The Mille Miglia 2024 was remembered by participants for its unpredictable weather, traffic and crowds of people, cheering the caravan along the entire route. Beatrice Saottini, the President of 1000 Miglia Srl, speaks about changes, popularization of the race in the world and educational work in schools in an interview with AutoClassicNews.
-This year you organized one of the longest races in history (5 days, 2200 km). What feedback did you get from the participants after the race?
-This year’s edition was challenging and exciting. The participants appreciated it even though they did point out that the effort required of the cars and crews was significant. Daring and passion are after all the characteristics of the 1000 Miglia!
-You have included Turin and Genoa in the route for the first time, why did you decide to include these cities?
-Two things will never change in the 1000 Miglia: first, that it takes place in Italy; second that the route goes from Brescia to Rome and back. What happens in between can change, we had been to Turin in 1947/1948 and decided to have a leg stop there, Genoa this year was the European Capital of Sport and so we took the opportunity to return to Liguria once again. We must never forget that the 1000 Miglia is about enhancing the Italian territory and its beauty as well as being a sporting competition.
-Looking ahead (3-5 years), would you like to expand the race’s geography by adding cities from neighboring countries as transit points in addition to San Marino, for example, Nice?
-As I said earlier, the 1000 Miglia has always been, is and will always be held in Italy: Brescia-Rome-Brescia, crossing territories already travelled by the historic 1000 Miglia. Our project to internationalise the brand in parallel is progressing enormously. Abroad, we present life to events that either technically prepare the crews (the 1000 Miglia Warm up), or show what the 1000 Miglia is, what its values and lifestyle are (1000 Miglia Experience).
-You have repeatedly stated that it is important for you to popularize the race among spectators. What steps have you already taken, and what do you plan to do in the near future?
-Our priority is to broaden the target audience, to make the brand known also to those who are not car enthusiasts, or to young people who have no recollection or cannot recall their parents’ memories of the historic editions. We want to tell the story of how the 1000 Miglia came into being, we want to emphasise its innovative role in the field of technology, how it contributed to the creation of infrastructure in Italy and ultimately to the reunification of our nation in the post-war period. Spectators are an indispensable part of the event: with their presence, warmth and participation they give meaning to the entire convoy of cars.
After the pandemic, which reduced spectator presence, we have noticed a steady recovery since 2022. This year, however, they amazed us even in Piedmont and Liguria, where they were less accustomed to our transit. All along the route as well as in the city centres, hundreds of people were waiting for us, sometimes thousands. In Brescia, we animated the centre by giving the competitors the chance to park their cars in the squares and along the main roads, and people responded with incredible enthusiasm.
-This year, for the first time in a long time, you held the awards ceremony in the historical center. Do you plan to repeat this next year?
-We plan to repeat it, because it was a success.
-This year, you presented two new races in Miami and China. Why did you decide to hold a second event in the USA and why are you interested in the Chinese market?
-These two events are new phases in the internationalisation of the brand. America and China are fertile markets with huge growth prospects, and are showing great interest in historic cars and regularity racing.
—You are conducting (planning) races in several countries: USA, United Arab Emirates, Switzerland, Austria, China. In which country/region are you planning to hold the races in the next 5-10 years?
-In 2025 there will also be Greece, in the coming years the path of internationalisation of our brand will continue wherever the interest in our world and the desire to know our values and our “bold thinking‘’ is manifested.
-In February, you announced the holding of lessons in schools about Milla Miglia. Can you tell us more about this program? Do you plan to conduct them on an ongoing basis? If so, in what format?
-It was a project desired by Automobile Club Brescia and 1000 Miglia Srl. The objective, greatly achieved, was to create awareness in the young people of the Brescia area about what the 1000 Miglia is, to make the new generations aware of the history and the path that led the Red Arrow to become a symbol of Italian excellence in the world. We are actively working to repeat this experience in schools; we believe that the 1000 Miglia, with its values and history, can be a source of inspiration for young people, as well as an important part of the past and present of their city and the culture of their grandparents.