The race was held for the first time in 1927 starting in Brescia. The 1,600 km route travelled along the roads of northern and central Italy to Rome and then back to the Lombard city.
The Mille Miglia, then as now, was a highly anticipated event, attracting drivers, crews and fans from all over the world.

Over the years, the event hosted legendary drivers such as Tazio Nuvolari, Fangio, Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio, as well as numerous prestigious marques such as Ferrari, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Lancia.

The Mille Miglia, however, was not and is not just a sporting competition, but a cultural and tourist event.

In every town the race passed through, festivals were organised to celebrate the passage of the cars.

From 1931, the race became competitive, and from the 1950s onwards it was included in the calendar of the European Sports Car Championship.

In 1957, after a tragic accident in which driver Alfonso De Portago and several people on the side of the road lost their lives, the race was cancelled and was not held again until 1977.