Purchase your copy of Red Arrows from VelocePress.com [ click here ]

Much of the English-language press only understood the importance of the original Mille Miglia (1923-1957) in retrospect. English speaking correspondents thought the lack of foreign entrants denoted something inferior and life in their own countries did not prepare them for the Italian concept of spectacle over public convenience, which they confused with madness. When the event was resurrected as a touring event in the 1980s, the epic nature of racing one thousand miles on public roads, past some of antiquity's most cherished sites, became apparent.

This was a race that riveted Enzo Ferrari's attention, and all of Italy's, while it was in existence. Ferrari managed the Alfas that won from 1933 through 1937 and introduced the 815, the first car of Ferrari's own manufacture, at the bowdlerized version of the event in 1940.

Giannino Marzotto

After World War II, when Ferrari began making cars under his own name, the Mille Miglia was his highest priority. Ferraris won eight of the eleven post-war editions of the race, including Taruffi's victory in the magnificent 315 S in the final race in 1957. Ferrari's commitment to the Mille Miglia is demonstrated by the fact that it was only after the demise of this Italian institution that he turned his attention to Le Mans, which Ferrari won every year from 1958 through 1965, except for 1959.

Red Arrows is a new book that documents the participation of all Ferraris that competed in this larger-than-life cross-country tear. Technically, this is a revised version of La Ferrari alla Mille Miglia by Giannino Marzotto, published in 1987. "Revised" does not adequately describe Red Arrows, which has been greatly expanded in both text and pictures and is now in a coffee table format.

As a two-time Mille Miglia winner, the author knows the subject well. He is the scion of an old Italian textile family who raced alongside his three brothers, doubling the cast of the other great Ferrari brother act, Los Hermanos Rodriguez. Befitting someone who has since built an international fashion empire, including names like Hugo Boss, Marzotto wore a double-breasted suit when he won in a Ferrari 195 in 1950 and a cashmere sweater and necktie during his 1953 victory. A gentleman of the old school, Marzotto prefers talking about those wonderful Italian pastimes, beautiful women and classic vino and cucina alla Italiana, rather than his automotive exploits.

Robert Newman, who is broadly experienced in both automobiles and Italian-English translations, has contributed an easy-to-read text. There are synopses of all the races Ferrari participated in as well as reminiscences by participants. Some of the anecdotal material has not seen before. I have covered and participated in the modern Mille Miglia and consider myself a student of the event, but was not aware that Ferrari always had his refueling stops located out of synch with those of his competitors so they could not gather intelligence on how his entries were doing. In turn, he had observers at their stops, who would phone him with reports.

Even more important for researchers, there is photo and serial number information for almost all the Ferraris that competed in the race. Marcel Massini did the serial number work, working from Italian registration documents in cases where photos show the license plate of the car. This is time-consuming, but avoids the guesswork of identifying cars by body details. Photo reproduction is up to the high standards achieved by the rest of the book.

Red Arrows breaks new ground on an already widely covered subject. It will provide anyone with an interest in Ferrari racing history a good read and is an absolute must for serious Ferrari researchers. Your favorite chair, some Chianti classico riserva and this book will go a long way toward relieving the stress of modern life.

- - - - - - -
Red Arrows Ferraris at the Mille Miglia
by Giannino Marzotto
Available at www.velocepress.com