An early summer party. And the background was the rhythm of the engines. The passage through Prato of the Mille Miglia 2024, as part of the fourth stage of the most beautiful race in the world, was a combination of colours, emotions and fun, with some inevitable traffic inconveniences, modified to make room for vintage cars and allow passage to Piazza Duomo. Hundreds of people were present along the route which saw over 400 historic vehicles transit between Prato, Carmignano and Poggio a Caiano. The first to arrive in Viale della Repubblica, in the Pecci Museum area, were the 120 Ferrari Tributes which preceded the full electric cars of the Mille Miglia Green, and then the 420 historic cars of the caravan. Finally, the arrival of the unique model hypercars. Many people from Prato were also present in the historic center between Piazza Santa Maria delle Carceri, Piazza del Comune and Piazza del Duomo, where they witnessed the first historic passage of the caravan. In fact, never before had the Mille Miglia passed in front of the Prato Cathedral. In detail, the vintage cars underwent stamp checks in the Town Hall square and time checks at the Emperor’s Castle.
“Everything went perfectly – comments the president of Aci Prato, Federico Mazzoni –. We want to thank all the people of Prato for their warmth, but above all the associations and institutions for having supported us on the organizational side”. There are also numerous stands present in the historic center to frame the passage of the caravan. In Piazza del Duomo those from the world of associations, in the Municipality the hospitality gazebos of Aci Prato, in San Francesco the commercial ones and with the sale of merchandising.
“Just as happened in 2021, Prato confirmed its motorsport vocation and showed off the beauty of the route – continues Mazzoni –. A double confirmation that already pushes us to look to the near future and evaluate new applications for the passage from Prato of the Mille Miglia”. The passage of vintage cars from the Lanificio Fratelli Balli was also evocative, while previously there had also been the passage from Porta Pistoiese, with the greeting of the Chinese community.
“We are proud to have brought the Mille Miglia to Prato again – concludes the director of Aci Prato, Claudio Bigiarini –. The response from the city has been splendid. And this gives us even more energy to continue organizing high-class motoring events in the area level”.
This year’s race also had a green vocation. It was in fact a zero-emission stage, as part of an agreement with the municipal administration which will lead to the planting of 36 trees over the course of a year to offset around 14 tonnes of emissions into the environment. The figure calculated by Aci, together with technical staff, takes into account all the 2024 events of the Automobile Club Prato. The area for the insertion of the trees will be identified together with the Municipality in the coming weeks.
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