DaimlerChrysler Classic Continues Mille Miglia Sponsorship
Active tradition with a future

The Mercedes-Benz W 165 - One of the legendary Silver Arrows

DaimlerChrysler AG will continue Daimler-Benz AG's traditional commitment as the principal sponsor of the 16th Italian Mille Miglia, taking place May 6-9.

The Mille Miglia was held the first time in 1927 in Italy as a street-race along a distance of 1000 miles = Mille Miglia. The cars drove from Brescia via Ravenna and Ancona to Rome and then via Florence through the Tuscany back to Brescia. Nowadays the track is nearly the same and only differs a little from year to year.

Says Dr. Dieter Zetsche, member of the board of management: "The Mille Miglia is the classic car event of the season. This dominant European classic car event offers us the opportunity to display the classic values of Mercedes-Benz proving the quality, reliability and safety of the brand. At the same time the performance and technical sophistication of each of our classic cars underlines today's claim: Mercedes-Benz - the future of the automobile. Company support for the event will not just be financial but Mercedes-Benz teams from DaimlerChrysler Classic will be competing in the race."

Mercedes-Benz drivers will be led by Stirling Moss, the legendary overall winner in 1955, driving his original Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR with the fabled starting number 722. In addition, ex-driver and master of the wheel Jochen Mass has agreed to take part. He will fight the same battle against the clock, the track and his fellow drivers as did Rudolf Caracciola on his way to victory in 1931. And Jochen Mass will compete in a seven-litre SSK similar to the one which the Italian piloted to victory 68 years ago.

Not all participants are professional race drivers. Among others, tenor José Carreras and Claude Picasso, classic car fan and the son of Pablo Picasso, have confirmed to take part in 300 SL "gullwings."