The second day of the 1000 Miglia 2026 sees its eagerly awaited passage through the heart of Motor Valley, with a race lunch in Modena. Leaving Padua under an initially overcast sky, the more than 400 crews of the Red Arrow crossed the Euganean Hills through the bends of Montegrotto Terme, Valbona Castle and the centre of Este, whilst the sun came out again and temperatures soared back to summer levels. A constant feature of this opening leg was the extraordinary warmth of the public: a sea of enthusiasts crowded the squares, villages and country roads with overwhelming enthusiasm.
Crossing the River Po at Pontelagoscuro marked the entry into Emilia-Romagna, with Ferrara and Bondeno providing a splendid prelude to the parade through the centre of Modena.
In Piazza Roma, the crowd’s embrace blended with the majesty of the Palazzo Ducale, home to the Military Academy, which welcomed the participants.
On the sporting front, the race is heating up at the top of the leaderboard, with a tight battle for the lead between Andrea Vesco and Fabio Salvinelli and the siblings Juan and Margarita Tonconogy.
In the afternoon, the convoy will start its engines again and head towards Tuscany: having passed Reggio Emilia, Formigine and Castelvetro, the race will tackle the hairpin bends of the Apennines up to the Abetone Pass, before descending towards the finish line in Montecatini Terme.