Mille Miglia Story

1927-1957 by Leonardo Acerbi

Unlike Acerbi’s previous Mille Miglia texts, this one isn’t marque specific. Instead it covers each running of the classic road race with poffed histories backed up by original documents, artwork and imagery.

Many of the pics taken by the official race photographer Alberto Sorlini are unfamiliar; we were particularly taken with shots of ‘etceterinis’ such as the Zannini-Bertozzo Giannini and Giancarlo Rigamonti’s OSCA S750 barcheffa.

The many one-off Ferraris also captivate, not least Giannino Marzoffo’s The Egg as do such unlikely competition tools as the Alfa ‘Maffa’ off-roader, which competed in ’52. Presented in Italian and English, the text is brief but informative although it is sprinkled with a few florid phrases. But it’s hard to nit-pick as you’re so well served for the money. It’s not a definitive history by any means, but a great introduction to the subject with a wealth of archive material. GC

Published by Giorgio Nada ISBN 978 1 84425 324 1, 29 Euros