1953 Mille Miglia

The 1953 Mille Miglia, held on 25–26 April, marked a new era of speed and international prestige for the historic Italian road race. The route remained largely similar to the previous year, save for a notable revision between Rieti and Rome, where the traditional pass through Terni, Narni, and Civita Castellana was removed. This change brought the total race distance down to 1,512 km, yet the competition reached unprecedented intensity.

Victory went to Giannino Marzotto, paired once again with Marco Crosara, in a Ferrari 340 MM Spyder Vignale powered by a 4.1-litre V12. Their performance was both dominant and historic: 10h 37m 19s at an average speed of 142.347 km/h, establishing a new Mille Miglia record and confirming Ferrari’s engineering supremacy. Marzotto, racing in a lightweight open car prepared specifically for this event, mastered the diverse terrain and outpaced a formidable international field.

Finishing second, just over 11 minutes behind, was Juan Manuel Fangio—then on the rise as a Formula One star—driving an Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM Berlinetta Colli with Giulio Sala. The Alfa Romeo, featuring an advanced 3.5-litre straight-six and aerodynamic body, was developed specifically to challenge Ferrari’s dominance. Despite a strong showing, it could not match the raw pace of Marzotto’s Ferrari.

Third place was claimed by Felice Bonetto and U. Peruzzi in a Lancia D20 Coupé Pininfarina, Lancia’s new competition model with a 3.0-litre V6 and a sleek fastback body. Their result proved the car’s endurance potential on long-distance circuits.

The 1953 edition marked a shift toward professional factory efforts and underscored the Mille Miglia’s role as a proving ground for sports racing cars. The speeds achieved foretold the technological and competitive escalation that would define the coming years of road racing.

Winner: Marzotto/Crosara – Ferrari 340 MM Spider Vignale