The Mille Miglia legacy and Ferrari are closely intertwined, and with good reason. As such, Mille Miglia 2010 is celebrating the history of the race and the marque by allowing a special 120 car procession of post 1958 Ferraris to precede the Mille competitors from Rome to Brescia. This means, of course, that drivers of contemporary Ferraris can join in the fray, driving through the lovely Italian towns that are otherwise closed to automobile traffic. Pistunzén here sure seems excited about it (what the Hell is up with the cartoon piston?). I suppose this is good news for Ferrari drivers, but I really don’t see the point of it all.
The Mille Miglia isn’t a race anymore, officially anyway ;). It’s billed as a time trial, but even that is a bit of a stretch. It’s a renaissance festival. I’m not saying that to disparage it. The thing I like most about it is that we get out our early sportscars—the Mille ended quite early after all—and we parade them through some of the most picturesque countryside the world has to offer. I think that is what makes the event what it is, extraordinarily rare cars seen in the appropriate environment. Oddly, in this case, it’s the modern cars that are an anachronism. There’s a reason Lord March hides the modern cars indoors during Goodwood.
Don’t spoil the fantasy.
What do you think? Do modern Ferraris add to the fun and I’m just a stick in the mud? Or should the Mille Miglia remain the exclusive domain of period appropriate racers?
0 replies on “Mille Miglia 2010 Allowing Modern Ferraris?”
Well, I’ve visited the MM twice. Because of the interest for Car Companies there are lots of modern cars on the road anyway. In 1999 I saw Stiling Moss participating in the original “722” 300 SLR an he was surrounded by modern SL’s and Stationwagons. Most of the MM is held on public roads that are not really closed (intersections are guarded by Police) so if you would like to join in with your Fiat Panda, you can! Just some special sections (Sienna comes to mind) are really closed.
I think the MM is a car festival, so let the Ferrari’s participate. It adds to the fun!