The tragic crash who caused the end of the original Mille Miglia
Mille Miglia is one of the most beautiful race in the world but sadly there was tragic moments as well...
The Mille Miglia is a well know open road, endurance race, which takes place across the beautiful Italian countryside landscapes, every year hundreds of old cars driven by pilots from all around the world, take part at this magnificent event in a three day race from Brescia to Roma and back, for a total of 1600 kilometers or in miles a thousand, mille in Italian, in the revival of this race who have its origin in 1924 and for the reason I’m going to explain ended in 1957.
However let’s have a look at the beginning of what's defined the most beautiful race in the world instead of going straight to its end.
In 1924 after Brescia wasn't picked for host the Gran Premio d’Italia, Count Aymo Maggi with the help of Renzo Castagneto and some nobility members organized the first edition of the Mille Miglia, then it became a great success, every year the amount of participants increased and foreign racing team joined the event as well, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Mercedes- Benz and many others competed with Italian's car manufacturers across the years, then with the beginning of WW2 the race was suspended and it didn't started again until 1947, until come to an end in 1957.
The last original Mille Miglia race
1957 the Mille Miglia is at its 24th edition and the cars are running the last leg of the race, on the road between Cerlongo and the small town of Guidizzolo the crowd of viewers of all ages is looking at the stunning parade of cars running the last 70 kilometers to Brescia, where the finish line is settled, then the tragedy.
The Ferrari 355 S driven by Alfonso De Portago is passing by at more than 250 kmph, the end is near and the driver is pushing the car to the edge, the crowd cheer and shout in excitement… until one of the tyres blow up.
In a blink of an eye the car lose control and hit a telephone pole before be thrown in the near brook, but that is not enough for stop the veichle, the car bounce to the other side of the road where it finally stop, upside down, in the opposite brook. There’s nothing to do for De Portago and his co driver, Edmund Gurner Nelsen both killed by the impact, neither for ten viewers, five of them just kids, who tragically lost their lives.
Another twenty people got injured in the deadly course of the car and reports say the drivers were barely recognizable, as much the crash was violent.
photo credits : motor-chicche.blogspot.com
Here the video aired at the time, where the wrecked rests of the car give a slightly idea of how terrible the accident was.
Alfonso de Portago, Spanish millionaire, bob sleight racer and driver, made his debut in Motorsport in 1953 at the Carrera Panamericana and won across the years six Major races as the Tour de France, the Portuguese Grand Prix and the Nassau Governor’s cup. The pilot was known as two-car man for the amount of cars wrecked and burn up parts as clutches and brakes.
After the crash Enzo Ferrari and his team were sued and investigations discovered that De Portago, in a spur of competitiveness, determined to win the race avoided to change the worn out tyre, who lately exploded causing the tragedy.
But there's more…
Sadly a crash wasn't enough for that day, further back near Florence a Triumph TR3 driven by Joseph Gottgens lost control and the driver died in hospital after the accident.
Italy who avoid the ban on Motorsport in the previous years, caused by the terrible accident occurred in 1955's edition of the 24 hours of Le Mans, after this tragedies banned all motoring races on open roads, putting an end to the Mille Miglia, until the seventie,s when this event had a revival as historical event.
Mille Miglia is still one of most loved race, not crash free sadly, but it keep run, I hope for many years to come.
If you want have a look at a short review of 2018 edition here is my post about:
Motorsport is full of sad story like this one, what's the one which impressed you the most? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks for read!
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Comments (9)
Bel lavoro,brava. Ci sono due imperfezioni pero',la localita' è Guidizzolo,hai scritto Guidizzo e lui è De Portago,nn Portego. Ciao
Grazie per avermelo detto, correggo subito, scrivere alle tre di notte non è l ideale a quanto pare 😅
Eh,il caldo anche... Da Guidizzolo ci passo,è per quello che lo conosco,ed è in provincia di MN. Ciao
I love historical stories like this, keep them coming
I'm happy you liked it! I will! :)
one of the most dramatic accidents to a 1000 miglia😢😢😭