Chopard celebrated the launch of the 2012 Mille Miglia race by holding a gala dinner at the Hotel Palazzo Arzaga, near Brescia. Around 120 guests, including legendary Formula 1 and Le Mans driver Jacky Ickx were treated to the finest Italian dishes cooked by Italian Chef Carlo Cracco.
As the sun rose the following morning, Chopard co-presidents Karl-Friedrich and Caroline Schefeule roared away in a Ferrari 750 Monza to signal the start of the race, which takes competitors 1000 miles from Brescia to Rome and back again.
Chopard has been the sponsor and official timekeeper of the Mille Miglia race since 1988, but the partnership is more than just a passing commitment. Inspired by the race, Chopard launched the Mille Miglia Chronograph watch in the same year.
Karl-Friedrich provided the impetus for creating a classic racing collection, as he believed that lovers of fine automobiles would be interested in high end mechanical watches. He is a racing enthusiast and has personally participated in the Mille Miglia event every year since the partnership began.
This year’s event proved to be very popular, with over 385 cars taking part in the race. Past winners of the rally include Sir Stirling Moss, who finished first back in 1955 in his Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, alongside fellow Brit Denis Jenkinson.
For the 2012 race, Moss was in Brescia to greet cars that had completed the gruelling 1000 mile route, taking them from Brescia to Rome via Ferrara and San Marino, and back to Brescia through Bologna and Modena. This years victors were Argentine pair Claudio Scalise and Daniel Claramunt in their 1933 Alfa Romeo 6C 1500.
The Classic Racing collection has become iconic for lovers of watches and motor enthusiasts alike. In 1998 the distinctive Dunlop racing tyre tread rubber strap was added to the design as a special tribute to automotive sport. Each year scores of people wait in anticipation for Chopard to release the latest Mille Miglia Model at the world’s premier vintage car rally.
This year was no exception, with Chopard unveiling the Mille Miglia GMT Chronograph new for 2012. This exclusive watch is made in a limited edition of 2012 pieces and features essential racing functions as well as having a distinctive racing style.
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