1947 Mille Miglia

The 1947 Mille Miglia, held on 21–22 June, marked the official return of the event after World War II. Now run over a revised 1,827 km course—the longest in Mille Miglia history—it reflected significant changes both in geography and logistics. For the first time, the race route included Turin and Milan, and reversed the traditional direction of travel. The poor condition of postwar roads shaped much of the revised layout.

Victory went to Clemente Biondetti and Emilio Romano in an Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Berlinetta Touring, fitted with a naturally aspirated 2.9-litre straight-eight engine, now without supercharger due to postwar regulatory constraints. They completed the race in 16h 16m 39s, at an average speed of 112.240 km/h. This marked Alfa Romeo’s eleventh overall Mille Miglia victory, and Biondetti’s second personal win.

Second place, only 16 minutes behind, was secured by Tazio Nuvolari—in what would be his final Mille Miglia—driving the small-displacement Cisitalia 202 Spyder MM (1,089 cc) with co-driver Francesco Carena. Despite battling serious health problems and a dramatic performance driving a lightweight, underpowered car, Nuvolari’s effort remains one of the most celebrated in Mille Miglia history. His average speed of 110.439 km/h stunned spectators and competitors alike.

Inico Bernabei and Tullio Pacini completed the podium in another Cisitalia 202 MM coupé, finishing just six minutes behind Nuvolari.

The route, demanding and newly configured, passed through key cities: Rome, Florence, Bologna, Turin, and Milan, among others. Notable segments included the Passo della Futa, Passo della Raticosa, and the challenging climbs through the Apennines. This postwar Mille Miglia was a symbolic relaunch of Italian motorsport, combining historic prestige with new engineering and sporting ambitions in a nation rebuilding its identity through competition.

Winner: Romano/Biondetti – Alfa Romeo 8c 2900 B Berlinetta Touring