24h Le Mans
This year marks the Mille Miglia's 90th anniversary, though the endurance race of yesteryear has become a classic car event bringing together legendary cars. Many motorsports personalities will take part in the festivities, such as Romain Dumas and Jochen Mass, winners at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
This year, as many as 460 driver line-ups representing five continents will take the start at the Mille Miglia with cars that took part in the endurance race between 1927 and 1957. The competitors will complete a four-day loop beginning and ending in Brescia, Italy after passing through Padua, Rome and Parma, without forgetting Modena, Ferrari's stronghold.
The two 24 Hours of Le Mans winners, Romain Dumas and Jochen Mass, will join Porsche and Mercedes-Benz for the race. The 2010 (Audi) and 2016 (Porsche) winner, competing in the 85th edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Signatech Alpine in LMP2, will drive a Porsche 550 Spyder, and the 1989 winner (Sauber-Mercedes) will take the wheel of a Mercedes 300 SL.
In addition to the two overall winners, two drivers set to take the start in Italy have won the LMP2 class: Peter van Merksteijn (Porsche 356) in 2008 with a Porsche RS Spyder, and William "Bill" Binnie (Alfa Romeo 8C) in 2004 and 2007 with a Lola.
Lasty, two former motorsports major players will share the wheel of an Alfa Romeo 6C: Arturo Merzario, second at Le Mans in 1973, and Jean-Pierre Jarier, 15 participations in the 24 Hours between 1972 and 1999 with as best result a second place finish in 1977 with a Mirage.
The Mille Miglia also attracts a younger generation of drivers: the American Theo Bean, who competes in the European Le Mans Series in Panis-Barthez Compétition's Ligier LMP3, figures on the entry list with a Kurtis Chrysler.
One of the stars of the weekend will undoubtedly be the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL to be shared by Toto Wolff and Aldo Costa, director and technical director of the Mercedes F1 team, respectively.
Photo: Romain Dumas and the Porsche 550 Spyder at the Mille Miglia.
