In anticipation of the upcoming departure of “the most beautiful race in the world,” let's analyze the route of the 2023 competition, which presents some interesting peculiarities.
1000 Miglia 2023: One Extra Day
The first novelty of this edition is the extension of the race duration. The 2023 race will consist of 5 days, starting on Tuesday, June 13, and concluding on Saturday, June 17.
This change aims to make the summer route of the event less demanding. The race in June is particularly challenging for both the crews and the cars. Reducing the daily distance will allow for more rest and provide the assistance teams with better opportunities to manage the inevitable technical issues of the vehicles.
Here are the details of the stages and cities with their respective passing times:
- June 13, 2023 – First Stage: Brescia, Desenzano del Garda, Sirmione, Peschiera del Garda, Bovolone, Occhiobello, Ferrara, Imola, Autodromo Imola, Forlì, Cervia/Milano Marittima
- June 14, 2023 – Second Stage: Cervia/Milano Marittima, Pisignano, Savignano sul Rubicone, Sant'Arcangelo di Romagna, San Marino, Pesaro, Fano, Senigallia, Recanati, Macerata, Fermo, Ascoli Piceno, Arquata del Tronto, Pescara del Tronto, Rieti, Rome
- June 15, 2023 – Third Stage: Rome, Lake Bracciano, Lake Vico, Viterbo, Lake Bolsena, Radicofani, San Quirico d'Orcia, Siena, Colle Val d'Elsa, Poggibonsi, San Miniato, Vinci, Quarrata, Pistoia, Passo dell'Abetone, Modena, Parma
- June 16, 2023 – Fourth Stage: Parma, Stradella, Pavia, Alessandria, Asti, Vercelli, Novara, Milan
- June 17, 2023 – Fifth Stage: Milan, Treviglio, Stezzano, Bergamo, Gussano, Brescia
1000 Miglia 2023 – First Stage: Brescia – Cervia/Milano Marittima
The first stage of the 2023 edition follows the classic route towards the Adriatic coast (this year, the race follows a clockwise direction).
After the impressive Time Trial with the ascent to the Castle in Brescia (an excellent spot for taking photos of the event), the race continues towards the Ghedi Air Base, where the crews will face the second time trial.
Following that, the crews will reach Desenzano after a scenic route along the lake. The public turnout in these areas is always remarkable. The first car is expected to arrive at the Stamp Control in Porto della Maratona at 2:05 PM.
The route continues along Lake Garda with the second Stamp Control scheduled in Sirmione, where the cars will follow a U-shaped path towards the marina (first car arrives at 2:20 PM).
After passing through Peschiera del Garda, the cars will leave the lake and head towards Verona. The first car is expected to arrive at 3:20 PM, and the cars will ideally embrace Piazza Bra to undergo the Stamp Control (another picturesque location to see the vehicles).
Following the Time Control and grouping in Bovolone (at 16:10), the race moves along the Po River for the timed trial that will pass through Occhiobello. After crossing the river, the race will continue into the Emilia-Romagna region towards the picturesque Time Control of Ferrara, where the cars will briefly stop in Trento and Trieste Square (first car at the TC at 17:50).
The cars will then pass through Argenta and then turn towards Lugo, the birthplace of Francesco Baracca, for the stamping control at 19:15 (first car). Following that, in the heart of the Motor Valley, after the Time Control in Imola (at 19:50), the cars will undertake an exciting timed trial, driving on the Enzo and Dino Ferrari racetrack.
After the timed control in Forlì, which is hosting the Red Arrow for the second time (first car expected at 20:45), the cars will definitively head towards the coast, ending with the Time Control at Piazza Andrea Costa in Cervia/Milano Marittima, scheduled for the first car at 21:30.
1000 Miglia 2023 – Second stage: Cervia/Milano Marittima – Rome
The second stage, starting early in the morning at 6:50 (first car), features a beautiful route towards Rome, with the Adriatic coast in the foreground.
In truth, the starting Time Control is located near the Military Airport of Pisignano. After crossing Savignano sul Rubicone and Sant'Arcangelo di Romagna, the cars will tackle the ascent of Mount Titano to reach San Marino, where, after a timed trial, the teams will perform a stamping control at 8:05.
The race will then undertake a long transfer (including a regularity trial) to return to the coast until Pesaro (first car at 9:50) with a Time Control at Piazza della Libertà near the Pomodoro Sphere monument. Once again, for enthusiasts, the presence of the Time Control will provide an opportunity to see the cars at a more relaxed pace.
From Pesaro, the race continues along the coast, passing through Pesaro, Fano, and Senigallia, with a timed control at 10:40. The route along the coast continues until just before Ancona.
The city of Ancona is bypassed by the race, which instead rejoins the coast with a regularity trial at the slopes of Mount Conero, concluding the area with a stamping control in Loreto and passing through the center of Recanati.
The morning ends with a lunch break at the Diaz Gardens in Macerata (first car departs at 12:55). From the restart, the cars will undertake a regularity trial during the transfer to Fermo (stamp control from 14:40) and then turn towards Ascoli Piceno (stamp control at 16:10).
After this route, the Red Arrow returns to the areas affected by the earthquake in the summer of 2016, passing through Arquata del Tronto, Pescara del Tronto, and skirting Amatrice. The section of the race ends in Rieti, with a scheduled Time Control at 18:30.
From here onwards, the focus is firmly set on Rome, where the arrival is expected at 20:15 with the classic passage/showcase in Villa Borghese.
1000 Miglia 2023 – Third Stage – From Rome to Modena
The third stage, as usual, takes the Red caravan back north. Departure, as usual, from the Parco de Medici Hotel in the Tor di Valle area at 6 am (first car).
Stamp Control at Lake Bracciano near the MUAM, the Historical Museum of the Italian Air Force (at 6:50 am).
Following that, after the regularity trial planned at Lake Vico and the stamp control in Viterbo at 8:20 am at Piazza del Plebiscito, the race moves along Lake Bolsena, where regularity trials will be conducted until the arrival at the time control near Radicofani (at 9:50 am).
The passage through the delightful Tuscan village is scheduled after the time control (which takes place in the industrial area before the village). The race then resumes its route through the Val D'Orcia, with regularity trials along the way and a timed trial in San Quirico D'Orcia.
Once again, this year, the race stops for the Time Control (and Lunch) in Siena at Piazza del Campo (at 12:25 pm).
From Siena, the race passes through Colle Val d'Elsa and Poggibonsi, turning towards San Miniato (stamp control at 3 pm) and then Vinci, with a replication of the “Leonardo passage” performed in previous editions (time control at 3:25 pm).
The race continues with the Time Control in Quarrata (PT) and, finally, the impressive passage through the center of Pistoia at Piazza del Duomo (at 4:05 pm).
From Pistoia, the route ascends towards the Passo dell'Abetone (at 5 pm), then Monte Cimone, and descends to Modena for the Time Control at Novi Sad Park (at 8 pm). The end of the stage is in Parma (at 9:45 pm) at Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi, after passing through Reggio Emilia (at 8:55 pm).
1000 Miglia 2023 – Fourth Stage – From Parma to Milan
On June 16, the great novelty of the 2023 edition takes place. This stage, starting from Parma, usually heads directly to Brescia. In this extra-large edition, an additional race day is added, with the stage finishing in Milan.
From Parma (a milder start, at 7:50 am), the caravan of the Red Arrow moves towards the San Donato Military Airport (PC) with the Time Control at 9 am.
Next, the race resumes, skirting the town of Piacenza, until the stamp control in Stradella at 10:40 am (with a timed trial in the vicinity). The route continues by crossing the Po River in the opposite direction until reaching Pavia (at 11:35 am) with the Time Control at Riso Scotti Spa a well know Italian Rice producer).
From Pavia (and here, the 2023 route makes its main variation), the route descends again with the passage through Alessandria, the Time Control at Piazza Garibaldi at 1 pm (with a lunch break), and then continues to Asti.
The route continues towards Milan, passing through Vercelli (at 4:15 pm) and Novara (at 4:45 pm) with timed trials and regularity trials, until arriving in Milan with the marvelous Stamp Control at Piazza Duomo and the closure at City Life (from 6:30 pm).
1000 Miglia 2023 – Fifth Stage – From Milan to Brescia
The epilogue with the last race day starts from Milan with a showcase route that will take the cars from the 7:25 am Time Control in Corso Sempione to the stamp control at Piazza Garibaldi in Treviglio (at 8:40 am), and then to the Time Control at Kilometro Rosso, the innovation district in Stezzano where Brembo brakes factory is located (at 9:15 am).
The race continues in the nearby city of Bergamo with a timed trial in Città Alta and the stamp control near the Accademia di Carrara (at 9:30 am).
In Bergamo, the race trials conclude, and after the stamp control in Gussago (at 12:05 pm), the cars arrive on Viale Venezia for the closure of the race in Brescia (at 12:30 pm).
Tips for the public: where to see the passage of the 1000 Miglia cars
The privileged points to see the cars are certainly the Time Controls (CO), the scheduled checkpoints. These are mandatory passages where the vehicles must strictly adhere to the times indicated in the roadbook. This means that you can be sure (unless there are retirements or dramatic mistakes) of seeing the cars at the predetermined times. Furthermore, since it's usually advisable to be ready at the Time Control before the scheduled time, you will often find the racing cars parked, waiting for their turn.
This is even more important during lunch breaks. Usually, the route tends to include the Time Control after the lunch break. In that case, you will certainly find the cars stopped as the crews take a break.
However, the stamp controls are also interesting. In these cases, there is no obligation to pass at a specific time, so you will see the cars passing through more quickly.
Personally, I would advise against being near the regularity trials and timed trials, mainly to avoid distractions for the drivers involved in the trials. Despite being a showcase race, it is a regularity event where precision is essential.
Ferrari Tribute to 1000 Miglia
This year as well, you will find along the route (usually before the arrival of the race cars) a multitude of modern Ferraris participating in the Ferrari Tribute 1000 Miglia.
The cars from the Prancing Horse brand follow almost the entire route of the historic cars, adding to the spectacle offered by the reenactment of the Red Arrow.