- The 43rd edition of the 1000 Miglia officially kicked off today in Brescia, starring the 1956 Alfa Romeo 1900 Super Sprint, a masterpiece of the Stellantis Heritage collection, usually kept at the Arese Museum.
- The members of the Luna Rossa team will be aboard the 1900 Super Sprint in the legendary race, the ideal context to kick off a partnership that will see the two brands side by side ahead of the 38th America’s Cup.
- There could be no better setting for the dynamic public debut of the new 33 Stradale. Like the 1900 in racing, this Italian masterpiece is produced in a limited series with Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera.
- The 1000 Miglia travels over 1900 km through Italy, from Brescia to Rome and back, visiting iconic landscapes, mountain passes and timeless villages. The warmth and enthusiasm of the public as these vintage cars pass by remains the same, as the vehicles continue to excite different generations.
After passing the usual sporting and technical checks, the 43rd 1000 Miglia has kicked off today. This year, over 400 models from 29 countries are taking part. The standout among these rarities is the 1956 Alfa Romeo 1900 Super Sprint, belonging to the priceless Stellantis Heritage collection, usually on display at the Alfa Romeo Historical Museum in Arese. It will be driven by the Luna Rossa team who will tackle the around 1900 km of the ‘figure-of-eight’ route that draws inspiration from the first 12 editions of the 1000 Miglia speed race.
There could be no better setting for the dynamic public debut of the new 33 Stradale. The custom-built car produced in only 33 models represents the return of the legendary 33 Stradale, an icon of the 1960s, reputed by many to be one of the most beautiful cars of all time, and derived directly from the Tipo 33 – once a big name in world motorsport.
Ahead of the starting line, when we refer to the 1000 Miglia, we can’t help but think of yesterday’s technical checks and the punching, held this morning in the evocative setting of Piazza della Vittoria, one of the main squares in the city known as the “Lioness of Italy”. The punching is a check in two phases, one sport-related for the crews – permits, certificates and driving licenses – and an analytical check looking at the technical aspects of the cars. The punching sees the affixing of a lead seal to certify that the checks have been completed, that the cars therefore match their racing documentation, and most of all, to give the green light for them to take part in the race. But above all, beyond the technical aspects, this procedure is one of the times when enthusiasts can admire up close the vintage cars taking part in the race. In Brescia, everyone’s eyes were peeled on the Alfa Romeo 1900 Super Sprint, a favorite car for 1950s gentleman drivers.
From that square packed with crowds and roaring engines, the 1000 Miglia set its pulse racing. The convoy departed from Brescia to applause, heading towards Lake Garda, then Verona and Ferrara, to end in San Lazzaro di Savena. Tomorrow comes the turn of the difficult Raticosa and Futa passes, Tuscany and the magic of Rome at sunset. On Thursday, the route returns north via Orvieto, Arezzo and San Marino, finishing at the seaside at Cervia-Milano Marittima. Friday will be the day for the Tyrrhenian Sea, with the cars passing through Livorno and the legendary Cisa Pass before arriving in Parma. On Saturday, the final stage will be run between Cremona and the villages of the Bassa, leading to the grand finale in Brescia, the city that for a few days every year becomes the center of the world of vintage motoring.
One of the leading names is the Luna Rossa team, taking part in the 1000 Miglia alongside Alfa Romeo to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two brands, recently launched with an evocative video link, ahead of the 38th America’s Cup – the most important sailing competition in the world – to be held in Italy for the first time, in the iconic setting of the Bay of Naples. All in the name of shared values, such as the pursuit of technical perfection, the passion for challenge and the desire to represent Italian excellence.
A brief biography of the members of the Luna Rossa team taking part in this unique sporting event is provided below.
Max Sirena – Skipper and Team Director
Born in Rimini, Massimiliano “Max” Sirena has previously appeared in the America’s Cup eight times. Of these, he won the 33th edition with BMW Oracle Racing in the role of wing mast manager and the 35th with Emirates Team New Zealand in Bermuda in 2017. Max was also skipper of the Extreme 40 Luna Rossa and winner of the Extreme Sailing Series championship in 2011. With Luna Rossa, he has taken part in all the Italian team’s attempts at the America’s Cup, starting in 2000 and winning the Challenger Selection regattas twice (Louis Vuitton Cup in 2000 and Prada Cup in 2021). In 2013, he became Skipper and Director of the team he still leads today. In his free time he loves all maritime activities, but is also passionate about motorcycles, endurance races, and biking. If he hadn’t been a pro sailor, he would definitely have taken a job in the maritime sector, but in actual fact, he never had a plan B.
Vittorio Bissaro – Trimmer / Sailing Team
A graduate in aerospace engineering from the Politecnico di Milano, Vittorio has been awarded the CONI “Golden Collar for Sports Merit”. He began sailing in Optimists at the age of 10, but his first regattas were on multihulls, where he achieved immediate success by winning four Italian Formula 18 titles together with Lamberto Cesari. The transition to the Nacra 17 Olympic Class came naturally: paired with Silvia Sicouri, he took three podium placings at the World and European Championships and three victories at the World Cup. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, they finished in fifth place, just missing a medal. Since 2017, he has been sailing with Maelle Frascari, with whom he won the 2019 World Championship. Bissaro is also a great expert in offshore sailing and has participated in major international regattas aboard Maserati Multi 70, acting as tactician for Giovanni Soldini. With Luna Rossa, he competed in his first America’s Cup, in Barcelona in 2024. He loves the mountains, broad horizons, and severe environments. If he hadn’t been a professional sailor, he would almost definitely have been a mountaineer.
Jacopo Plazzi – Coach and Youth & Women’s Program Coordinator
Born in Ravenna, Jacopo began sailing in the Optimist class at the age of nine. With the 49er he won a European bronze and several top 10 placings worldwide. An all-round fan of high-performance sailing, he coaches on the SailGP circuit. Barcelona 2024 was his second America’s Cup, again with Luna Rossa. As a child he dreamed of winning the America’s Cup, his family having passed on to him this passion and ambition. He is now where he wants to be, working towards the same goal. Alternatively, he would see himself in the mountains, which have always appealed to him.
Umberto Molineris – Trimmer / Sailing Team
Umberto began sailing at the age of 10 in the Adriatic following the pathway of the youth classes (some singles, then mainly 420). He then moved on to the Olympic discipline, first 470 then 49er, a class in which he became Italian Champion and also took several world top 10 placings. He later decided to try his hand at other types of boats and regatta on multiple professional circuits. In 2021, he joined the Luna Rossa team through the New Generation program and participated in two America’s Cup campaigns (Auckland 2021 and Barcelona 2024). He loves music and plays the piano (having attended music school), and is passionate about all water sports and skiing. If he hadn’t been a professional sailor, he would have taken another job out in the open air. Although he studied economics, he has no interest in working in an office.
Ruggero Tita – Helmsman / Sailing Team
Olympic gold in the Nacra 17 in Paris 2024 and Tokyo 2021, Golden Collar for sporting merit (2018, 2021, 2022) and Rolex World Sailor of the Year 2022, Tita graduated in Information Engineering and Business Management. At the age of 13, he became Italian, Swiss and European champion in the Optimist class. He then raced on the 29er, then moved on to the 49er, where he became multiple Italian champion. After participating – with bowman Pietro Zucchetti – in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, he turned to the Nacra 17 where, with Caterina Banti on the bow, he won gold medals in Paris and Tokyo, four world championships and four European championships. Tita worked with the Luna Rossa team to prepare for the 36th America’s Cup, but could not take part after the Olympics were postponed to summer 2021. He is a fan of skiing, snowboarding and paragliding. When he isn’t on the water, he can be seen on the slopes. His first America’s Cup was with Luna Rossa in 2024.
Rocco Falcone – Trimmer/ Sailing Team
Born in Antigua and a holder of dual Italian and Antiguan-Barbudan citizenship, Falcone is an all-round sailor, with a great deal of experience on different types of racing boats, from Optimist to Laser, via 29ers, Dragons, Big Boats, One Design Classes and vintage and classic boats. He also has several offshore races and three Atlantic crossings to his credit. After three years in Canada on a degree in Economics, he returned to Europe and participated in various international regatta circuits, such as the Youth Foiling Gold Cup dedicated to the 69F, where he achieved excellent results. In 2024, he joined the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli youth team and won the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup in Barcelona as trimmer for the AC40. In his spare time, he enjoys wing foiling, fishing, and boating with friends and family.
Guido Gallinaro – Helmsman / Sailing Team
Born in Desenzano on Lake Garda, Gallinaro has taken the classic sailing route, from the Optimist on the Laser 4.7 and the Radial, classes in which he won one world and two European titles. He has also won four Italian championships in a row. After a period in Star, where he raced alongside the most famous champions in this discipline, he moved to the 49er (coming in fifth at CICO 2019) and at the same time began his university studies in medicine. After a break for his Olympic sailing career, Gallinaro joined the Dutch youth team to participate in the 2021 Youth AC, which was later cancelled. This experience would be very useful for his arrival on the 69F circuit, where he also raced under the colors of Luna Rossa. In 2024, he joined Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and in the same year formed part of the team that won the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup.
Giulia Conti – Helmswoman / Women’s Sailing Team
Coni Golden Collar for Sports Merit, Conti is the Italian sailor with the most appearances at the Olympic Games after Alessandra Sensini. After her debut in Athens 2004 in the Yngling class, she raced the Beijing and London editions on the 470 (paired with Giovanna Micol), then moved on to the 49er FX in Rio 2016 (with Francesca Clapcich). She finished in fifth place in the last three Olympic regattas. On the 470, Conti has also reaped major results at the World Championships (silver in 2008 and bronze in 2010) and at the European Championships (gold in 2009 plus two silvers, in 2007 and 2010). On the 49er FX, she has taken part in the World Championships (first in Buenos Aires in 2015 and third in Santander in 2014) and in the European Championships (first in Porto in 2015 and second in Barcelona in 2016). After her Olympic career, she became a coach in the USA and in 2020 was the first non-American to be named National Coach of the Year. In 2024, she joined the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli women’s team and in the AC40 as skipper and co-helmswoman, she won the Puig Women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona.
Alice Linussi – Trimmer / Women’s Sailing Team
Born in Trieste and a graduate in Communication Sciences, Linussi began sailing at the age of seven on the Optimist, before featuring on the bow in the 420, a class where she won the world title at the age of 15. She then moved on to the Olympic 470 class, in which she won the European Mixed Junior title in 2019, obtaining bronze in the overall rankings. In 2017, at the age of 16, she helmed an 80-footer at the regatta with the highest attendance in the world, the Barcolana, then won the 2023 edition in her division. In the same year, she entered the world of foil sailing, participating in the Women Foiling Gold Cup aboard a 69F, in which she finished third. She loves alpine skiing and plays various sports, but sailing remains her great passion. In 2024, shortly before she graduated, she joined Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and in the same year formed part of the team that won the Puig Women’s America’s Cup.
Maria Vittoria Marchesini – Helmswoman / Women’s Sailing Team
Born in Trieste, Marchesini approached the world of sailing at the age of seven with the Optimist (on the advice of her grandfather), and at 14 she won the bronze medal at the Women’s World Championships. She later became helmswoman in 420, a class in which she won the bronze medal at the 2016 Women’s World Championships. Then followed the Olympic 470 class where, in 2019, she won the Juniores Mixed world gold and the European Juniores Mixed bronze medal. In 2022 she switched to 49erFX, on the bow. In the same year she began her adventure in wingfoil, her passion for which extends to her having taken part in several stages of the world championship in 2023. Also in 2023, at the helm of the 69F, she came in third in the Woman Foiling Gold Cup. She studies Economics and Management at university, and in her spare time loves trekking in the mountains and skiing, although her life is the world of sailing. In 2024, she joined Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli and was a member of the team that won the Puig Women’s America’s Cup in the same year.
Sara Paesani PR & Communications Manager
Graduated in Economics with a master’s degree in management and IT, specializing at Cambridge, Sara began her sailing journey with windsurfing and the 420 class, eventually moving on to offshore sailing, taking part in several international regattas and Mediterranean crossings. Her professional background includes extensive experience in business consulting as well as roles in marketing and sponsorships for major sports brands (including the Italian National Football Team, Juventus F.C., Gazzetta dello Sport, Giro d’Italia, and UniCredit Champions League). A motorsports enthusiast, she has also participated in off-road expeditions as a test driver and won the Italian selections for the Land Rover G4 Challenge. In the nautical sector, she managed Communication and Marketing during the relaunch of the Grand Soleil brand and worked as a media reporter and producer for Sky Sport’s program Icarus. In 2018, she joined Luna Rossa as PR and Communications Manager. The 2024 America’s Cup marked her second campaign with the team. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, surfing, wingfoiling, and swimming.
