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1927: the first 1000 Miglia

The maiden voyage, the beginning of the legend

The excitement, the emotions, the thrill of the race. In rainy March 1927 the first Mille Miglia Cup shook the Italian roads. An inaugural edition that kicked off the great epic of the speed race, later loved all over the world.

«Among modern pleasures there is none that surpasses or equals that of a journey by car.»

Ada Negri “Secolo XX”

The first 1000 Miglia

After months of organizing the first Mille Miglia Cup finally arrived. It was 8 o’clock in the morning on March 26 1927, when Aymo Maggi and Bindo Maserati’s Isotta Fraschini inaugurated the legendary Red Arrow.

It was the debut of an event that amazed the whole of Italy. A long race amidst downpours of rain, banks of fog and whirlwind of dust along the unpaved roads that put the drivers to the test.

An unprecedented awakening

In Perugia the favourite Gastone Brilli Peri in his Alfa Romeo RLSS was forced to withdraw, but the best was yet to come. At dawn on March 27, the whole city of Brescia was awakened by word of mouth. Beyond all expectations, the long drive of 1.600 km through Italy was coming to an end.

At 4a.m. a telegram from Feltre reached Renzo Castagneto at the headquarters of the Royal Automobile Club of Brescia: the arrival was imminent.

On the finish line

Two minutes after 6 a.m., a large crowd welcomed the Lambdas of the Lancia team, followed by the O.M. 665 Superba of Nando Minoja and Giuseppe Morandi. They were the ones who triumphed, crossing the finish line in Viale Venezia in 21 hours, 4 minutes and 48 seconds, with an average speed of 77.238 km/h.

This was not the only record to cause a stir. With their tiny Peugeot 5 HP MM Cazzulani-Monferroni won the category of 750 cubic centimetre, taking just under 34 hours to complete the entire route, at an average speed of 48.087 km/h. The newspapers headline that a new era, that of a hitherto unknown freedom, had opened.

«Just over twenty hours, not even a day and a night to complete almost 1.700 km: an average speed that exceeds 77 km/h. The motorcar has passed through the streets of half of Italy as a ruler of time and space. The success of the mechanical vehicle therefore is amazing.»

“Corriere della Sera”, 1927

The winners of the first Mille Miglia Cup

Vehicle
O.M. 665 Superba

Travel time
21h 04’ 48”

Average speed
77, 238 km/h

«Among the aims of the 1000 Miglia is to demonstrate that, with the cars normally on sale, you can travel on existing roads in our country, at high speeds, certain of safety and regularity…
Our task is therefore to give the race a technical social and, why not, tourist function.»

Giovanni Canestrini, 1927

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#1000miglia
Happy Easter from all of us at Team 1000 Miglia! 🪺
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Buona Pasqua da tutti noi del Team 1000 Miglia! 🪺
The #1000MigliaExperienceItaly2025 has ended, having taken the crews approximately 560 km from west to east across southern Italy, linking the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic coasts.
Among the unrivalled landscapes of the places they drove through, the drivers challenged each other in exciting sporting activities. 
Special thanks to all the Partners who supported us in this first edition of the race 💫 
@chopard @jpmorganprivatebank @vredestein @the_fast_lane_club @maldarizziautomotive @thehoutkampcollection @villatrasqua @franciacorta @acquadolomia @poltronafrauofficial
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Si è conclusa #1000MigliaExperienceItaly2025 che ha portato gli equipaggi a percorrere circa 560km da Ovest a Est attraverso il Sud Italia, unendo la costa tirrenica a quella adriatica.
Tra i paesaggi ineguagliabili delle località attraversate, i driver si sono sfidati in avvincenti attività sportive. 
Un ringraziamento speciale a tutti i Partner che ci hanno sostenuto in questa prima edizione della gara 💫 
@chopard @jpmorganprivatebank @vredestein @the_fast_lane_club @maldarizziautomotive @thehoutkampcollection @villatrasqua @franciacorta @acquadolomia @poltronafrauofficial
The Kartodromo 90 and the Circuito del Levante hosted the Time Trials of the second leg of the #1000MigliaExperienceItaly2025. 
The second sector of the race went like this 🔥
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Il Kartodromo 90 e il Circuito del Levante hanno ospitato le Prove Cronometrate della seconda tappa della #1000MigliaExperienceItaly2025. 
Il secondo settore di gara è andato così 🔥
Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

Chopard, partner 1000 Miglia dal 1988, celebra i vincitori della prima edizione della #1000migliaexperienceitaly con un simbolo di eccellenza: l'orologio MILLE MIGLIA GTS CHRONO.
Un premio che racconta una storia di passione, competenza e tradizione, destinato a restare nel tempo come il ricordo di questa straordinaria vittoria 🏆✨
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Chopard, a 1000 Miglia partner since 1988, celebrates the winners of the first edition of the #1000migliaexperienceitaly with a symbol of excellence: the MILLE MIGLIA GTS CHRONO watch.
An award that tells a story of passion, expertise and tradition, destined to endure over time like the memory of this extraordinary victory 🏆✨
... See MoreSee Less

21 hours ago
Chopard, partner 1000 Miglia dal 1988, celebra i vincitori della prima edizione della #1000MigliaExperienceItaly con un simbolo di eccellenza: lorologio MILLE MIGLIA GTS CHRONO. 
Un premio che racconta una storia di passione, competenza e tradizione, destinato a restare nel tempo come il ricordo di questa straordinaria vittoria 🏆✨
.
.
.
Chopard, a 1000 Miglia partner since 1988, celebrates the winners of the first edition of the #1000MigliaExperienceItaly with a symbol of excellence: the MILLE MIGLIA GTS CHRONO watch. 
An award that tells a story of passion, expertise and tradition, destined to endure over time like the memory of this extraordinary victory 🏆✨

Buona Pasqua da tutti noi del Team 1000 Miglia! 🪺
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.
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Happy Easter from all of us at Team 1000 Miglia! 🪺
... See MoreSee Less

6 days ago
Buona Pasqua da tutti noi del Team 1000 Miglia! 🪺
.
.
.
Happy Easter from all of us at Team 1000 Miglia! 🪺

La bellezza delle località attraversate dalla #1000MigliaExperienceItaly2025 non ha eguali 🫶🏻
In questa prima edizione sono stati 4 i siti Patrimonio Mondiale Unesco:
📍 Costiera Amalfitana,
📍 i Sassi di Matera,
📍 i Trulli di Alberobello e
📍 Castel Del Monte
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The beauty of the places travelled through by the #1000MigliaExperienceItaly2025 is unparalleled 🫶🏻
In this first edition, there were 4 Unesco World Heritage sites:
📍 Amalfi Coast,
📍 i Sassi di Matera,
📍 the Trulli in Alberobello and
📍 Castel Del Monte
... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago
La bellezza delle località attraversate dalla #1000MigliaExperienceItaly2025 non ha eguali 🫶🏻
In questa prima edizione sono stati 4 i siti Patrimonio Mondiale Unesco: 
📍 Costiera Amalfitana, 
📍 i Sassi di Matera, 
📍 i Trulli di Alberobello e 
📍 Castel Del Monte
.
.
.
The beauty of the places travelled through by the #1000MigliaExperienceItaly2025 is unparalleled 🫶🏻
In this first edition, there were 4 Unesco World Heritage sites: 
📍 Amalfi Coast, 
📍 i Sassi di Matera, 
📍 the Trulli in Alberobello and 
📍 Castel Del Monte

Alfonso Facchini e Luigia Olivetti a bordo della loro fedele BMW 328 del 1938 alzano il trofeo della prima edizione di #1000migliaexperienceitaly 🏆
🥈Flavio Bettinaldi e Sonia Facchini a bordo di una MG TB del 1939.
🥉Fabio Vergamini e Anna Maria Fabrizi a bordo di una Ferrari 488 GTB del 2017.
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Alfonso Facchini and Luigia Olivetti on board their faithful 1938 BMW 328 raised the trophy of the first edition of #1000migliaexperienceitaly 🏆
🥈Flavio Bettinaldi and Sonia Facchini in a 1939 MG TB.
🥉Fabio Vergamini and Anna Maria Fabrizi in a 2017 Ferrari 488 GTB.
... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago
Alfonso Facchini e Luigia Olivetti a bordo della loro fedele BMW 328 del 1938 alzano il trofeo della prima edizione di #1000MigliaExperienceItaly 🏆
🥈Flavio Bettinaldi e Sonia Facchini a bordo di una MG TB del 1939.
🥉Fabio Vergamini e Anna Maria Fabrizi a bordo di una Ferrari 488 GTB del 2017.
.
.
.
Alfonso Facchini and Luigia Olivetti on board their faithful 1938 BMW 328 raised the trophy of the first edition of #1000MigliaExperienceItaly 🏆
🥈Flavio Bettinaldi and Sonia Facchini in a 1939 MG TB.
🥉Fabio Vergamini and Anna Maria Fabrizi in a 2017 Ferrari 488 GTB.

Gli ultimi km della gara prima dell’arrivo nel capoluogo pugliese hanno visto gli equipaggi stampare un Controllo Timbro e visitare l’ultimo sito Unesco attraversato dalla gara: Castel del Monte 🏰
A Bari, gli equipaggi hanno effettuato l’ultimo Controllo Orario che ha sancito la fine della prima edizione della #1000MigliaExperienceItaly 🏁
Stay tuned per sapere chi si aggiudicherà la prima posizione sul podio 🏆
.
.
.
The last few kilometres of the race before arriving in the Apulian capital saw the crews pass a Passage Control and visit the last Unesco site crossed by the race: Castel del Monte 🏰
In Bari, the crews took part in the final Time Control, which marked the end of the first edition of the #1000MigliaExperienceItaly 🏁
Stay tuned to find out who will claim the top position on the podium 🏆
... See MoreSee Less

2 weeks ago
Gli ultimi km della gara prima dell’arrivo nel capoluogo pugliese hanno visto gli equipaggi stampare un Controllo Timbro e visitare l’ultimo sito Unesco attraversato dalla gara: Castel del Monte 🏰
A Bari, gli equipaggi hanno effettuato l’ultimo Controllo Orario che ha sancito la fine della prima edizione della #1000MigliaExperienceItaly 🏁
Stay tuned per sapere chi si aggiudicherà la prima posizione sul podio 🏆
.
.
.
The last few kilometres of the race before arriving in the Apulian capital saw the crews pass a Passage Control and visit the last Unesco site crossed by the race: Castel del Monte 🏰
In Bari, the crews took part in the final Time Control, which marked the end of the first edition of the #1000MigliaExperienceItaly 🏁
Stay tuned to find out who will claim the top position on the podium 🏆
Load more

The #1000MigliaExperienceItaly2025 has ended, having taken the crews approximately 560 km from west to east across southern Italy, linking the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic coasts 💫

Alfonso Facchini and Luigia Olivetti on board their faithful 1938 BMW 328 raised the trophy of the first edition of #1000MigliaExperienceItaly 🏆
🥈Flavio Bettinaldi and Sonia Facchini in a 1939 MG TB.
🥉Fabio Vergamini and Anna Maria Fabrizi in a 2017 Ferrari 488 GTB.

Alfonso Facchini and Luigia Olivetti on board their faithful 1938 B.M.W. 238 raised the trophy of the first edition of #1000MigliaExperienceItaly 🏆
🥈Sonia Facchini and Flavio Bettinaldi in a 1939 MG TB
🥉Fabio Vergamini and Anna Maria Fabrizi in a 2017 Ferrari 208 GTS

The last few kilometres of the race before arriving in the Apulian capital saw the crews pass a Passage Control and visit the last Unesco site crossed by the race: Castel del Monte 🏰
In Bari, the crews took part in the final Time Control, which marked the end of the race 🏁

The Kartodromo 90 and the Circuito del Levante hosted the Time Trials of the second leg of the #1000MigliaExperienceItaly2025.
The second sector of the race went like this 🔥

Leg 2️⃣ of the race starts from Matera 😍
After the Passage Control at the Military Airport of Gioia del Colle, the crews opened the first sector of the race with an Average Trial that took them from Noci to Alberobello, the third World Heritage Site of this edition.

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