Last month the European sun shone brightly at the 40th edition of what has become known as the world's most beautiful car race: 1000 Miglia.
From the 15th to the 18th of June 2022, watch and jewellery brand Chopard proudly took its place as world sponsor and official timekeeper of the 40th edition 1000 Miglia car race. Founded in 1927, it is one of the most famous motoring events in the world. This year an incredible total of 404 cars, by 63 different manufacturers, competed against one another in this illustrious and exhilarating race.
The Winners of the 1000 Miglia Race 2022
After travelling a 1,609 kilometre route between Brescia and Rome, the 2022 race was won by Andrea Vesco and Fabio Salvinelli aboard the Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 SS Zagato of 1929. This was an exciting repeat of their prior success in 2021!
The intense, challenging 1000 Miglia 2022 required great skill from the crews on 115 Time Trials and 8 Average Trials, with the Capodimonte dirt road trials on the shores of Lake Bolsena proving particularly popular. Despite the massive expansion of Italy’s road network over the past 95 years, the route of the 1000 Miglia has remained remarkably close to that of the original course from Brescia to Rome and back.
A Family Affair
Not only has Chopard been the proud world sponsor and official timekeeper to the celebrated 1000 Miglia since 1988, this year, for the 34th time, the Maison’s Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele joined the 404-strong field of cars behind the wheel of the Scheufele family’s 1955 Mercedes Benz 300 SL, well-known to the 1000 Miglia due to its strawberry-red paintwork.
On 15 June, Chopard Ambassador Jacky Ickx was on the start ramp in Brescia to wave Chopard’s Co-President away as he set off beside his daughter Caroline-Marie, who undertook her second 1000 Miglia after making her debut as co-driver in 2019.
Along with Karl-Friedrich and Caroline-Marie Scheufele, Team Chopard was composed of several prestigious cars, amongst them a wonderful blue Porsche 356 Speedster from 1955 – driven by Chopard Ambassador Romain Dumas, a regular at the 1000 Miglia – as well as a Triumph TR3 Sports from 1957, a Fiat 1100/103 TV Berlina from 1955 and an Austin Healey 100/6 from 1957.
The New Chopard Mille Miglia Race Edition Timepiece 2022
The 1000 Miglia celebrated its 40th reissue and Chopard, its partner and official timekeeper, was once again on the starting grid. As is the case every year since 1988, during an exclusive dinner held at the Albereta Hotel the day before the race, Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, along with Jacky Ickx, unveiled a duo of stunning watches to commemorate the event in the form of the Mille Miglia 2022 Race Editions.
Featuring a 44 mm case in ethical 18-carat rose gold and stainless steel or all-steel versions, this chronometer-certified chronograph picks up all the codes that Chopard instils into the identity of this sporting collection: masculine elegance, mechanical precision, watchmaking performance, racing ergonomics – all dedicated to the beauty of driving.
As Australia's longest standing Chopard dealer, we are thrilled to hear about the journey and the successes of this year's 1000 Miglia race. Please contact us here if you are interested in the new Chopard Mille Miglia 2022 Race Edition, available to order. Our current Chopard collection also includes a range of Mille Miglia watches, previously known as 'Classic Racing' - all designed to celebrate a true passion for motorsport.