VILLA D’ESTE AND MILLE MIGLIA 2020 POSTPONED

The organizers had hoped and believed for quite a long time everything would turn out fine in the end. Unfortunately they had to realize that the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and the Mille Miglia 2020 cannot take place in May. They have decided to postpone  both events till the end of October 2020 in the hope the situation will have improved significantly by then.

A traditional event like the Mille Miglia, which first edition dates back to 1927, likes to hold onto traditions. One of those traditions is the time of the event which has always been in spring. Also the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este took always place in spring. Anyone who has been following the bad news from Italy in the past few weeks may have suspected that the Corona virus will also affect Ville d’Este and Mille Miglia. Until recently, the organizers had hoped to be able to host the popular classic car rally. In a country that is currently at a standstill, in which large sections of the population must be cared for and public life has come to a standstill this is just not possible. It is unimaginable that in two months’ time 400 vehicles built between 1927 and 1957 will drive through the streets and alleys of northern Italy in front of thousands of onlookers cheering on the drivers and their classic cars. Also the region next to the Como lake where Villa d’Este is located is suffering badly from COVID-19 virus.

It makes absolute sense to end the uncertainty among registered participants, fans and sponsors and announce the bad news that the streets of northern Italy will remain calm this May. Considering the health and safety of participants and spectators there really was no alternative. Moreover, it would have been highly unlikely the authorities would have approved this year’s edition in spring anyway.

So now the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este will not take place from May 22nd to 24th, but from October 16th to 18th. The new date of the Mille Miglia should be from OCtober 22nd to 25th 2020 instead of May 13th to 16th. This was announced today by Franco Gussalli Beretta, President of 1000 Miglia srl and Aldo Bonomi, President of the Brescia Automobile Club. Anyone who knows the enthusiasm of participants and spectators alike knows that it does not depend on the season. Therefore, the few months of postponement would not limit the enthusiasm for the events. We can only hope the situation will improve by then and the replacement date can be kept. Not so much for the sake of the Mille Miglia, but even more so for the countless Italians who are directly and indirectly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects throughout Italy.

Text Paolo Ollig

Author: Paolo Ollig

As editor-in-chief Paolo regularly writes about all the big and small stories related to classic cars and motorbikes. Classic dreams: Lamborghini Countach and Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. View all posts by Paolo Ollig →