian Federation Timekeepers and Microplus, together with the GPS TrackPlus – installed on racing cars to trace they location since a few years.

Moreover a special identification electronic system, called IDPlus, especially developed, will be installed on cars (for Time Checks Time Trials and Average)

ALL MILLE MIGLIA FIGURES 2015:

PARTECIPANTS AND CARS

Participants in the Mille Miglia 2015 come from 38 different countries , from all continents .

Including competitors of the cars excluded, the total of the countries from which they come from is 44 , adding Ecuador , India , Israel , Monaco , Singapore and the Republic of San Marino . A record never achieved previously , confirming the international fame of the Mille Miglia .

On the 876 members of the 438 crews of the cars in the race , the nationality of 62 persons is unknown, because their identity was not disclosed at the time of going to press.

In some cases , it is the occupants of the cars entered the house car , waiting until the last minute to make public the names of the occupants ; in other cases , for reasons of security or confidentiality , the names will remain covered by an “X” also during the race.

The 438 cars at the start of the Mille Miglia in 2015 belong to 67 different brands.

Among those not accepted were cars of the other three brands: AUSTIN , VERITAS and VOLKSWAGEN , for a total of 70 brands represented.