The curtain fell on the second edition of the 1000 Miglia Experience Italy in the sunlit embrace of Taranto’s Piazza Maria Immacolata, where engines quietened and applause took over. After three days of intensity, precision, and spectacle, the City of the Two Seas welcomed 54 crews across the finish line, their arrival met with the kind of warmth only southern Italy seems able to summon on command.
More than just a race, the event unfolded as a carefully composed journey through Puglia’s layered identity. Over 630 kilometres, competitors navigated a route that blended postcard scenery with demanding technical segments, including 63 Time Trials and 6 Average Trials. It was a test of discipline as much as it was of endurance, where the rhythm of the road mattered just as much as speed.
In the classic cars category, Matteo Loiudice and Beatrice Mora emerged as the standout pairing, guiding their 1954 Porsche 356 Pre A to victory with measured precision. Their performance captured the spirit of the event, where heritage machinery meets modern competitive rigour. They were followed by Girardi and Mastellini, also in a Porsche 356 Pre A, while Gessler and Gessler secured third in a Lancia Fulvia Sport 1600.
The modern category delivered its own narrative of control and consistency. Gianluigi and Federico Smussi claimed top honours in their 2004 MG TF, finishing with 545 penalty points. Behind them, Fabio Vergamini and Maurizia Bertolucci pushed their Ferrari SF90 Spider to second place, with Macario and Di Costanzo completing the podium in a Ferrari 488 Pista.
The story of the event began days earlier in Bari, where clear skies framed the ceremonial start along the seafront. From there, the convoy moved inland, threading through the surreal geometry of Alberobello’s trulli before descending towards Polignano a Mare. The first leg closed with a moment of stillness overlooking Lama Monachile, where the Adriatic stretched endlessly beyond the cliffs.
Friday’s route leaned into both prestige and pace. From the whitewashed elegance of Ostuni, the crews travelled to Brindisi for a stop at the Castello Svevo, a venue that has hosted moments of geopolitical significance, including the G7 summit in 2024. The day concluded in Lecce, where Baroque façades became the stage for the Salento Trophy, a head-to-head challenge that added a burst of theatre to the competition, won by Vergamini and Bertolucci.
The final leg demanded the most from both car and crew. Departing Lecce, the route cut through Martano, where ancient dolmens and menhirs stand as quiet witnesses to time. From there, the convoy reached Otranto before tracing the coastline south to Santa Maria di Leuca. At the Finibus Terrae sanctuary, where the Adriatic and Ionian seas meet, the event paused briefly, as if acknowledging the symbolic edge of the land itself.
From that point, the road turned back towards Taranto, carrying the crews through the Pista Salentina in Ugento and the coastal charm of Gallipoli. It was a final stretch that distilled everything the event had offered, technical challenge, scenic drama, and a sense of narrative continuity that bound each stage together.
By the time the first cars rolled into Taranto, the outcome felt almost secondary to the experience itself. The 1000 Miglia Experience Italy 2026 reaffirmed its identity not simply as a competition, but as a curated exploration of place, history, and automotive culture. It is a format that continues to refine itself, balancing the romance of classic motoring with the expectations of a modern international event.
