The passage of the 1000 Miglia from Villafranca di Verona scheduled for next Saturday 15 June was presented on Friday morning by the Automobile Club Verona and the Municipality of Villafranca di Verona, in the Council Room of the Town Hall. The famous race will stop in Villafranca di Verona, on the last stretch of the route from San Lazzaro di Savena to Brescia. This event marks the return of the 1000 Miglia to Villafranca after the last edition of 2020, which took place in the midst of the Covid-19 emergency, and which was exceptionally held in the month of October.
This year the anticipation is particularly high since the competitors of the 1000 Miglia will cross the evocative scenery of the Scaligero Castle, one of the most important historical and cultural symbols of the city, in the central phases of the day. Built in the 13th century, the Scaligero Castle was a strategic defense point for the Scaligeri family and is today one of the most fascinating places in the Veronese province. Its grandeur and historical beauty will offer a unique and evocative context for the passage of cars.
The Automobile Club Verona has organized an exclusive area inside the Castle for guests and guests, guaranteeing an unforgettable experience, while outside the castle a large exhibition area open to all will be set up. This area will include a display of cars, will allow you to have fun with racing simulators and will also host the official 1000 Miglia merchandise in a dedicated corner.
The 2024 edition of the 1000 Miglia will see the participation of 33 nations, with Italy confirming itself as the country with the highest number of competitors. There will be 71 examples of cars that took part in the historic 1000 Miglia speed race. The lineups will include some of the most iconic cars, such as Alfa Romeos and Bugattis. In particular, 50 Alfa Romeos, including a rare block of 6C 1750s and three 8Cs, 31 Porsches, 27 Jaguars, 25 Mercedes Benz, 21 Ferraris and 17 Bugattis will set off from Brescia on 11 June to return on Saturday 15, after having traveled over 2,000 km, with the usual turning point in Rome on the evening of Thursday 13 June.
Contending for the victory will be crews of great caliber, including Andrea Vesco and Fabio Salvinelli, looking for their fourth consecutive title, and the Argentine couple Juan Tonconogy and Barbara Ruffini, winners in 2018. Belometti-Ricca is also among the candidates for the podium , Fontanella-Covelli, Sisti-Gualandi and Turelli-Turelli. The cars admitted to the 1000 Miglia 2024, to guarantee excellence and authenticity, are all registered in the 1000 Miglia Register, as per the regulations. Confirmed participants include celebrities such as Jacky Ickx, Miki Biasion and Savina Confaloni, while further confirmations are awaited from VIPs and famous pilots who, as usual, will arrive last.
The program of the event foresees the opening of the Village 1000 Miglia as early as Friday 14 June 2024 at 6 pm for a preview evening which will also join the Food Truck Festival “Cucine a Motore” for the involvement of adults and children. There will be an exhibition of some very rare and beautiful Rolls-Royces thanks to the collaboration with British Motors of Villafranca. The key day will be Saturday 15 June 2024, with the opening of the gates of the Scaligero Castle scheduled for 8:00 am for those invited to the exclusive area. The arrival of the Ferrari Tribute to 1000 Miglia, the supercars and the 1000 Miglia Green is expected at 8.45am, while the first car of the historic 1000 Miglia is expected at 10am. The event will end around 3pm. Arrival of the cars are obviously indicative and could be subject to variations. The route will see the cars arrive from the South and enter the castle from the South using the access on Via Perugia. After crossing the area inside the Castle, the competitors will exit from the main access arch and walk along Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, which is preparing for the usual invasion of enthusiasts and flags.
Present at the presentation were the president of the Automobile Club Verona Adriano Baso, the director Riccardo Cuomo, the mayor of Villafranca Roberto Luca Dall’Oca, the councilor for culture, events and demonstrations of Villafranca Claudia Barbera, the vice-president of the Automobile Club Verona Martino Dall’Oca, the president of ACI Gest Srl Alberto Riva and the councilor of the Municipality of Villafranca and the Province of Verona Leonardo Bertasini. «A great celebration for Villafranca and for the entire Province of Verona. – said Adriano Baso – We will be protagonists of the most awaited day, that of the arrival, and we will continue a tradition that began many years ago in which the passage from our territory is one of the most awaited and attended. The Scaligero Castle will be a splendid setting and will allow all participants, inside and outside the cockpits, to live a unique experience. A special thank you to the municipal administration of Villafranca di Verona, to the Mayor, to all our partners who support us and allow us to create an event like this.”
Roberto Luca Dall’Oca, mayor of Villafranca di Verona, finally added: «An important return to Villafranca. In 2020 we were unable to do it fully due to Covid, but today we are presenting an event that will even have a prologue with the 1000 Miglia Village on Friday evening. I hope that Saturday will be a great day of celebration for Villafranca and the people of Villafranca who will be able to attend the Most Beautiful Race in the World which will certainly allow great promotion of our territory.”
