Lecture August 17: the grand tour of a small British racing car
Louwman Museum lecture on August 17 at 3 pm by Velja Mijatovic & Rob Janzen.
How big should the ambition be to compete with a small British racing car in the greatest road race of all time?
This lecture takes you back to 1931, the year when a little Austin, driven by an inexperienced 21-year-old Englishman, Charles Goodacre, bravely competes in the Mille Miglia of Mussolini’s Italy. The Austin and its driver compete against big names such as Nuvolari, Campari and Varzi who dominate the field in powerful Alfas, Maseratis and Bugattis. However, the small fast Austin knows how to sell his skin dearly in the race and impresses with his performance. Even on Enzo Ferrari ! In this lecture you will witness a grand adventure on challenging gravel roads full of danger, where steering skill is a requirement. You wanted to count a race that had to be completed, but above all a race where winning brought you eternal fame. We also consider the downside of the Mille Miglia. How this race was used as a propaganda tool by the fascist regime led by Mussolini and where superiority had to be shown to the world.
This story shows us how far a small and fragile racing car could go in the famous Italian 1000 miles, battling against Teutonic and Roman thoroughbreds. We look forward to welcoming you to the Louwman Museum on Thursday 17 August. The lecture starts at 3:00 PM. The room opens at 2.45 pm.