1949 Mille Miglia

The 1949 Mille Miglia, held on 24–25 April, marked the 16th running of the historic race and introduced significant route modifications. The direction reverted to the prewar counterclockwise format, and for the first time the race bypassed Florence and Bologna, favoring a route through the Passo della Cisa, Sarzana, and down the Tyrrhenian coast via Livorno and Grosseto. Another innovation was the inclusion of L’Aquila and Pescara in the return leg, contributing to a total distance of 1,593 km, approximately 237 km shorter than the previous year.

Victory once again went to Clemente Biondetti, securing his fourth Mille Miglia win, this time with co-driver Ettore Salani in a Ferrari 166 MM Spyder Touring. Powered by a 2.0-litre V12 engine, the car completed the course in 12h 07m 05s, averaging 131.456 km/h—a record speed for the event and a further validation of Ferrari’s growing dominance in international endurance racing.

Second place went to Felice Bonetto and Francesco Cassani, also in a Ferrari 166 MM, who trailed by just under half an hour with an average speed of 126.576 km/h. The third-place finishers were Franco Rol and Vincenzo Richiero in an Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Competizione Coupé, a refined evolution of Alfa’s prewar design, completing the race in 12h 51m 10s at an average of 123.942 km/h.

The 1949 edition reaffirmed Ferrari’s place at the forefront of Italian motorsport. The event also showcased growing variety in road car development, with aerodynamic closed bodies like the Alfa’s continuing to compete alongside the lightweight open spyders. With improved roads and a more refined route, the Mille Miglia continued its postwar resurgence, reinforcing its status as Italy’s premier road race.

Winner: Biondetti/Salani – Ferrari 166 MM Touring