The story of Elisabetta Cozzi, official driver with Alfa Romeo SZ (L'Alfa Romeo SZ - Sprint Zagato), also known as ES-30 (Experimental Sportscar 3.0 litres) and nicknamed The Monster.

We've been following the heroic deeds of our "Super Eli" on his first 1000 Miles and now we can't wait to tell you how it went. Before reading the interview we want to reassure you: no Zagato has been mistreated in this race... or almost.

Elizabeth, when did you realize you were actually participating in the 1000 Miles?

We had very little time to prepare, but when we arrived in Brescia and, together with the other participants, we started to customize the car, putting the official stickers on, we realized that we would really participate. You're talking plural. Who have you shared this experience with? This experience was also great for the fact that I shared it with MarcoMy husband, who accompanied me as far as Rome, then had to leave me due to previous work commitments. We knew he wouldn't be able to participate for the whole race, so Zagato proposed me to do the return with Klaus Busse (Editor's note: Head of Design Fiat, Abarth, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Maserati at FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles). I was a bit worried, it was a question of sharing the cockpit for dozens of hours, under stress and pressure, but meeting Klaus was one of the great surprises of this adventure. We both have a great competitive spirit and we got on well with the aim of achieving a good result. But, what did you feel in the seconds before the start, when you were waiting for the start on the platform? I was trembling a little bit, I was very excited because taking part in a race with an epic story, the most beautiful race in the world, is something that when seen from the outside is exciting, experienced from the inside is upsetting. It was wonderful to bring with me what I believe in: the story of this brand, my family and my family's company. My father was at the start, for me it was a beautiful gift, because he came all the way there just to make me feel his closeness. I am happy to have also felt the affection of Laura Defendi, always by my side in the important moments A story of beauty, of engines, but in the end it's a story of Love... Yes! It is incredible how many people welcomed our passage with greetings, applause, little flags, as if they wanted to cheer us on, celebrating these emotions. There were so many people with the 1000Miglia flag and so many Alfa Romeo flags. Everyone was shouting "That's the SZ, it's beautiful, it's "the monster". The thing that struck me most was that in several villages we heard people who had visited the Museum cheering us on. They had come on purpose to the stage to greet us! I would pass by and they would say "Hi Elisabetta, we've been to your Museum". This was incredible, it made me feel a wonderful affection and positive energy. Something sincere, the way to be close to someone, something humanly unique.  

So far only good things, but what were the most difficult moments of the race? At one point we heard a noise, they overtook us and signalled that we were losing our muffler. We looked at each other with a "What now?" drawn on our faces. At that moment the technical staff was passing by and that's where we met Altin (whom we want to thank). In no time, he pulled off the muffler saying "Nothing happens, you guys go anyway. You'll make even more noise." We immediately posted the Facebook live broadcast on our page and the comments helped us to defuse the tension. After all, for a true Alfista, the noise of the Alfa engine is never loud enough. That same day, we stopped for a coffee pit stop and, before getting back in, we saw a petrol stain under the car. Marco and I looked at each other and said "This is where our 1000Miglia ends". We were in Corinaldo. We asked some passers-by to direct us to a mechanic. It was 12:10 and everyone was closed for the lunch break. In the end I looked online and found, actually begged for it, a mechanic that was still open and he was very kind (Tiziano). We put the car on the bridge and in the meantime we were joined by the Zagato technicians, who did an extraordinary job (thanks Umberto and Stefano!!!). We disassembled the tank, imagining that there was a leak. But nothing. And then, continuing to search, we found a gasket on the tank cap had dried out and had to be replaced. We reassembled everything and started again, but at that point it was unfortunately impossible to hit the time controls. Anyway, Marco and I were satisfied with the results of the first day (third) and to have the car ready to start again. On the third day we arrived in Rome where Klaus met us. We made introductions and a short brief at 6:30am and were off. From then on the car always went well, confirming the motto of the Fratelli Cozzi Museum: "women and motors are joy and that's all". And we committed ourselves to give our best. Excluding the second tragic day, we always placed 3rd.

Elizabeth are there any people you want to thank for making you live this epic story? Definitely Andrea and Marella Zagato who invited the Museum to be part of Team Zagato 100 because they gave me a great dream and a great opportunity for the Museum. Within the Zagato team there have been fundamental people like Paolo, Enrico di Taranto and Silvia D'Aguanno and all the mechanics. I would like to thank Marco Cuppini (my husband) for having supported me in the first part of the race and Klaus Busse for having faced this road with me, sharing everything. I thank all the organization and the Traffic Police (who did an extraordinary job), the City, the Administrations and the People! A special thanks to Franco Cataudo because he prepared our "little one" in record time, considering that it was stopped in the museum for more than two years! Last but not least Pietro Cozzi. He is the first, because, thanks to his farsightedness, I had a reason to participate to the 1000Miglia. To him I owe the beauty of everything I have experienced because everything starts from there.

BUT WHO WON?

Winning the thirty-seventh historical re-enactment of the 1000 Miglia is the crew number 59 composed by Giovanni Moceri and Daniele Bonetti aboard an Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 SS.

To complete the podium of the "most beautiful race in the world", the crew made up of Andrea Vesco and Andrea Guerini on board the Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 SS Zagato car, while the third position is occupied by the Bugatti Type 40 of Juan Tonconogy and Barbara Ruffini.

To win the Coppa delle Dame, reserved for the first female crew, the Aston Martin 2 litre Speed Model car with Silvia Marini and Ruggeri Francesca on board.

THE NUMBERS OF THE 1000MILES 2019 430 cars (of which 53 withdrawn), 1801 kilometres, 4 days of driving, 40 hours at the wheel, 200 municipalities, 7 regions. And more, 16 Time Controls, 112 time trials, 7 average tax and 28 Stamp Controls. 71 manufacturers 4 stages: from Brescia to Cervia-Milano Marittima, from Cervia-Milano Marittima to Rome, from Rome to Bologna and then from Bologna to Brescia. 5 cars belonging to the Military category, driven by representatives of the Italian Armed Forces (present for the 6th consecutive year) 130 modern cars for the side events: Zagato 100, Ferrari Tribute to 1000 Miglia and Mercedes Benz 1000 Miglia Challenge. 425 registered crews 32 countries from all 5 continents. 98 cars that have participated in at least one of the 24 editions of the 1000 Miglia race held from 1927 to 1957.

The most represented country continues to be Italy with 36% of participants admitted. The Netherlands is in second place, with 15% of those accepted, followed by Germany (10%) and the United Kingdom (9%). The most represented brand will be Alfa Romeo with 39 cars, followed by Jaguar with 36, Fiat with 31 and Mercedes-Benz and Lancia with 29 each.