The 39th edition of 1000 Miglia was a race for the ages. As Global Lead Partner, Deutsche Bank Wealth Management was there from the paddock to the finishing flag.
1000 Miglia is always a joy to behold. A convoy of hundreds of classic cars navigating iconic Italian cities and breathtaking countryside is certain to make for a memorable sight. Every car is a triumph of design, every day delivers moments of drama – and everyone involved, from racers to spectators, helps to make each year special.
This year, the theme of the race was "Crossing the future", a reference to the crossroads between tradition and innovation that characterises 1000 Miglia today. As part of this theme, the event included a special ‘1000 Miglia Experience’ featuring 13 spectacular modern hypercars, while ‘Mille Green’ gave us a glimpse of the iconic Hyper SUV Vision 2030, the all-electric concept car designed by Fabrizio Giugiaro.
It is thrilling to see these visions of the future in action. However, witnessing a “travelling museum” of classic cars traversing Italy is always the highlight…
Credit: LAT Images
Credit: LAT Images
A journey back in time
1000 Miglia 2021 began, as ever, in its hometown of Brescia. But this year the 16,000 kilometre course took an anti-clockwise direction, mirroring the first ever race in 1927. The pack wound its way south-west, carving through Lombardy and Emilia Romagna before reaching Tuscany. As night fell, the first racers arrived at Viareggio for a seafront dinner – and to steal a few hours sleep.
Day one results:
• First place: 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport (number 43)
• Second place: 1926 O.M. 665 SMM Superba 2000 (number 4)
• Third place: 1929 Lancia Lambda Spider Casaro (number 41)
Credit: LAT Images
Credit: LAT Images
Day two: pure cinema
At 6:30am, beneath clear skies, the racers revved their engines and were off again. Enzo Ferrari called 1000 Miglia “the most beautiful race in the world”, and every leg is a testament to that, but the Viareggio to Rome stretch is truly special. Under the Tuscan sun, the cars raced against a backdrop of epic seascapes, lakes and countryside.
The convoy crossed the straight stretch of Viale dei Cipressi, made famous in the Oscar-winning film Quo Vadis. It then cruised along the Romito coastline in the province of Livorno, the spectacular location of Dino Risi’s cult classic Il Sorpasso.
The race dinner was enjoyed in the great Palazzo dei Papi in Viterbo before the second day’s racing ended in Rome.
Day two results:
• First place: 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport (number 43)
• Second place: 1929 Lancia Lambda Spider Casaro (number 41)
• Third place: 1928 Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 Super Sport 1928 (number 37)
Credit: LAT Images
Credit: LAT Images
Day three: across the hills of Chianti
Another early start as the convoy headed to Bologna. When the cars left Rome, the temperature was 21°C. But the mercury rose fast and it would be another sweltering day.
They headed towards Umbria, passing through Amelia, Orvieto and Cortona – home to works by Fra Angelico and the Franciscan Hermitage "Le Celle", one of the first Franciscan settlements chosen by Francesco de Assisi in 1211. This section of the race also took in the iconic Futa and Raticosa passes, going up the peninsula for the first time. After a day speeding through the hills of Chianti, the crews were given a warm welcome at the Palazzo Re Enzo in the enchanting heart of medieval Bologna.
Day three results:
• First place: 1929 Lancia Lambda Spider Casaro of 1929 (number 41)
• Second place: 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport (number 43)
• Third place: 1927 Lancia Lambda Spider Casaro (number 24)
Credit: LAT Images
Credit: LAT Images
The final leg: an epic comes to an end
For the fourth and final leg, the gleaming motorcade passed through the cities of Modena, Reggio Emilia and Mantova before arriving in the beautiful Piazza Bra in Verona for lunch. Here, the 1000 Miglia paid homage to Verdi a few hours before the staging of Aida that evening for the opera’s 150th anniversary.
From Verona, the convoy hummed along the shores of Lake Garda before reaching Salò, where it retraced a stretch of the Garda Circuit raced for the first time in 1921 – precisely 100 years ago.
A warm welcome had met the cars at every turn, all the way through the race. And as the cars arrived back in Brescia, passion ran deep. Of the 375 cars that began the race, 341 crossed the finishing line. Competition had been spirited, camaraderie never wavered and motoring tradition endured.
Day four results:
• First place: 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Super Sport (number 43)
• Second place: 1929 Lancia Lambda Spider Casaro (number 41)
• Third place: 1927 Lancia Lambda Spider Casaro (number 24)
Credit: LAT Images
Coming a long way together
Deutsche Bank Wealth Management was proud to be a part of 1000 Miglia and to support this long-running race after an extremely challenging time for public events.
“Whether you’re behind the wheel or simply watching, 1000 Miglia never fails to lift the spirits of everyone involved,” said Nicky WestPoole, Head of Event & Partnership Marketing for Deutsche Bank International Private Bank. “Together with 1000 Miglia, we have come a long way as partners and are proud of our role in helping this great tradition to continue.”
Roberto Parazzini, Chief Country Officer of Deutsche Bank Italy, said that 1000 Miglia is “so steeped in emotion and history, one can’t help but be swept up in it all. This makes it a unique place for us to spend time with clients and bond over the passions we share.”
Indeed, it is a race that finds its way to the heart of everyone who experiences it.
1000 Miglia 2021 took place between Wednesday, June 16, and Saturday, June 19. Deutsche Bank Wealth Management was proud to be Global Lead Partner once again.
In partnership with
Deutsche Bank Art, Culture & Sports
All images credit: LAT Images
