The second day of the 1000 Miglia Experience Italy 2026 began on the Polignano seafront for a leg of over 180 kilometres. A route designed to combine the charm of Puglia with the technical challenges that took the convoy into the heart of Salento.
The morning’s first sporting challenge took place in Santa Teresa, where the Belvedere del Cristo della Panoramica provided the backdrop for the first Average Trial. The convoy then reached Ostuni: here, participants were able to explore the characteristic narrow streets, whilst the cars were admired and photographed by hundreds of onlookers.
Resuming the journey towards northern Salento, the race really got underway in San Vito dei Normanni with an Average Trial followed by a series of particularly technical Time Trials on the Pista dei Saraceni. The convoy then reached Brindisi, a city famous for its seafront promenade and the historic Roman Columns, where the crews completed a Passage Control. The crews were welcomed for lunch inside the Castello Svevo, an imposing 13th-century structure now home to the headquarters of the San Marco Brigade; a location of the highest prestige, already chosen by the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, for the luncheon of honour during the 2024 G7 summit.
The arrival in Lecce, the capital of Baroque, was greeted by the warmth of a large crowd of enthusiasts in Piazza Sant’Oronzo. Amidst the monuments built from the local stone with its characteristic golden hue and the spectacular architecture of the town centre, the day saw a moment of particular sporting interest in Via dei Templari with the Salento Trophy. The “1-on-1” format, outside the overall classification, saw victory go to the crew of Fabio Vergamini and Maurizia Bertolucci in their 2023 Ferrari SF90 Spider.
Today the convoy will tackle the final, decisive 280 kilometres towards Taranto. Setting off from the capital of Salento, the cars will cross the Salento Megalithic Area to reach Otranto, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and admire the Tree of Life mosaic in the Cathedral. The route will then head towards Santa Maria di Leuca, the “Finibus Terrae”, before travelling up the Ionian coast towards the City of the Two Seas.
The provisional classification
As the race resumes for the third and final leg, the overall standings still see the crew of Matteo Loiudice and Beatrice Mora in the 1954 Porsche 356 Pre A leading with 183 penalty points. In second place are Gianluigi and Federico Smussi in an MG TF (194 penalty points), followed in third place by Fabrizio Macario and Giovanna Di Costanzo in a Ferrari 488 Pista with 295 penalty points, tied with the Vergamini-Bertolucci crew.