Ferrara Mille Miglia Start: Classic Cars, Route, and Enthusiasts
The journey toward the night that leads to Ferrara begins… with light. And not just for the very first ones to step onto the platform in viale Venezia, as had occasionally happened before.
The sweet evening of this Mille Miglia at the end of May also reveals to the packed enthusiasts behind the barriers the details of many other cars that until now had only been seen in the light of headlights and streetlamps.
The start and the classic tribute
The first to step down from the platform, as tradition dictates, is an Om 655 Superba: a tribute that renews itself to the car (produced by “Officine Meccaniche” of Brescia) that won the first “Coppa delle Mille Miglia,” in 1927.
Amid applause and waving flags, the siren of the motorcycle cop opening the way also sounds like a greeting.
A little further on, a tribute from the city to the reenactment of its famous race, are two municipal police officers: they will share the entire route, but on two wheels.
The route and the emotions along the way
The movement of the tricolor flag continues to mark the starts, captured by numerous cameras that accompany and scrutinize — from in front, beside, from above, from the asphalt… — the cars in the first meters of this adventure.
Applause and cheers with arms raised, as the line behind the barriers lengthens further along the route.
A few moments of walking, and here is piazzale Arnaldo, where the contestants parading downtown cross paths with those who, after the first crowd splash, turn right onto via Mantova.
It takes little for the show to become… double, and many enjoyed it last night.
The square and its show
The square becomes a sort of dividing strip in motor racing history, where the years, those of the cars’ construction, pass quickly.
A technical journey highlighted, before the cars come within sight, by the change in the tone of their engines.
Roars and crackles fade from one side of the square and regain strength after a few minutes on the other.
The barriers marking a proper distance for the turn towards via Mantova, where a group of Vigili (police officers) is stationed, soon become a prime vantage point for photographers and TV operators.
Also because every so often someone takes advantage of the brief stretch in the square to “clean” the engine, and for many traveling peacefully and enjoying the cheer of many spectators, there are also those who amuse themselves by “setting” the trajectory of the bend.
The return and final waits
The distance of the start quickly disappears in the city loop. Then a few minutes of waiting, and together, the cars that have already gathered begin to appear.
It is now dark. Cars continue to descend from the platform.
Personalities — from showbiz to automotive — alternate with many enthusiasts who have traveled around the world to be here, to enjoy this extraordinary moment, and to engage with what, even after so many years, is the journey of the Freccia Rossa.
Waiting to return here, to the finish line.