Editorial

“Fortified by brandy, chain-smoking and driving at a maniacal pace…” No, not an addendum to your Editor’s Maserati road test this week, but an extract from the latest book on that most glamorous of motor races; the Mille Miglia.

It wouldn’t happen now of course, (well it will actually, after much political wrangling the modern version will take place in five weeks’ time, and with due care and consideration to booze, fast cars and fags), but when Giovanni Bracco averaged 79.92 mph over 12hr 9min 45sec in 1952 to win that year’s event, in early post-War Europe it was probably considered ‘normal’ behaviour.

His car was a Ferrari, so we are reminded of the Italian company’s 60th anniversary this year, and it was on the difficult Futa Pass section that the smoking, toping Bracco passed the seemingly unstoppable Mercedes 300Sls. Romance 1 – Teutonic Efficiency 0.

I’m not sure where you place Nigel Mansell, certainly not ‘romantic’ in the normal sense of the word, but gifted with the sobriquet ‘Leone’ by the tifosi was a key player in what was probably the last ‘exciting’ era of grand prix racing. Well he’s back, Ferrari-mounted again and driving at Silverstone next month.

The moustache might have gone but you can be sure that all the old Mansell characteristics will be there and who’s to know that a solar flare may blind him at a crucial point in the race, or that mice may have eaten through his crutch straps.

Predictable he ain’t – and all the better for that.

Steve Wakefield Managing Editor sw@classicdriver.com