MARCH 26-29, 2026 120° ANNIVERSARY OF COPPA MILANO-SANREMO: Registrations oper for the XVII Historical Revival

The new edition will be presented during the participation in Auto e Moto d’Epoca Bologna, scheduled from October 23 to 26, 2025.

Milan, October 22, 2025 – On the occasion of its participation in the Auto e Moto d’Epoca fair in Bologna, scheduled from October 23 to 26, 2025, the Historical Revival of the Coppa Milano–Sanremo, present in Hall 26, Stand A7 B8, officially opens registrations for its 17th edition.

The year 2026 marks a historic milestone — the 120th anniversary of the Coppa Milano–Sanremo, Italy’s oldest car race. It has been 120 years since Camillo Costamagna, then editor of the newly founded Gazzetta dello Sport, decided to momentarily set aside cycling to give visibility to the small but promising car manufacturers of the time.

Interestingly, Costamagna, in order to encourage greater participation, decided to exclude large-engine cars, reserving the competition for “vetturette” — vehicles capable of covering up to 300 km — thereby opening the market to a wider clientele. The race was divided into two categories: the first for cars costing less than 4,000 lire, and the second for those priced between 4,000 and 8,000 lire. Considering that 4,000 lire at the time is equivalent to about €17,000 today, it’s clear that, despite the economic difficulties of the era, some could have considered purchasing one.

The original route, 310 kilometers long, connected Milan to Acqui Terme, continuing to Sanremo, crossing the scenic and challenging roads once traveled by Milanese vacationers heading to the Riviera.

It was on this winding route that, on April 4, 1906, fourteen daring gentlemen drivers gathered in Via Marina in Milan—still the headquarters of the Automobile Club Milano today—to take part in the first edition of the Coppa Milano–Sanremo.

The competition, divided into two categories, saw Tamagni in a Marchand win the first class and Maffeis in a De Dion-Bouton win the second. In the one-kilometer standing-start trial, Tamagni again triumphed in his Marchand. Out of competition, in what could be seen as a tribute to higher-displacement cars, victory went to Davide Vannetti from Genoa, driving a Mercedes 90 HP.

The Coppa Milano–Sanremo thus became a springtime tradition, repeated annually until 1939, when war brought it to a halt. It was revived in 1949, thanks to the enthusiasm of a group of devoted enthusiasts.

After another long pause of about thirty years, the Coppa was reborn in 2003 as a Historical Revival dedicated to vintage cars. Today, more than a century later, the roads are paved and the route naturally expanded — but for this important anniversary, the Coppa Milano–Sanremo will pay tribute to its origins: participants will follow the same historical route, embarking on a captivating journey from the Lombard capital to the famous “City of Flowers”, Sanremo.

The 2026 edition, scheduled for March 26–29, promises to be one of the most significant in the event’s history.

The route, spread over three days, will start at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza during the traditional technical and sporting checks, featuring more special trials and on-track activities. The first day will conclude with an Opening Gala Dinner in Milan.

On Friday, teams will depart from Milan towards the Colli del Gavi (AL) for a lunch break, then continue through Acqui Terme toward Genoa, where they will spend the night.

On Saturday, March 28, the cars will parade through the city center of Genoa for the traditional defilé, then head to Loano for lunch. From there, they will tackle further timed and average-speed trials en route to Sanremo, where the award ceremony and Gala Dinner will take place at the renowned Casino of Sanremo. On Sunday, participants may join an exclusive “Tribute” event outside competition, closing the celebration in an atmosphere of passion and camaraderie.

The Automobile Club Milano will once again officially sponsor and operationally support the event. Through its sports division, ACI Sport, the race will retain its competitive status within the Campionato Italiano Grandi Eventi (Italian Major Events Championship), further strengthening its standing among the great classic motoring competitions.

Eligible Vehicles

All vintage cars registered in any country and produced up to the year 2000 are eligible to participate, provided they are in perfect working condition and faithful to their original model. Vehicles must have one of the following certifications: F.I.V.A. passport, F.I.A. Heritage fiche, A.S.I. homologation, or A.C.I. Sport fiche. Cars may not be replaced except with special authorization from the organizing committee.

Once again this year, the event will include the exclusive “Tribute” category, open to modern supercars and the most iconic youngtimers, built from 2001 to the present day. Registrations will close on March 8, 2026.

For further information, please contact the Equipe Grand Prix Organizing Secretariat:📧 race.office@milano-sanremo.it

PRESS OFFICE COPPA MILANO-SANREMO

Equipe International - Tel. +39 0234538354

Federica Bongiorno – federica.bongiorno@equipemilano.com

Antonella Nasini – antonella.nasini@equipemilano.com

Info: www.milano-sanremo.it