Not quite a level playing field

Mille Miglia spin

A reader has drawn my attention to a statement in the Daily Mail of May 20, saying that the Mille Miglia of 1940 was won by a BMW at 103.6mph, a record which still stands. This is publicity for the new BMW 328 Mille Miglia touring coupé. Nowhere is it stated that the 1940 MM was run over a closed circuit, entirely different from the 1955 race through village streets and over the mountains, and is thus denigratory to the brave and determined victory by Moss and DSJ in the latter event, won at 97.96mph. In 1940 Britain was more concerned with stopping Hitler, so no report of this 1940 MM appeared in Motor Sport. Would the Daily Mail’s motoring correspondent like to investigate?