The floodlights are on, the orchestra of the engines play roaring melodies, the crowd cheers the VIPs and they acknowledge their greeting either shaking theirs arms or stepping on the gas.

The 2005 Mille Miglia: tumultuous applause is granted everywhere: from the start in Viale Venezia to the hairpin bends up to the Castle in Brescia, then running at full speed with loose hair in the wind, along the upright roads which lead from Lombardy to Veneto. The welcome to the winding caravan both in Piazza Brà in Verona and in the city centre in Ostiglia is remarkable. The end of the first lap of Thursday is scheduled in Piazza Trento e Trieste in Ferrara. There are no proper adjectives to describe the celebration taking place in the city of the Estensi princes: an endless red carpet, music, a sumptuous banquet worthy of a king.

TWO ITALIAN MARQUES AT THE TOP OF THE TABLE: ALFA AND FERRARI

The first key trials, essential for the crews who cherish the hope of winning the regularity race, start a long winding procession of the 373 vintage cars, that have took part in the scrutineering, as soon as the cars reach the Veronese area. After the three time-trials held in Bussolengo, the Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 SS 1928 n.34 driven by Luciano Viaro from Trieste, one of the most successful regularity racers in the world, together with his co-driver Maurizio De Marco, are at the top of the table. This veteran car is very similar to the one that won the second edition of the Mille Miglia speed race in 1928, driven by Giuseppe Campari and Giulio Ramponi, who preceded the OM of Franco Mazzotti, one of the “Four Musketeers” who tackled the myth of the Red Arrow together with Renzo Castagneto, Aymo Maggi and Giovanni Canestrini.

Viaro, the official driver from Alfa Romeo in the cockpit of the treasure of the Alfa Romeo Historical Museum with 1506 scores, is ahead of the Vignale-bodied Ferrari 250 MM 1955 no 156 with the couple Federico Imbert and son with 1415 scores. Yesterday, after the excellent performance during the 2004 edition when he reached the finish line 17th out of 375 crew at the starting line, the financier from Milan and manager of the J.P.Morgan, made a flying start.
 
Valerio Accerenzi and Giuseppe Bettoncelli (1382 scores), in the cockpit of the Riley 12/4 1936 no 116, are third overall followed by Sergio Sisti from Ferrara, the winner of the former edition of the Mille Miglia, with his son Enrico as co-driver on the Healey Silverstone 1950 no 313 (1378 scores). Hans Werner Wirth with Ursula Schmitt (Alvis Speed 1937 no 99, 1357 scores) are fifth overall followed by Victor Rhomberg with Amedeo Cicotti (Lancia Lambda 1928 no 27) outdistanced only for 4 scores. The Brescian couple Bruno and Carlo Ferrari (Lancia Lambda S 1925 no 14, 1317 scores) are seventh overall, then the Argentinean winners of the 2003 Mille Miglia Carlos Sieleki and Juan Hervas (Bugatti T23 Brescia 1923 no 5) come with 1265 scores, ahead of the first female crew, Franca Boni and her daughter Monica Barziza, (BMW 328 Touring 1940 no 113) lagging behind for only 7 lengths. The two Brescian ladies, nine time winners  of the Ladies’Cup, have undertaken the race with brave spirit. Last year they claimed the 11th absolute position in a BMW 328. This year, the Munich car maker has consigned the Touring-bodied 328 MM to them, the car which triumphed with Giuliano Cané and Lucia Galliani as co-driver in 2002.
 

All together with passion. The winding caravan of the crews taking part in the 2005 Mille Miglia roars, running the second part of the lap to Rome, towards the capital city on a sunny afternoon characterized by a spring like light breeze. After the first regularity trials held in Bussolengo, in Veneto, on Thursday, 365 crews have left Ferrara running down the peninsula through Emilia Romagna, Marche, Umbria and Latium.

The fight for the head of the table involves many Italian and foreign participating teams, which vie in the six trials in Mercatino Conca and Monte Osteriaccia, between San Marino and Urbino and then in the grand finale with the last three trials in Gavelli before the arrival in Rome, with the expected passage through the city centre of the Eternal City.

Luciano Viaro and Maurizio De Marco from Trieste consolidate their position earned after Bussolengo. They boast 4071 scores driving their Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 SS 1928 no 34, followed by the Argentinian Carlos Sielecki and Juan Hervas, the winner of the 2003 Mille Miglia, in a Bugatti T23 Brescia 1923 no 5 (3747 scores) outdistanced for 324 scores. It is remarkable that the two vintage cars at the top of the table have, thanks their glorious past, the best coefficient of 1.70 to calculate the final score.

Viaro, the official driver of the Alfa Historical Museum, briefly stopped during his shot-running among the countryside between Marche and Umbria, and said: “It is only the beginning, so let’s not come to a rush conclusion! My 6C 1500 SS is a queen among the veteran cars, she runs like a Swiss clock with her engine, serviced anew some weeks ago and I am really glad I have achieved a good relation with my co-driver Maurizio De Marco, with whom I started competing 14 years ago (Rally dell’Elba, Lancia Fulvia 2C 1965). I’m happy that the Italian colours are shining again: after winning the Mil Millas in Argentina and the Japanese Edition of the MM, now we aim to reach the top position of the race, but it is too early now and the best part is yet to come.”

Sieleki is strenuously engaged in his fighting for the comeback: after Bussolengo he was eighth, now he is in the second position, tailing Vicaro. “The Argentinian school dictates the terms of the race and we are proud of it: I see four teams hoisting our white and light blue flag in the first eleven positions, nine of which are among the first fifties.”

Valerio Accerenzi and Giuseppe Bettoncelli from Bassano Bresciano confirm themselves in the third position: the 12/4 Riley 1936 boasts 3314 scores and is ahead of the Argentinian Claudio and Arturo Scalise (Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS 1931 no 80) of 98 scores. The crew really catching up, in fact, after Bussolengo they were not among the first ten. Ezio Perletti and Fabio Salvinelli (Fiat 514 Coppa Alpi 1930 no 67) boast 3061 scores thus gaining the fourth position, followed by industrialist Federico Imbert with his son Andrea (Ferrari 250 MM Vignale 1955 no 156) with 3047 scores, in the second position. Roberto Gaburri with his daughter Maria are in full recovery (7th, OM 665 TT 1928 no 39, 3004 scores), on the heels of Fernando Sanchez-Zinny from South Africa (8th, Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS, 2959 scores). Sergio Sisti and his son Enrico from Ferrara are 9th overall (Healey Silverstone 1950 no 313, 2956 scores), while another family, in love with regularity as well, come 10th: Bruno Ferrari and his son Carlo (Lancia Lambda 1925 no 14, 2933 scores), the winner of the 2004 Winter Marathon. Juan Carlos Colombetti (Aston Martin 2 Litre 1937 no 89, 2896 scores) and Paolo Danieli (Cisitalia 202 S MM 1947 no 151, 2768 scores) aim to enter the top ten.

Among the VIPs, Chicco Gnutti and his wife Ornella (Ferrari 340 America 1954 no 158) are 20th overall, Giacomo Bontempi and Franco Lucchesi (Triumph TR3 1957 no 188) come 70th, while Marco Saltalamacchia and Alex Zanardi (BMW 507 1957 no 265) are sitting in 118th place. Federica Balestrieri and Kristian Ghedina (Fiat 1100 TV 1955 no 162) are 168th overall. The 300 SLR Mercedes, no 300, that set with Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson the legendary record of the Mille Miglia as a speed race in 1955, is driven by Jochen Mass and Genannt Ritter, they are in the 28th position. The former world rally champion Miki Biasion coupled by John Spiller (Lancia Aurelia B20 1954 no 244) comes with some delay: he is 298th among the crews who have contended in the second lap of the Mille Miglia.