The iconic Maserati A6 GCS/53 completed the “most beautiful race in the world”, securing 48th place in the overall standings. Along the same route, which also featured an evocative passage through Modena, four current Maserati models paid tribute to the century-long history of the iconic Trident logo.
Modena, 15 June 2026 - The 2026 edition of the 1000 Miglia, “the most beautiful race in the world” according to Enzo Ferrari’s famous definition, came to an end on Saturday 13 June. The event crossed some of Italy’s most evocative locations, also passing through Modena, the Home of Maserati, where it drove past the historic headquarters on Viale Ciro Menotti to celebrate the first 100 years of the iconic Trident logo.
Among the protagonists were also models from the current range of the Modena-based automotive Brand, which took part in the renowned regularity race for historic cars with an iconic A6 GCS/53. The car finished in 48th place in the overall standings and was among the most admired vehicles of the entire competition.
The race set off from Brescia on Tuesday 9 June, when the Maserati A6 GCS/53 began its new adventure in the 2026 1000 Miglia re-enactment. Beneath the bonnet, the 2.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine designed by Gioachino Colombo - featuring a short-stroke “super-square” architecture, twin ignition, twin overhead camshafts and gear-driven timing - confirmed the reliability of historic engineering that still feels surprisingly contemporary today. After crossing Val Trompia and Val Gobbia, the car continued to the first stop in Lumezzane, a new addition to this year’s edition, before returning to the road through Val Sabbia, the shores of Lake Garda and Valtenesi. From there, the route moved into Veneto, through the hills of Soave and the architecture of Vicenza, before bringing the first leg to a close in Padua.
From there, on Wednesday 10 June, the great crossing from east to west began. After passing through Ferrara, Modena and Reggio Emilia - the beating heart of Italy’s Motor Valley - the cars took on the climb to the Abetone Pass, one of the most fascinating sections of the entire route. It was a stretch that highlighted the steering precision and chassis stability of the Maserati A6 GCS/53, before the car gently descended towards Montecatini Terme.
One of the most emotional and engaging moments was the passage through Modena, in front of Maserati’s historic plant on Viale Ciro Menotti. It was here, in the area in front of the showroom, as the convoy passed through, that the handover ceremony took place for the special MCPURA Cielo Tributo 1926, a bespoke car from the Maserati Fuoriserie customisation programme. In a single day, the event brought together the threads connecting Italian motorsport, Maserati’s sporting tradition and the most exclusive present of the Trident brand. It was a highly evocative moment of great emotional value, involving not only all those who contributed to the creation of this one-off model, but also a broad representation of Maserati employees, gathered to celebrate not only the 100th anniversary of the House’s symbolic logo, but also 100 years since the Tipo 26 - displayed for the occasion - made its debut in motor racing.
The MCPURA Cielo Tributo 1926 pays tribute to its legendary ancestor, the first Maserati car to display the Trident symbol on its bonnet and to win the Targa Florio in its category, with Alfieri Maserati behind the wheel. This unique and prestigious car was created within the universe of BOTTEGAFUORISERIE, the excellence project that brings together tradition and innovation in a unique whole, where craftsmanship, technology and meticulous attention to detail find their fullest expression. Among its distinctive features is the original Tipo 26 badge, faithfully recreated based on documentary sources, and the Trident in Blu Infinito and white on the tonneau cover, in a dual interpretation of the current logo combined with the first historic Trident designed by Mario Maserati in 1926. The door badges, meanwhile, bear the signatures of the protagonists of that first Targa Florio race: Alfieri Maserati and mechanic Guerino Bertocchi.
Echoing the same spirit and boldness of that era, on Thursday 11 June the Maserati A6 GCS/53 immersed itself in the heart of Tuscany, passing through Lucca, Pietrasanta, Pisa, Pontedera and Peccioli, in a succession of villages and cities of art that culminated with a stop in Piazza del Campo, in Siena, before crossing the timeless landscapes of the Val d’Orcia. With Lakes Bolsena and Vico as a scenic backdrop, the car finally reached Rome, the turning point of the event. Here too, the car demonstrated great balance and responsiveness, reaching the Eternal City with effortless confidence, as if it had always belonged on those roads. The bond between the Trident and the Freccia Rossa runs deep, rooted in almost a century of history. This legacy recalls the Tipo 26 C of 1931, the first Maserati to take part in the important Brescia-based competition, where it achieved a historic class victory.
The following leg - on Friday 12 June - then took the crews back north, as the convoy passed through Terni, Foligno and Assisi, where it paid tribute to the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis, before reaching Gualdo Tadino and Gubbio. In the afternoon, the cars tackled the evocative Furlo Gorge and crossed the Republic of San Marino, bringing the day to a close in Rimini, where the public welcomed the Maserati A6 GCS/53 with great enthusiasm. Belonging to a private collector and with Certification of Authenticity by Maserati Classiche, this fascinating example took part in five consecutive editions of the 1000 Miglia, from 1953 to 1957. Numerous highly talented drivers took turns behind the wheel of this car, including Luigi Musso. It was precisely at the 1000 Miglia that the A6 GCS/53 achieved its first major result, when Emilio Giletti crossed the finish line in sixth place overall and first in the 2-litre Sport class.
On the final day, Saturday 13 June, the “traveling museum” crossed the countryside of Emilia and Lombardy before completing the loop with its return to Brescia, where it crossed the finish line with precision and style. After passing through Cervia and once again Ferrara, the convoy stopped in Mantua before its triumphant return towards Brescia, with the final Stamp Controls at the 4th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment, in Guidizzolo, Castiglione delle Stiviere and Montirone. Only then could the ramp on Viale Venezia and the historic center of Brescia once again welcome the cars and crews, at the end of a journey of around 2,000 kilometers that once again confirmed the historic and technical value of one of the most representative cars in Maserati tradition.
Alongside the magnificent Maserati A6 GCS/53, four models from the current range also covered the same route as Support Cars: GranTurismo, GranTurismo Trofeo, GranCabrio and GranCabrio Trofeo. On board, crews made up of European media and content creators took turns behind the wheel, helping to tell the story of the 1000 Miglia from a contemporary perspective and creating an ideal bridge between the sporting memory of the Trident and its current vision of performance and elegance.
The models were enhanced by four exclusive liveries, each inspired by an iconic model from Maserati history - Tipo 26, A6 1500, 250F and 3500 GT - and by the Trident logo that distinguished them at the time. Four evocative interpretations that celebrate the Brand’s stylistic and technical heritage, turning the current range into a tribute to the Trident’s history.
