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Mille Miglia Navigation and Timing Notes

Prepared By

Steve McKelvie

March 2016

These notes were prepared in order to help make the Mille Miglia event more understandable for

first time competitors. It is prepared on the assumption that the competitor’s car will not be

fitted with an adjustable, calibratable odometer.

Know the event schedule and its implications!

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I recommend getting the car scrutineered as soon as possible as you will get the Road Book

sooner. That will give you more time to become familiar with the Road Book. Also gives you

more time to ask questions if there are things that you do not understand.

From the Provisional Starting List, you might see that your car number will be #395. This means

that, in theory, you will be starting 395 minutes (6 hours 35 minutes) behind the first car. This

means that your rally will run much later than the cars at the front. For example on the First

Day, Car #1 (or the first car) will start at 18:00. You official start time will be (18:00 + 6:35)

24:35 or 00:35. The end of the First Day for you will be (23:00 + 6:35) 29:35 or 05:35 early the

next morning! Your First Day evening meal will be at about 06:00! If you are running on time,

then your whole Mille Miglia rally will be on such a time shift.

A couple of notes about the schedule based on the above starting position:

1. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday your rally will extend well into the night. Make sure

that your lights work well. Also I recommend a headlamp for the navigator as it will be

dark inside the car and you will need a light to read the route book. Check the car to see

how bright the instrument lights are. It will be necessary for the navigator to read the trip

odometer using the instrument’s lights.

2. You will spend many hours of this rally driving at night. A good set of lights and

additional rally lights will make the drive much easier, safer, and would make it much

easier to read street signs to help to minimize the possibilities of getting lost.

3. As much of the rally could be driven at night, the temperature will be cool especially in

an open car or in a closed car with poor heating.

4. Window defogging effectiveness can be an issue.

5. Be sure to check the suitability of the windshield wipers. Take some Rainex.

6. Note how intense the schedule is! At the end of each day after completing the day’s

rallying, the competitors have 8 hours to fuel the car, have dinner, shoot the breeze with

other competitors, sleep, have breakfast, get ready for another day rallying, and get to the

day’s start line.

7. Consider bringing some of those 5-Hour Energy Drinks.

The regulations note that they will be starting three cars at the same time. This will probably

happen at the start of the First Day and perhaps when starting from other major locations. This

can lead to confusion if you are not prepared for this. All three cars will be timed to a different

minute, but you will be initially traveling very close to each other. From the car numbers you

will know where you fit in with the other two cars. You will have to play this as you best you

can. You don’t want to get held up by other cars, but perhaps you don’t want to be out front

“breaking trail”. It might be best to lay back for a few kilometers and see how you feel about the

other cars. The two cars ahead of you might have both Italian crews, so perhaps they know the

roads well.

Caution: Do not trust the car in front of you. If they make a mistake, so will you! You can use

the car ahead of you as a guide or as a suggestion of the action that is needed, but not as the

absolute authority on what should be done. Also don’t let another car ruin your rally. If another

car is getting in your way or holding you up don’t hesitate to pass them.

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Synchronizing Your Clocks

It is important that you have the correct time of day. There should be an official clock at the

rally headquarters, although more and more rallies seem to say to use GPS time. This is a little

scary, as I was in a store in Germany with many “radio-controlled” clocks for sale, but only one

agreed with our GPS time which we felt comfortable with. Be sure to take the time to get your

watches/clocks synchronized with the official clocks. You might have to walk up the Start Line

and synchronize with their official time there. It is important to get the clock as synchronized as

possible with the official clocks.

It is a good idea to have three independent sources of time in the car in case there is a problem

with one timepiece.

Many of the top teams at Mille Miglia utilize a specialized clock developed by Blizz Timing that

was designed for events such as the Mille Miglia. The picture below shows my Blizz Timing

clock.

Blizz Timing Clock

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Other manufacturers, such as GaugePilot have been developing products that are custom

designed for the Mille Miglia.

GaugePilot Screens For Mille Miglia

Official Notice Board

At the rally headquarters there will be an Official Notice Board. Also note that the location of

this Official Notice Board will move daily as the rally moves along. Check this board at every

opportunity as it is updated with information that competitors should be aware of. Perhaps some

instructions are corrected or some new instructions might be provided, if for example, road

construction requires a route change.

Odometer Calibration

A key to following the Road Book instructions is to know where the instructions are to take

place. This is where you will have to rely on three things:

Matching the tulip diagram with the action location

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Noting the additional information, such as signs and sign location

Odometer reading

In order to know your location, you will have to be able convert your odometer reading into

reading in the Road Book.

As in this case it is being assumed that you do not have a special adjustable and calibratable rally

odometer, you will have to rely on the standard odometer that you have in the car. For these

purposes it is assumed that your car is fitted with two odometer readings:

Total distance display (miles or kilometers, reading to whole units)

Resettable trip display (miles or kilometers, reading to the 1/10 unit)

An odometer factor can be established that will allow you to convert official distances to your

trip display. The overall equation that you will use to do this is as follows:

Odometer Factor X Official Distance = Trip Odometer Display

In order to establish the Odometer Factor, use the following equation:

Odometer Factor = Trip Odometer Reading

Official Distance

The accuracy of the Odometer Factor can be greatly increased if you can read the trip odometer

increased precision. The sketch on the following page provides some guidelines about how read

a 1/10 rolling odometer digit.

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Interpolating The 1/10 Rolling Odometer Digit

Let’s look at two theoretical examples about how to establish the Odometer Factor.

Example 1

After resetting your trip odometer to 0.0, you drive for an official distance of 3.26 kilometers, but

your trip odometer reading is 3.42 kilometers. (take the time to carefully look at the 1/10

rotating dial to interpolate the 1/00 value – it will greatly increase your trip reading accuracy

during the rally). As a result, your Odometer Factor can be calculated as follows:

Odometer Factor = 3.42 = 1.049

3.26

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Example 2

After resetting your trip odometer to 0.0, you drive for an official distance of 3.26 kilometers, but

your trip odometer reading is 2.08 miles. Again look carefully at the 1/10 rotating dial to

interpolate the 1/100 value. As a result, your Odometer Factor can be calculated as follows:

Odometer Factor = 2.08 = 0.638

3.26

There very good possibility that the organizers will provide a measured distance for all

competitors to drive before the event starts, so that everyone will be able to calibrate their

odometer. Note that for a good factor the longer the measured length then the more tolerance

there is in the trip odometer reading.

When traveling over an official measured distance for the purposes of calibrating your odometer,

always follow the usual traveled route. For example, don’t cut or apex the corners – follow the

path that a normal car would have traveled when setting out the measured distance.

When you start a section, be sure to zero your trip odometer. Then if the Road Book notes a

right turn at 23.74 kilometers then by using the Odometer Factor as follows you can determine

the trip odometer reading at the location of the right turn:

Odometer Factor X Official Distance = Odometer Reading

0.638 X 23.74 = 15.15

Therefore expect the right turn to happen when the trip odometer says 15.15.

If you get lost or miss a turn then your trip odometer will be off. When that happens, then you

will have to rely on the Incremental Distances. For example, say your trip odometer is reading

21.56 (or so) at a known location, but you know that it is off because you have driven extra

distance because of an off-course error. From the instructions in the Road Book, you know that

the incremental distance to the next instruction, say a left turn, is 6.32 kilometers. Therefore the

incremental distance on the odometer would be (0.638 X 6.32) 4.03. Therefore the trip odometer

reading should be about (21.56 + 4.03) 25.59 when you get to the left turn. You will have to

continue this approach until the next opportunity to re-zero the trip odometer. You could also

reset your trip odometer to zero once you regain the proper route and add the incremental values

from that baseline of zero.

It might be difficult to read the trip odometer from the passenger’s seat, but it will have to be

done especially at critical times. The driver might be able to help read the odometer, but in most

cases, the driver is too busy steering the car to read the odometer.

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Road Book

The Road Book describes the route in detail (using symbols as well). You absolutely must not

lose the road book or any of the time cards! If it is not in your personal possession they should

be placed in a secure place.

After looking through it and getting some rally miles under you, you will learn how to find and

use the many pieces of information contained in the Road Book. In the first few pages of the

Book, there will be a legend explaining the symbols that are used in the Road Book.

Tulip Instructions

For tulip diagrams remember that you enter the instruction at the “ball” and leave in the direction

of the “arrow.” The following is a legend of the tulip lines and symbols, and their definitions:

Tulip, Line type Meaning

Basics of a "tulip". Dot at bottom signifies where you are coming from. Arrowhead shows which way you are to go. This will typically be given with a distance in kilometers.

Go straight.

"X" Indicates a quoted sign or landmark. The sign will be usually be defined in the adjoining column.

Go straight, perform indicated action, if any, at "sign".

A dotted line, like the one at the top, usually indicates a non-road. A non-road may be a driveway, or a road that is marked "no entry", "dead end", "not a thru road", "one way", or "no outlet". It is not an option as a way to go at that intersection.

Turn left at an intersection with a non-road across the way and the matching sign as shown and stated in the adjoining column.

This tulip shows an intersection with an island. All sides of the island are legal, conventionally, you would take the first opportunity to make the right.

Turn right before the island at an intersection with the quoted sign indicated by "X".

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Another intersection with an island. This time, the dotted line shows a non-road, which means you cannot go straight ahead. Follow the path of solid line road through this intersection.

If you are at the proper intersection for this tulip, turn right before the island, then left.

A squared circle over an intersection, indicates an intersection with a traffic light. This may be a flashing light, or a full stop light.

Go straight at a 4-way intersection with traffic light, and a quoted sign as indicated by the "X".

A four way intersection with 3 paved roads shown by solid lines, and one non-road, straight ahead, shown by the dotted lines.

Turn right at a signaled intersection with a non-road across the way and the matching sign as shown and stated in the adjoining column.

The boxes, or rectangles represent stores, shops, or buildings, or mentioned in the information column.

The boxes help to identify which buildings you are looking for.

The symbol to the right that looks like brackets lying down represents a bridge.

Turn right at a 4-way intersection to cross a bridge. The sign must match what is stated in the adjoining column.

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Other typical rally tulips are shown below:

Each rally will have its own style and you will be provided with a legend for the tulips at the

front of the Road Book.

A sample page from the Mille Miglia Road Book is shown on the following page.

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Sample Of A Mille Miglia Road Book Page

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Overview of the Control Types

There are several different types of controls that you will encounter in the Mille Miglia. These

controls are outlines as follows:

Time Controls (CO)

Basically, Time Controls place the competitors in a certain order and keeps the event moving

along. Participants will be given a start time to begin the event or to start a day. The competitors

are expected to show up at that time ready to start the first sector. For example, if your start time

is 7:50:00, then you should be at the Starting Line at 7:50:00. Sometimes there might be a delay

for some reason and they might assign you a slightly different start time for the sector while you

are at or near the start line.

Once you start the sector, the time to go through the next Time Control (your in-time) is the

required travel time (which is written on the schedule or Time Card) added to the real departure

time or start time from the last Time Control. For example, if your out-time or start time from

the last Time Control was 7:50:00 and the required travel time is 1:03:00, then your in-time to

the next Time Control (CO) is (7:50:00 + 1:03:00) 8:53:00.

Controls in Transit (CT)

Controls in transit or Passage Controls are used to ascertain that the pre-established route is

being followed. Each team will be assigned a time limit, or a period of time, in which they must

show the time card to the officials. Teams should try to keep no more than 20 minutes early.

Control in Transit (CT) or Passage Control

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Passage Control Card

Stamping Of The Passage Control Card

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Regularity Stages (PC)

Regularity Stages or time trials will be held en route. In order to participate in these trials,

participants must do the time trails in the times indicated on their schedules. The Regularity

Stages or time trials consist of a series of closely spaced timing lines. These Regularity Stages or

time trials might be at the end of a section or might be at the beginning of a section. There is no

standard location. Contrary to the Time Controls, the start of the Regularity Stages or time trials

is not regulated. Each participant will decide when to do them and place themselves at the

starting marshal’s disposal. The time for these Regularity Stages or time trials begins when the

car activates the starting line air pressure hose. Time (in hundredths of a second) will be

measured through “pressure switches” or rubber tubes connected to a printing chronometer,

which reads the impulse taken from when the front wheels go over the tube. Those who cross

too early or too late will be penalized.

Average Speed Controls

This year the Mille Miglia will be having average speed stages for the first time in about 10

years. The details as to how these stages will be run, but we know that they will be having 6

timed stages. At this time it is not known how these stages will be run, so the information

provided herein is based on a potential scenario. We do know that the timing controls will be

“hidden”. “Hidden” can have at least two meanings. One is that simply the controls are not

known beforehand, but that the controls are very visible when you pass by the controls. The

other meaning of “hidden” is that the controls truly are hidden and you do not know when you

drive by them. This last meaning seems somewhat inconsistent with the Mille Miglia timing and

scoring methods. The organizers seem to like using air hose timing lines and I think that they

would want the teams to know when they drove by a control so that the teams can time

themselves in order to verify the scores at the end of the day.

The style of the Mille Miglia has been to have consecutive similar scoring stations, so one

possible layout is to have two groups of three hidden average speed controls. Each group would

be positioned in one sector.

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How These Controls Fit Together

The time card presented on the following page shows how these control types fit together in the

Mille Miglia. These are shown on the left side of the time card. This time card shows the

controls in Section 1 of the Mille Miglia. Section 1 runs between Time Controls CO 1 and CO 2.

Sample Time Card From The Mille Miglia

During the route from CO 1 to CO 2, the competitors will pass through four (4) passage controls:

CT 1, CT 2, CT 3, and CT 4. The location of each of these passage controls is shown on the time

card. For example, CT 1 will be located 34.13 kilometres after CO 1 and CT 4 will be located

80.85 kilometres after CO 1.

Note that columns under the word “Distanze” provide competitors with the incremental and total

distances in kilometers from the starting CO, CO 1, in Brescia.

In the far right column, titled “Orario 1a Vett.” are the times for the first car. The first car on the

road is scheduled to leave CO 1 at 14:30 and arrive at 19:15 or 4 hours and 45 minutes later.

This duration of 4 hours 45 minutes is also provided at the bottom of the column titled “Tempi

Imposti”/”Settore”. Others cars will have to add 4 hours and 45 minutes to their start time at CO

1 to determine their in-time at CO 2. In the next column to the left under “Settore”, competitors

are advised that in order to get from CO 1 to CO 2 in the proper time, then will have to average a

speed of 38.53 kilomtres per hour.

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In this section of the Mille Miglia there will be fifteen (15) regularity stages with PC controls.

Notice how these regularity stages are clustered together with incremental distances often as

close as 200 metres. For example, PC 13 is only 0.24 kilometres (240 metres) past PC 12. In

this example, there are three clusters of 4, 3, and 8 regularity stages.

The time for the competitors to reach the next PC control is presented in column titled “Tempi

Imposti”/”Parziali”. The required average speed to get to the next PC is presented in the column

titled “Media”/”Parziali”. Note that the times that are provided are the times from one PC to the

next PC. The end at one PC is the start of the next PC section. For example, no matter what

time you cross the timing line at PC 9, the competitors have to cross the timing line at PC 10 36

seconds later.

Penalties And Other Disciplinary Proceedings

It is very important that you know what they penalize you for. The following are the time

penalties that can be assigned due to timing during the Mille Miglia rally.

Time Controls (CO)

For each minute or fraction of a minute early arrival: 100 negative penalty points

For each minute or fraction of minute of late arrival: 100 negative penalty points

For any delay beyond maximum time allowed: 12,000 negative penalty points

Regularity Stages (PC)

For every 1/100 of a second early arrival or delay: 1 negative penalty points (with a

maximum of 300)

Tests At An Imposed Average Speed

For each minute or fraction of a minute early arrival: 1 negative penalty points

For each minute or fraction of a minute late arrival: 1 negative penalty points

Secret Passage Checks

Up to 20 minutes early arrival: 320 negative penalty points

More than 20 minutes early arrival: 12,000 negative penalty points

More than 20 minutes early arrival (second time): expulsion

Some further penalties are as follows:

Time Card

Modifications, changes or corrections not officially approved by the Race Marshals:

expulsion from the race

Missing annotation at a Time Control: 12,000 negative penalty points

Missing stamp at a Passage Control: 12,000 negative penalty points

Time card not turned in at finish line: expulsion from the race

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Additional Penalties

Failure to start at the scheduled time and order: 100 negative penalty points

Stopping the car in a control zone (stopped car): 100 negative penalty points

Crew’s unauthorized access to a control zone (unless otherwise directed): 300 negative

penalty points

Missing passage or time annotation at any Checkpoint (CO or PC): 12,000 negative

penalty points

Unauthorized stopping in a control zone: 12,000 negative penalty points

Blocking the passage of and/or harming other crews: expulsion from the race

Unsportsmanlike behavior: from a reprimand to expulsion

Passing checkpoint in the wrong or other direction: expulsion from the race

Infringement of Italian traffic laws: up to expulsion

Irregularities in documents at the administrative checks: refused entry into event

Late arrival regarding the checks schedule: up to refused entry into event

Not departing from the starting line of the first or second leg: expulsion from the race

Having people other than the official driver or navigator drive the car in the event:

expulsion from race

Lack of an event number or event license plate: fine

Lack of two or all event numbers on the car: expulsion from the race

Lack of a notice of withdrawal to the Clerk of the Course: fine

Not following procedure regarding synchronization of chronometers: expulsion from the

race

Imprudent behavior on the part of the driver, navigator or support or accompanying crew

member: up to expulsion

Leaning out of a moving car: up to expulsion

Not respecting the orders of the Race Marshals: up to expulsion

Failure to respect publicity regulations for entered cars: 12,000 negative penalty points

A crew will be considered beyond the maximum time limit:

If they pass a Time Control (CO) more than 30 minutes after their expected passage time.

If they transit various controls late and accumulate more than 60 minutes of late passage

time.

Only at the Time Controls at the beginning of each leg (which means in Brescia, Rimini, Rome

and Parma), will crews will be considered to have exceeded the time limit if they arrive at the

these starting lines more than 15 minutes late.

The opening and closing times of the Regularity Stages (PC) and of the Passage Controls (CT)

will be those indicated on the timetable.

In addition to the rules of the Mille Miglia rally throughout the entire event, the driver must be

prudent and alert, scrupulously respecting the Italian traffic laws and the rules put in place by the

Clerk of the Course and Race Marshals. If a driver should not abide by the aforementioned rules

and/or laws, the following penalties will apply:

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First infraction: 300 negative penalty points

Second infraction: 12,000 negative penalty points

Third infraction: expulsion from the race.

Check Point Procedures

The following control signs will be used to depict controls and the location of other features

along the rally route.

Yellow Clock sign Determines the beginning of

the Time Control

Red Clock sign Location of Time Control

Drooping Flag with Yellow

Background

Warning of Regularity

Timing Line, placed 25

meters before the Regularity

Timing Line

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Drooping Flag With Red

Background

Location of Regularity

Timing Line

Beige sign with black stripes Limit of Control Zone

Checkered Flag with red

background

Located at the end of a series

of Regularity Timing Lines

Image of Old Time Stamp on

a Yellow Background

Warning of Approaching

Passage Control

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Image of Old Time Stamp on

a Red Background

Location of Passage Control

Gasoline Pump on Blue

Background

Beginning of Re-Fueling

Area

Three stripes through a

gasoline pump on a Blue

Background

End of Re-Fueling Area

Electrical Bolt on Blue

Background

Location of Radio Control

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Cross on Blue Background Location of Medical Services

In 2015 the overall route was about 1,761 kilometers long broken down into sectors. Along the

route there were 16 Time Controls (CO), 76 Regularity Stages (PC), 17 Passage Controls (CT),

and 8 Regularity Tests At An Imposed Average Speed.

The event was divided into sectors, with the word “sector” indicating a part included between

two time controls. The target time for each sector is listed in the Time and Distance Table and

the Time Card, which will be handed out to drivers at each starting point of each leg.

Cars must transit the sector at their given time. The required sector in-time is obtained by adding

the actual start time at the previous CO to the target transit time allowed for that sector (listed on

the time table). The actual transit time will be measured by pneumatic tube pressure switches as

the cars cross the timing line at the next control. The line will be marked by a red sign showing a

clock.

A Car Crossing The Timing Line Hose

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If, for some reason, the pressure switch is not working, the transit time of the vehicles will be

measured manually by the official timekeepers when the front wheel hub crosses the check line.

Vehicles are not allowed to stop inside control zones, which are stretches about 50 meters long,

marked with a yellow sign at the beginning and a beige one with black stripes one at the end.

To avoid picking up penalty points at check points, competitors have one minute from their

required in-time in which to drive over the pressure sensors. For example, for the 14:45:00 sector

finishing time, passing over the air hose pressure sensor timing line between 14:45:00 and

14:45:59 will not incur in penalization.

At the Time Controls (CO) check point entrants must follow the following procedure:

1. Cars that reach a Time Control CO (check point) before their estimated in-time must stop

their car before the yellow time control sign, placed 25 meters before the CO (check

point), wait until their estimated time, lined up according the race marshals’ instructions.

2. Cars are permitted to enter control areas (the area extending from the yellow sign to the

beige one with black stripes) during their minute.

3. Time Controls or check points will be marked by a red sign with a clock.

4. Transit times will be measured by a pneumatic pressure switch located on the road and

marked by a red sign with a clock. Driving over the pneumatic air line will trigger the

timing clock.

5. After the car has triggered the pressure switch, the car must immediately move forward

and leave the control area.

6. Late cars can enter control areas and complete their check in, but must try not to obstruct

the area for other competitors who are running on time. So if you are running late, then

just drive into the control, being sure to run over the air hose and keep going. Don’t be

reckless or dangerous while doing this!

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Time Control ((CO) Layout

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Regularity Stages

A number of Regularity Stages are present in each sector. The length of each Regularity Stage

and the given target time are listed on the Time and Distance Table and on the Time Card.

The regularity stages in each group are “interlinked”; meaning the end of one is the beginning of

the next. Measuring lines, marked on the ground, have a pneumatic tube pressure switch

connected to a printing chronometer. Time will be measured in hundredths of a second. To the

right of the sensor will be a red sign showing a drooping flag and to the left, a rubber traffic

cone. Twenty-five (25) meters before the measuring line you will see a yellow sign with a

drooping flag, and 25 meters after the line there will be a beige sign with three black diagonal

stripes. The measuring line at the end of the last stage of a group of Regularity Stages will be

marked with signs showing a checkered flag. Vehicles are not permitted to stop between the

yellow sign and the beige sign. For regularity stages shorter than 300 meters there is no yellow

warning sign placed 25 meters from the timing line.

For a Regularity Stage, the following procedures are followed:

1. Vehicles are to line up before the yellow sign, in rough order of their competition

numbers;

2. Cars are to gather at the yellow sign, which marks the beginning of the first stage of a

group of Regularity Stages. They then must follow the instructions of the road marshal or

timekeeper. Nothing will be written on their time card at this point;

3. Within five seconds of the “VIA” (“GO”) called by a marshal or timekeeper, cars will

start, passing over the first pressure tube switch. This establishes the initial time of the

first regularity stage. The car is then to proceed in carrying out the rest of the series of

stages, trying to keep to the target times that have been given. Anyone who is forced to

stop - for whatever reason - is kindly asked to avoid blocking the passage of other

competitors and to follow the directions given by marshals;

4. Having finished the series of Regularity Stages, crews are to continue on without any

more stops for time entries or for anything else.

Note that the times given are the times on the Mille Miglia timing sheet from Checkpoint to

Checkpoint. For example refer to the illustration below, if the crew took 9 seconds instead of 8

to go from CH10 to CP21 the crew would still have to cross the CP22 timing line 12 seconds

after crossing the CP21 timing line. The times through the controls are not cumulative.

In The Regulatory Controls The Times Are From Control To Control

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Example Of A Cluster Of Regularity (PC) Controls Layout

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In the photo below a car crossing the timing line at a PC control while if you look in the

background, you can see other cars waiting behind the yellow control sign for their in-time.

A Car At A Regularity Control

Passage Controls (CT)

Along the route there will be Passage Controls (CT) to ascertain that the pre-established itinerary

is being followed.

The approach to the checkpoint is indicated first by a yellow sign on the right hand side of the

road, showing the symbol of an old-fashioned ink stamp, located 25 meters before arrival. The

Passage Control (CT) check point itself is marked with a red sign with the same symbol, and is

then followed by a beige sign with three black diagonal stripes 25 meters past it.

At a Passage Control (CT) check point drivers must not get out of their cars. A marshal will

stamp your time card. Passage Control check points will remain open one hour after the

estimated transit time of the last competitor.

Failure to have a time card stamped at a CT will result in the penalization.

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Passage Control Layout

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Average Speed Controls

Potential Layout Of Average Speed Controls

Presumably the target average speed will be provided. The average speed might be given in an

integer number (say 35 km/hr) which would allow you to use speed/distance/time tables, or they

might be given as a decimal number (say 38.26 km/hr) which will require special preparation.

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Pacing Example

Let’s assume that the average speeds are provided in decimal numbers and that you want to be

able to provide pacing timing at every 0.5 interval on the odometer. From a previous example,

let’s assume that the Odometer Factor is 0.638. By re-arranging the equation for the Odometer

Factor the following equation is provided:

Official Distance = Odometer Reading

Odometer Factor

Set Odometer Reading Interval = 0.5

Odometer Factor = 0.638

Therefore the Official Distance traveled for every 0.5 increment on the odometer:

Official Distance = 0.5 = 0.7837 kilometers

0.638

The Speed-Time-Distance relationship is as follows;

Time = Distance

Speed

We know the required average speed is 38.26 km/hr, therefore for every 0.5 increment on the

odometer (actual distance traveled = 0.7837 km) the time can be calculated as follows:

Time = 0.7837 km = 0.02048 hours

38.26 km/hr

More convenient time units can be calculated as follows:

0.02048 hours = 0.02048 hr X 60 minutes = 1.229 minutes

hr

1.229 minutes = 1.229 minutes X 60 seconds = 73.74 seconds = 1 minute 13.74 seconds

minute

Therefore every 0.5 on the odometer the time increment should be increased by 1 minute 13.4

seconds in order to keep the car on a 38.26 km/hr pace. Therefore when the odometer says 0.5

then the time should be 1 minute 13.74 seconds after the start time. When the odometer says 1.0

then the time should be 2 minutes 27.48 seconds after the start time. When the odometer says

1.5 then the time should be 3 minutes 41.22 seconds after the start time and so on and so on until

the average speed portion is complete.

30

Points

The Mille Miglia is won by the car with the highest number of points. At each control cars are

assigned a time penalty as discussed previously. These time penalties are then assigned points

based on the following chart. The chart is read by looking up the number of penalties that you

got at a control. For example, let’s assume that you were 78 hundreds of a second late at a

control line. Looking at the points chart shown below, you can see that you would be assigned

122 points.

MILLE MIGLIA 2009 - POINTS CHART

cent/sec

penalties points

0 420

1 395

2 370

3 350

4 330

5 310

6 291

7 272

8 254

9 236

10 226

11 217

12 212

13 207

14 203

15 200

16 198

17 196

18 194

19 192

20 190

21 188

22 186

23 184

cent/sec

penalties points

38 162

39 161

40 160

41 159

42 158

43 157

44 156

45 155

46 154

47 153

48 152

49 151

50 150

51 149

52 148

53 147

54 146

55 145

56 144

57 143

58 142

59 141

60 140

61 139

cent/sec

penalties points

76 124

77 123

78 122

79 121

80 120

81 119

82 118

83 117

84 116

85 115

86 114

87 113

88 112

89 111

90 110

91 109

92 108

93 107

94 106

95 105

96 104

97 103

98 102

99 101

cent/sec

penalties points

114 86

115 85

116 84

117 83

118 82

119 81

120 80

121 79

122 78

123 77

124 76

125 75

126 74

127 73

128 72

129 71

130 70

131 69

132 68

133 67

134 66

135 65

136 64

137 63

31

24 182

25 180

26 178

27 176

28 174

29 172

30 170

31 169

32 168

33 167

34 166

35 165

36 164

37 163

62 138

63 137

64 136

65 135

66 134

67 133

68 132

69 131

70 130

71 129

72 128

73 127

74 126

75 125

100 100

101 99

102 98

103 97

104 96

105 95

106 94

107 93

108 92

109 91

110 90

111 89

112 88

113 87

138 62

139 61

140 60

141 59

142 58

143 57

144 56

145 55

146 54

147 53

148 52

149 51

150 50

151 49

cent/sec

penalties points

152 48

153 47

154 46

155 45

156 44

157 43

158 42

159 41

160 40

161 39

162 38

163 37

164 36

165 35

166 34

167 33

168 32

169 31

170 30

171 29

cent/sec

penalties points

189 11

190 10

191 9

192 8

193 7

194 6

195 5

196 4

197 3

198 2

199 1

200 0

201 0

202 0

203 0

204 0

205 0

206 0

207 0

208 0

cent/sec

penalties points

226 0

227 0

228 0

229 0

230 0

231 0

232 0

233 0

234 0

235 0

236 0

237 0

238 0

239 0

240 0

241 0

242 0

243 0

244 0

245 0

cent/sec

penalties points

263 0

264 0

265 0

266 0

267 0

268 0

269 0

270 0

271 0

272 0

273 0

274 0

275 0

276 0

277 0

278 0

279 0

280 0

281 0

282 0

32

172 28

173 27

174 26

175 25

176 24

177 23

178 22

179 21

180 20

181 19

182 18

183 17

184 16

185 15

186 14

187 13

188 12

209 0

210 0

211 0

212 0

213 0

214 0

215 0

216 0

217 0

218 0

219 0

220 0

221 0

222 0

223 0

224 0

225 0

246 0

247 0

248 0

249 0

250 0

251 0

252 0

253 0

254 0

255 0

256 0

257 0

258 0

259 0

260 0

261 0

262 0

283 0

284 0

285 0

286 0

287 0

288 0

289 0

290 0

291 0

292 0

293 0

294 0

295 0

296 0

297 0

298 0

299 0

300 0

Points are multiplied by the coefficient assigned

In the above chart you can see that in 2009, once you are assigned a penalty 200 or more then

you will receive zero points.

For the final standings in the Mille Miglia the overall points assigned to each car is determined

by multiplying the vehicle’s score by a coefficient assigned to that car. The car models that can

enter the Mille Miglia are those of which at least one of that car model took part in one of the

speed editions (1927-1957), or completed the registration formalities for one of these editions.

Each car accepted is allocated a coefficient which will then be multiplied by the points obtained

by its drivers during the competition.

The coefficient assigned to a car is based on its age and characteristics. For example the older

cars generally have less horsepower and likely have brakes that are not as good as the cars of the

mid-1950s that might have disk brakes. Cars with lower performance characteristics have higher

coefficients.

The coefficients are calculated and assigned considering the year of design and the technical,

sporting and historical features of the models, the partial coefficients related to period,

class and category. Competitors are advised to consult the rules in order to understand the

coefficient assigned to their car. This can be done before arriving at the start of the Mille Miglia.

33

The graph shown on the following page shows how the points fall off very quickly with small

errors. As a result it can be seen that you score will improve significantly if you can get your

error down to less than 0.10 seconds.

Relationship Between Time Penalties And Points Scored

In order to finish near the top of the field in the Mille Miglia, then you have to get the average

time penalty at each control to a value below 0.10 seconds - much lower if you want to win.

Having the driver practice this car control before the event is time well spent.

General Advice

Know what you can and can’t do, and the penalty (if any) for doing it.

Keep all your paperwork in order and accessible. Have your “office” tidy and organized.

Keep your driver focused.

Keep calm.

Ensure you know when the next fuel stop is – and have enough in the car to get there!

Ensure that you, your driver and the car are ready, at the appropriate time, at wherever

you are supposed to be.

Keep a note of your times and penalties.

34

Make sure that no other times and penalties are applied on any results (interim or final).

Ensure that marshals write the correct times on the timecard.

Be friendly with the marshals.

Note all entries on the timecard and ensure that all signatures are obtained before leaving

the control. Control marshals can make mistakes.

Know the cars that are ahead and behind of you, so you will know where to slot in at

controls and at starts. This may (will) change during the rally but be aware of what is

happening around you.

Run your own rally! Do not always assume that the car (or cars) ahead of you know what

they are doing. As you go through the rally, you will begin to get a feeling or the

knowledge of who knows what they are doing and who might be suspect.

Be Careful!