"More than a mere sports competition, the Mille Miglia did represent a reason for the technical improvement of automobiles, the mobilization of all the productive energies operating in that sector. It was really through the aim of spurring the develpment of the automobile - by creating an epoch-making car event - that the Mille Miglia gradually aquired its unique charm and special magic."

Still today, the main priority of the Organizers of the Mille Miglia is renewing the magic suggested by the words of Giovanni Canestrini, one of the four founders of the race.

Seventy-five years after the first edition, the ever-increasing success and "unique charm" of the Red Arrow is proportional to the magnificence of the spectacle offered to millions of people standing along Italy's roadsides.

Today like yesterday, this is possible thanks to the participation of the most extraordinary cars ever built all over the world.

We still wish to offer motor racing enthusiasts the best sports and racing cars ever. Maybe the definition of the race as "the only traveling museum in the world" has sometimes been misused; yet these words, uttered by Enzo Ferrari while greeting the Mille Miglia at Scaglietti workshop in Modena, are still the basis of our working creed. Not only did they represent significant and special praise of our race, but they also act today as a powerful spur for us to make the "traveling museum" still more impressive and vital with the utmost care and strictness. As is the custom, preference will be given to those cars, belonging to Sport, Grand Touring and Touring categories, that took part at least in one edition of the Mille Miglia held between 1927 and 1957.

Only the cars in possession of F.I.V.A. Identity Card or F. I. A. Fiche will be considered eligible for participation, provided that they attend the technical inspections in their original livery.

With the aim of favoring those cars burdened with age and history, each of the selected cars will be given a coefficient which, taking into account its age and technical, historical and sports characteristics, will modify the score achieved during the regularity race.

Along with the best examples in motor racing history, the Mille Miglia will offer an extraordinary setting, with a route framed by the artistic, historical and environmental scenery that can be boasted only by the squares of some of the most beautiful Italian cities such as Mantua, Ferrara, Ravenna, Arezzo, Rome, Siena Florence, Bologna, Modena, Reggio Emilia and, after a few years' absence from the route, Cremona.

Keeping up the tradition, for the twentieth time we address our usual invitation to everyone: the rendezvous is on Thursday 2nd May 2002, in Piazza della Vittoria, in Brescia, the City of the Mille Miglia.

The President of the Organizing Committee

Giuseppe Lucchini