Brescia, 21st of October, 2020

Yesterday we reported on the Goodwood SpeedWeek taking place without the usual 150 thousand visitors and we see something missing, today we have to face the most unusual Mille Miglia in modern times. Being in the centre of the latest raise in numbers of infection of the recent pandemic a nightly curfew is contrasting the trade show in Padua as well as the most famous race in the world, the Mille Miglia. What normally happens in the Whitsun holiday season in May and attracts masses of cabriolet and classic car drivers from all over Europe with the additional enthusiastic local visitors now faces the most difficult situation of a second wave coming over the continent.

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The organizers face the challenge to keep 410 entrants entertained who have paid a fortune to be here and at the same time follow the rules dictated by the local government. As usual the MM starts with the scrutineering in the Fiera and in addition the sealing ceremony is put into the safe environment of the exhibition centre. Guest and entrants are only allowed to enter the halls after a health check taking the temperature, a procedure that they will have to follow a lot of times in the coming days. As the Piazza Vittoria was already prepared for the sealing they have a short drive into the Centro behind the police escort getting their verification sticker and then leaving as fast as they arrived. What is usually a chaotic crowded event on the Piazza was almost deserted today as only few people were waiting for the quick appearance of the cars on the red carpet strolling past the sponsor tents. After getting their stamp the cars are guided out of the centre again back to the Fiera and the Piazzas surrounding Vittoria are blocked to prevent the drivers from staying in the area like they usually do. Just going to the surrounding places one does not even get the feeling of being in the Mille Miglia week, only in a few coffee places one could spot official MM shirts and drivers passes.

Speaking of sponsors: apparently many of them have prepaid for this year’s sponsorship and so a driving force behind this edition might have been to avoid to pay them back. But looking around not a single car manufacturer is present as all the prominent displays of Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Alfa Romeo are completely missing and none of the museum cars could be seen today.

Tomorrow will be the second day of the verification on Piazza Vittoria before the cars head out to the Museo Mille Miglia for the lunch and later the start. Apparently the organizers are still in talks with the major and the police but latest information are that no people are intended to be at the start and that the parade lap through the city centre is cancelled as well so the cars will directly head out of town after descending the ramp.

We certainly will get a very different Mille Miglia this year and also the late date in October will change a lot. With the sun going down at about 6pm there will be a lot of distance left for the cars to arrive at the daily destination so especially the later cars will face a lot more driving in the dark then they even usually get. The pre-war cars who normally avoid most of the night driving will be out in the dark in the morning on the other hand ...

We try to follow the race as much as possible and report on the event in a few days.

Report & images ... Peter Singhof
www.ClassicCarPhotography.de


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