FCA Heritage lined up some of the finest pieces in its collection for the "most beautiful race in the world", as Enzo Ferrari described the Mille Miglia. The official Alfa Romeo team included Coldplay bass player Guy Berryman, singer Piero Pelù, racing driver Derek Hill and regularity specialist Giovanni Moceri, who finished second.
From 16 to 19 May, the 36th historic retrospective of the Mille Miglia took place along the traditional Brescia-Rome-Brescia route. Alfa Romeo was very much to the fore, both as Automotive Sponsor and because the 2018 edition, which coincided with the 90th anniversary of the brand’s first victory, was won by the Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 GS Testa Fissa driven by Tonconogy-Ruffini.
With 47 cars taking part in the official team and privately, Alfa Romeo had one of the largest groups in the entire event. FCA Heritage entered four rarities made available by the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo in Arese, belonging to the FCA Heritage collection.
The race line-up included as an actual Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 Super Sport, just like the one that Giuseppe Campari and Giulio Ramponi drove to victory in Brescia on 1 April 1928.
This car, driven by Giovanni Moceri with navigator Daniele Bonetti, finished second overall, only eight penalty points behind the winner.
Also competing was a 6C 1750 Gran Sport to commemorate the legendary victory of Tazio Nuvolari and Giovanni Battista Guidotti in the 1930 edition, when Alfa occupied the first four places. Fans also enjoyed a first-hand view of two superb models, the 1900 Super Sprint, ever-present in races during the '50s, and the very rare 1900 Sport Spider, just two of which were built, with its stunning sculpted forms and impressive performance.
The Alfa Romeo team benefited from the presence of racing professionals and internationally famous artists, united in the love of classic Alfa cars, including Coldplay bass player Guy Berryman and driver Derek Hill.
Amongst the Alfa Romeo cars being driven in the event by private collectors, special mention should be made of the 1955 Giulietta Sprint of Piero Pelù, the founder and frontman of Litfiba. A lifelong Alfa enthusiast, Pelù took part in the Mille Miglia as the guest of FCA Heritage. The Italian star also had a star navigator: his partner, top international orchestral conductor Gianna Fratta.
As well as unique, outstanding models and drivers of international stature, true fans were able to relive the past thrills and eternal spirit of Alfa Romeo in the place where its legend is best conserved today. During the stage on Saturday 19 May. the cars competing in the Mille Miglia visited the recently renovated Museo Storico Alfa Romeo, to take part in time trials on the in-house circuit at the Arese site.
In attendance to welcome them were also drivers Marcus Ericsson and Charles Leclerc from the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team, with the C37 car they are currently racing in the 2018 Formula 1 championship. Their participation was a tangible sign of how indelibly the racing world is engraved in the Alfa Romeo DNA.
What's more, thanks to the cooperation of the Italian Alfa Romeo Register, visitors had the chance to admire a selection of ten historic cars of great prestige, built during the years when the legendary race was run.
Visit the FCA Heritage special section on the 2018 Mille Miglia for curious facts and further information about the historic Alfa Romeo cars which took part in the race and their crews, with video interviews with the main personalities involved.
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