The Legacy of the Mille Miglia - Part 1: When Brescia invented the ‘Most Beautiful Race in the World’
08 November 2025 2 min read 5 images
Photo credit: 1000 Miglia
There is a heart that has been beating for almost a century to the rhythm of engines: it is that of Brescia, the Lioness of Italy, cradle of the Mille Miglia. Here, between history and passion, a legend was born in 1927 that continues to make the world dream: the ‘Freccia Rossa’ (Red Arrow), symbol of courage, ingenuity and freedom. Let's retrace its history together, right up to the recent partnership established with Roarington to look to the future.
From the first races to the dawn of the legend (1899-1926)
The history of motor racing in Brescia began on 14 March 1899 with the Verona-Brescia-Mantua-Verona race, won by a young Ettore Bugatti on a Prinetti and Stucchi tricycle. A few months later, on 10-11 September 1899, the people of Brescia organised the first city races: the Corsa Automobilistica di Velocità – Brescia and the Brescia-Mantua-Verona-Brescia, a sign of a passion that was ignited and would never be extinguished.
On 5 September 1904, the Brescia Circuit was created, covering a distance of 185 km to be completed twice. The following year, on 9 September 1905, Brescia hosted the first Coppa Florio, consolidating its reputation as the capital of racing. On 4 September 1921, thanks to Arturo Mercanti, the city had the honour of organising the 1st Italian Grand Prix, held on the “Circuito della Fascia d'Oro” in Montichiari. The following year, the race was moved to Monza, but the seed of the legend had already been sown. On 14 November 1926, the Automobile Club of Brescia was officially founded, ratified by the Royal Decree establishing the Public Automobile Register. It was a sign that Brescia no longer wanted to just watch races: it wanted to create them.
1926-1927: The Four Musketeers and the birth of the legend
In December 1926, three friends from Brescia met at the Milanese home of journalist Giovanni Canestrini: Franco Mazzotti, Aymo Maggi and Renzo Castagneto, accompanied by Flaminio Monti. The idea was bold: to create a road race that combined sport, technology and tourism, crossing Italy for over 1,600 km.
It was at that meeting that the name “Coppa delle Mille Miglia” was born. Mazzotti proposed measuring the distance in miles rather than kilometres, a choice that would give the race an international flavour. A few months later, on 18 January 1927, the organisational headquarters opened in Corso Magenta, Brescia. The dream machine was ready to go.
26 March 1927: The first 'Freccia Rossa'
At 8 o'clock in the morning on 26 March 1927, the first Mille Miglia set off from Viale Venezia. Leading the way, Maggi and Maserati's Isotta Fraschini inaugurated a race that would change the history of motor racing.
Amidst rain, fog and dust, 77 crews took on the unpaved roads of Italy. After 21 hours, 4 minutes and 48 seconds, Nando Minoja and Giuseppe Morandi's O.M. 665 Superba crossed the finish line at an average speed of 77.238 km/h. The Corriere della Sera newspaper ran the enthusiastic headline: ‘The car has travelled the roads of half of Italy like a master of time and space.’ The Mille Miglia was born, and with it a legend that unites people, cities and dreams.
Brescia: The heart of the race
Behind the perfection of the organisation is Renzo Castagneto, director of the Automobile Club of Brescia, the true driving force behind the race. He is the one who transforms Brescia into a motor racing capital, organising logistics, relations with car manufacturers and side events.
Piazza della Vittoria, inaugurated in November 1932, became the stage for the "punzonatura" ceremony, which precedes the start.
The legacy of the ‘Freccia Rossa’ (Red Arrow)
Since then, the Mille Miglia has been more than just a competition. It is a story of style, passion and Italian spirit. Its roots lie in the names of the ‘Four Musketeers’ Canestrini, Mazzotti, Maggi and Castagneto and in the tireless work of the Automobile Club of Brescia, which still preserves its spirit today.
As Giovanni Canestrini wrote in 1927:
‘With cars normally on sale, you can travel on the existing roads of our country at high speeds, safely and regularly. The Mille Miglia must have a technical, social and, why not, tourist function.’
And perhaps this is the secret of its immortality. Because in Brescia, even today, it is not only blood that flows through the veins: petrol, passion and pride flow too.
In the next episode, we will recount the speed editions from 1927 to 1957, the golden years of the ‘Freccia Rossa’ (Red Arrow), when the roads of Italy became the largest circuit in the world and the Mille Miglia became a legend.
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