Mille Miglia Diary

7:50 AM:  We get ready to leave, with a start time at around 8:50 AM. “Only” 440 km today, but with a fair amount of mountainous driving. We begin to realize that Peter and I both have our specialties. He is better at cut and thrust open road driving, having discovered that he can wind 3rd gear out to much higher revs than I had thought possible, and he has more faith in the drum brakes than I have. I seem to be at my best in the mountains, navigating the tight bends and using a lot of engine braking. I manage to keep up with the agile TRs, Lotuses and even the 2000 Sportiva spider in the windy bits. We start to realize that out and out power is not the key to the MM. While the magnificent Ferraris leave us in the dust on the straights, lesser machinery, including Fiat 1100s, a Renault Dauphine Gordini and even a Rover 75, come into their own in the curves, manipulated by crack drivers.

We also notice that many of the competitors benefit from an extensive support network, including mobile pitstops (loos, food and beverages) and dedicated mechanical support teams. But our experience with the event-provided Assistenza, who periodically check in on us, is superb. We tightened the generator bolt once more during the day, somewhat concerned that if we overdo it the threads might be stripped.

8:50 PM: Ironically, the entry into Milan at dusk is as chaotic as the entry into Rome was orderly. Police escorts are nowhere to be seen, and some cars overheat as we crawl through the traffic. The cathedral is magnificent, however and it has been perhaps the best day of pure driving joy.