From the archives of Bob Montgomery, motoring historian
THE ACTRESS AND THE OPERA SINGER: The greatest road race in the world?
Without a doubt, the Mille Miglia. The brainchild of Count Aymo Maggi who wished to make his hometown of Brescia the focus of a great race.
Maggi conceived the idea of a 1,000 mile race through Italy starting and finishing in Brescia, and being staged on public roads which incredibly, would not be closed to other traffic while the race was taking place.
It was an idea that appealed to Benito Mussolini and so in 1927 the first Mille Miglia was held.
The first two runnings of the race were a tremendous success without the accidents many predicted would be inevitable.
The 1929 race clashed with the Monaco Grand Prix but still attracted 72 entries. The Alfa Romeo works team were the firm favourites and the pairing of Guiseppe Campari and Giuilo Ramponi were keen to repeat their 1928 victory.
Campari was one of motor racings great characters and a fine amateur opera singer, indeed, he was reputed to sing aloud as he raced. His chief rival for victory would be the up-and-coming Tazio Nuvolari driving for the Brescia-based OM team.
Among all the other competitors, one in particular stood out.
This was the actress Mimi Aylmer, who arrived at the start in a smart red dress and fur jacket with her chauffeur at the wheel of her Lancia Lambda. It was assumed by all present that her chauffeur would do the driving but Mimi took the wheel just before the start, a position she retained throughout the entire race.
Initially, to the surprise of all present, it was the Maserati of Baconin Borzacchini who led to Bologna, by which time the OM of Nuvolari had crashed out in spectacular style.
Campari was second pursued by Achille Varzi but on the stage to Rome Varzi was delayed for half an hour by a fire and soon afterwards the leading pair were out with transmission trouble in their Maserati.
Campari now had a comfortable lead and although his Alfa Romeo suffered two punctures on the final leg he reached the finish at Brescia with a clear ten minute lead over the OM of Morandi.
The winning Alfa's time was 18 hours 4 minutes for an average speed of 56.05 mph. As was his custom on occasion Campari burst into song on alighting from his car.
Just 42 of the 72 starters reached the finish.
One of the 42 finishers was Mimi Aylmer. Some seven hours behind the winner in 29th place, she pulled over on the outskirts of Brescia for five minutes to attend to her hair and make-up and after putting on fresh lipstick drove on to the finish where she received a rapturous reception.
Stepping out of the car, immaculately groomed, she showed no sign of fatigue. Her chauffeur, by contrast, looked a nervous wreck!
The poor man's spirits may have lifted however when he was given a special award at the prizegiving for being the most courageous man of the race. No doubt it was no more than he deserved!