Celebrating the Art of Italian Coachbuilding
Celebrating the Art of Italian Coachbuilding
The 1957 Mille Miglia, held on 11–12 May, marked the twenty-fourth and final edition of the legendary race in its original form. Run over the 1,597 km course, identical to that used since 1954, the event would go down in history as both a technical triumph for Ferrari and a tragic conclusion to an era of open-road competition.
Piero Taruffi, a veteran of Italian motorsport and one of the few remaining pre-war racers still active, claimed a long-overdue victory at the wheel of a Ferrari 315 S Spyder Scaglietti. Driving solo, Taruffi completed the course in 10 hours, 27 minutes, and 47 seconds, averaging 152.632 km/h. It was the second-fastest average speed ever recorded in the Mille Miglia and a fitting capstone to his career—he retired from racing after the win.
Second place went to Wolfgang von Trips, also in a Ferrari 315 S, who finished just three minutes behind Taruffi. His drive confirmed Ferrari’s total domination, both in terms of engineering and driver performance.
Third place was secured by Olivier Gendebien and Jacques Washer, driving a Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta “Tour de France”. Their time of 10h 35m 53s at 150.688 km/h was particularly notable for a closed berlinetta, proving the versatility and endurance of Ferrari’s grand touring machinery.
Despite the success on the track, the 1957 Mille Miglia was overshadowed by the fatal accident involving Alfonso de Portago and co-driver Edmund Nelson, whose Ferrari 335 S suffered a tire failure near Guidizzolo. The crash resulted in eleven spectator deaths, including several children, and brought widespread condemnation of public road racing.
In response, the Italian government banned road racing, ending the Mille Miglia as a competitive event. The 1957 edition thus became the last of the original era—a legendary race concluded in both glory and sorrow.
Winner: Pietro Taruffi – Ferrari 315 S Spider Pinin Farina
6th place: Luglio-Carli – Ferrari 250 GTZ
