2012 Mille Miglia: Pictures

2012 Mille Miglia: Maranello

I was jolted out of bed somewhere between three and four this morning, when my bedroom began shaking violently from side to side. My first thought was “not again!” and my second was “I wish I hadn’t worn those sweatpants that are so old they are almost transparent to bed!” Just as I was about to put my shoes on, suddenly the tremor stopped and I breathed a sigh of relief. This was the kind of earthquake tremor that we had experienced here in Lodi earlier this January and we were not at the epicentre. I crawled back into bed and soon passed out, unaware that I had been near the origin of the earthquake only hours earlier.

When I awoke again, I turned on my computer to discover much to my horror that the 6. 3 magnitude earthquake had not only struck near the Emilia Romagna town of Modena, but that it had also killed at least three people. Apparently it is one of the largest earthquakes that the region has ever faced and my thoughts are with the victims and their families.

As some of you may already be aware, the historic Mille Miglia automobile race passed through both Modena and Maranello yesterday and I decided to travel to the home of Ferrari for what may be my last visit in a long time. As I reached my destination, I couldn’t help but think about all of the things that Ferrari means to me and also what my time living near Maranello has meant. Being able to keep a promise that I made to myself when I was a little girl, even if that promise seemed to be a little crazy has given me this wonderful sense of closure and also rekindled the feeling inside me that anything is possible.

When I arrived in the town, I headed immediately for my favourite spot overlooking the Fiorano circuit and after a few moments of contemplation, decided to make a trek around its perimeter. Fighting past overgrown grass as rain began to fall and being startled by random animal noises and abnormally healthy insects, I treated myself to some of Fiorano’s most spectacular views. I paused in particular in front of Enzo Ferrari’s old house and couldn’t help but laugh to think of the many times that I have tried to talk my way passed the security guards that protect the gates to Fiorano or wondered if I could somehow find a bush with a hole in it. I will miss this place and all of my random Maranello adventures. After a good hour spent admiring the track, I emerged from the long grass covered in dirt and certainly dishevelled looking. It’s like I always say, you know it’s been a good day out when you are caked in a layer of mud and sweat!

The Mille Miglia was scheduled to arrive in Maranello at around six in the evening but an hour before that, the Ferrari tribute to the race was set to pass through the historic front gates of the factory. The Mille Miglia race is important to Italian motorsport and to Modena’s motor valley in particular, but to Ferrari the race is of special significance. “The Mille Miglia arouses in me strong emotions, for this race epitomises long years of my life.” Enzo Ferrari wrote in his autobiography at the end of a chapter titled simply “Why?”. “I have been involved in it first as a competitor, then as the race organizer of the firm to which I belonged, Alfa Romeo; and, finally, as a car builder – always filled with admiration for the race itself and its champions. The Mille Miglia, in fact, was a competition that not only made a decisive contribution to the technical evolution of the cars themselves, but also revealed who were the real champions. No driver could call himself complete if his laurels did not include also a victory at Brescia.”

 In “My Terrible Joys” which is like a bible to tifosi like me, Ferrari continues to talk about the race with great fondness. He remembers funny stories such as the amusing incident when he observed Antonio Ascari’s mechanic, Sozzi, sweating profusely. Apparently Ascari had made him put pieces of led sheet in his pockets and shoes when he was found to be nine pounds under weight.

It seems as though Ferrari was even fond of some of the race’s strange regulations, such as one which forbid the use of horns. “Every mechanic carried with him a supply of hammers, bolts, old sparking plugs and other odds and ends that might be used as projectiles with which to signal to the driver in front- deafened by his engine- that he should make way for some one wishing to overtake him. Ah, those races of the heroic days of motoring.” He concluded.

Sadly for Ferrari, all of his memories of the event were not so pleasant. The Mille Miglia was banned in 1957 after two fatal crashes. The first crash involved Ferrari driver Alfonso de Portago and killed not only the driver and co-driver but also nine spectators, five of them children. Enzo Ferrari was blamed publically for the incident and although he was eventually cleared of charges that were lodged against him, it was a very difficult time for the Italian. Even after such tragedy, Ferrari’s support for the race and calls to have it reinstated continued.

In 1977, The Mille Miglia became the Mille Miglia Storica. Although its latest incarnation no longer showcases the latest technological advances or provides an arena for the world greatest drivers to do battle, the Mille Miglia still presents a challenge for both car and driver and is a fitting tribute to what was once one of the major events on the automotive calendar.

Enzo Ferrari was notorious for not wishing to look back but only to the future of his cars. In fact, he would often scrap old race cars after they had ceased to be of use to the team. I’m not sure what he would have thought of the modern-day Mille Miglia but for someone like me, who was not around for the dawn of motor racing, it is a unique opportunity to see historic cars being driven as they were intended to be, not collecting dust in a museum.

As the time for the arrival of the Mille Miglia approached, a crowd of fans congregated in front of the factory gates with cameras in hand. I heard many different languages and accents amongst them; there were the Germans, an elderly British couple and of course the ever-present tifosi. Some, I discovered, had been following the cars since they left Brescia on Thursday. One Italian man standing next to me explained that he follows the Mille Miglia every year and hopes one day to be able to even participate.

Present too were the paparazzi, who jostled for position in front of the barriers that had been erected to block off the street and keep spectators at bay. Several were extremely aggressive, shouting at one another in Italian. “Hey, you’re blocking my shot!” one of them exclaimed. “I’m just doing my job.” was the slightly frazzled photographer’s response. “No you’re not, you’re just being an ass!” the first paparazzo hissed with venom.

After observing the Ferrari tribute parade of mostly modern Ferraris pass through the gates of Maranello for quite some time, suddenly the first historic cars appeared. These were cars that I have only ever seen stationary before or in books filled with black and white photos, so to observe them passing right before my eyes in full living colour brought a huge grin to my face. In addition to the cars, some of the drivers even sported classic racing goggles and other gear from an era long gone. One by one, the cars made their way passed the crowd, waving and taking various pictures of their own.

One especially interesting entry was a 1952 Jaguar C-Type which was piloted by none other than Williams Grand Prix Engineering’s Patrick Head. He appeared to be enjoying the attention as his entry passed by where I was standing and the crowd gave him a big cheer as he was recognised. Stirling Moss fans may recognise this particular Jaguar as the car that the legendary driver used in the 1952 Mille Miglia. In fact, sixty years later, Sir Stirling Moss and former Jaguar chief development engineer, Norman Dewis, were reunited once more and drove the car during the race's first leg in Brescia. At the ages of 82 and 91 years old, the pair showed that their passion is as strong as ever.

After several hours of watching beautiful cars from several different positions near the historic factory gates, I happened to look at my watch and realised that it was very late. I asked a nearby police officer when the last bus left for Modena and where I could catch it and was informed that the last bus had in fact left. Faced with the sudden issue of how to get home, I left the Mille Miglia Storica and wandered into the city centre to find a taxi or perhaps book a hotel room for the night.

In all honesty, I was freaking out a little bit since I had on me only ten Euros and was not relishing the prospect of hitch hiking or sleeping in a field! Luckily for me as I passed several shops I noticed a bus stop where several people were waiting. One of the women told me that the last bus was due to arrive in two minutes and just as the words came out of her mouth, the large blue bus rolled around the corner.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief and assumed position on the left side; I wanted to see Maranello one more time. As the sun set, the bus took an unusual route through the town. It wound its way behind the Ferrari factory where employees usually enter the complex, it passed by people carrying Ferrari banners as the remaining Mille Miglia Storica cars arrived and it drove up the hill that overlooks the Fiorano circuit.

As I looked out the window at the miniature cars circulating around the track below, I felt a huge sense of gratitude for everything that I have experienced because of Ferrari. Without a doubt I was sad to leave once again, but I know in my heart that I will be back one day.

Happy Easter

Hi Everyone! With Easter approaching I am taking the opportunity to see some more of the country with friends. I won’t tell you where I am going as it may ruin the surprise, but you can definitely expect some beautiful pictures and interesting tales when I return next week! Until then, I leave you with a very embarrassing video of Michael Schumacher…dodgy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylj5CzKPbMQ

Happy Easter!

Palm Sunday in Lodi

Over the past year, it has become somewhat of a tradition of mine to go for a late morning stroll through Lodi’s historic centre on a Sunday. Usually many people are out and about and I love the relaxed atmosphere that stresses the importance of family and friends.

Today was no exception and the beautiful April temperatures brought out even more locals than usual. As I wandered down the cobblestoned streets and lanes, I noticed something out of the ordinary. Many people were carrying what appeared to be olive tree branches as they looked in shop windows that have now been decorated for Easter, or Pasqua as it is known in Italy. “Ciao Danielle!” I heard a voice ring out over the crowd. It was a friend of mine and I asked her what exactly was going on. “It’s Palm Sunday today!” she replied laughing “Go to the cathedral and you will see for yourself.” I took her advice and headed to Piazza della Vittoria where the Basilica Cattedrale della Vergine Assunta is located.

For those of you who are not familiar with the celebration, Palm Sunday marks the beginning of holy week in Italy. It is said to be the day that Jesus Christ rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and was greeted by hoards of followers. The bible describes how the people lined his path with their cloaks and palm leaves, thus giving birth to the name Palm Sunday.

When I arrived at the cathedral, many worshipers were entering and exiting the side doors and I decided to do the same. Once inside I saw that there was a service taking place and all of the seats were occupied, with only standing places remaining. I watched from the shadows for one moment, observing the proceedings in silence along with countless others around me. After several minutes, I noticed a large pile of olive branches on the cathedral’s floor. People exiting the church were taking several of them and leaving a small donation in a collection plate that had been placed upon a table near the door. I asked one woman what the olive branches were for and she explained that they had been blessed and that many people would adorn the crucifixes in their homes with them. Apparently they use olive branches in Italy because they are easier to obtain than palm leaves. Although I am not religious, I made my offering of one Euro and took a neatly packaged bundle of the branches home with me. Perhaps they will bring me good fortune this year.

I returned later on in the day to explore the inside of the cathedral for myself without the masses. I figured that since today was a day of religious significance, I might as well immerse myself in all things catholic. While the outside of the duomo is certainly more impressive than the inside, the cathedral boasts a few beautiful displays. There is also a wonderful museum located up a flight of stairs that houses some of the building’s historic artifacts and sculptures. Oddly enough, although I have lived in Lodi for almost a year now, I had never actually been into the duomo until today and the positive experience has definitely spurred me on to check out the insides of more historical buildings in the area.

After my brush with religion, I elected to explore the Sunday market, which congregates directly behind the cathedral. Although it is not a particularly large market, it is always a fun place to hunt for bargains and to purchase clothing especially.

On the first Sunday of every month in Lodi there is also an antiques and crafts market which takes place near Piazza Castello. This particular market is a treasure trove of oddities and one can spend a great deal of time rummaging through everything from old military helmets to antique furniture. As I strolled at a leisurely pace, greeting various acquaintances of mine along the way, I couldn’t help but feel extremely lucky to be in Lodi. In the background, a band began to play and a man’s voice echoed through the streets. “Summertime, and the living is easy. Fish are jumping and the cotton is high.” He sang with a thick Italian accent. “Your daddy’s rich and your mamma’s good looking. So hush little baby don’t you cry.” It’s moments like these that make you appreciate the beauty of life and pause for just a moment to smell the roses.

While I’m sure that Palm Sunday celebrations may have been more extravagant elsewhere in Italy, the simplicity of Lodi’s observance of the occasion was charming. I love these people’s zest for life and I think that we could all learn a thing or two from the Italians.