We all know a bit about the 1000 Miglia, and maybe you've already seen some of our videos about it. But it's a much different experience taking you behind the scenes and showing you what happens during the most beautiful race in the world, as Enzo Ferrari called it.
Not only that: I do it aboard the new Alfa Romeo Junior in its first official dynamic public outing. Alongside a stunning 1956 1900 Super Sprint driven by Andrea Farina and Davide Cironi from Motor1 Italy, we meet many of the people who contributed to the arrival of the new Alfa SUV.
With that, those are the perfect ingredients for a memorable experience.
The ABCs of the 1000 Miglia
But first, a quick quick overview. The 1000 Miglia starts in Brescia, Italy, passes through Rome, and then goes back to Brescia for a total of about 1,000 miles driven (although the 2024 edition exceeded 1,200 miles).
Only models from 1927 to 1957 that have already done the 1000 Miglia at least once—or cars of historical significance—can enter the event. It's a regularity race, not a speed race, so you have to stick to the timetable and official timing.
With average speed or timed special stages, points or penalties are accumulated and judges determine a score. Older cars have corrective coefficients so they can keep up with more modern cars.
"Our" 1,000 Miles
Okay, so those are the rules. What the rules do not say, however, is what the 1000 Miglia really means. I got to meet many key players during the journey—Jean-Philippe Imparato, CEO of Alfa Romeo, but also Roberto Giolito, Head of Heritage Stellantis; Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, Head of Alfa Romeo Design; Daniela Coluccia, Head of Alfa Romeo Global Brand Content; Mario Lamagna, Senior Product Manager for Junior; and Domenico Bagnasco, Alfa Romeo High-Performance Validation Manager.
For Andrea and Davide Cironi, and the legendary Bartolomeo "Meo" and Paolo—the two technicians who followed the 1900 in the weeks leading up to the race—it was a special chance to rediscover the love for cars and the true passion for engines.
The Alfa Romeo Junior's First Public Outing
As CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato explained to me, there could not have been a more suitable occasion than the 1000 Miglia to get the new Junior on the road for the first time.
In fact, one of the most anticipated and discussed cars of the year managed to attract the attention of curious onlookers of all ages. A sign that Alfa Romeo's goal—to offer a model capable of attracting many different types of customers—has been met.
The Junior is offered in three powertrains. The base model has a 1.2-liter mild-hybrid engine with 136 horsepower, and there are two electric variants with 156 and as much as 280 hp. The Junior, thanks to the styling penned by Alfa Romeo's designers and the performance done by engineers, promises to be the benchmark in its class in terms of driving dynamics.
