This longstanding partnership, which began in 1988, remains one of the most enduring collaborations between a watchmaker and a motorsport event. Equally steadfast is Chopard Co-President Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s personal passion for the race, as he takes part accompanied by Chopard Ambassador Jacky Ickx. They will be driving the Scheufele family’s cherished ‘metallic strawberry’ Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing. The race will serve as an opportunity to launch the latest timepieces from the emblematic Mille Miglia collection.
Passion for motorsport
Since its beginnings in 1927, the modern-day Mille Miglia has transformed into a multi-day event requiring drivers to maintain set average speeds across designated segments – placing accurate timekeeping at its heart. To Chopard Co-President and classic car enthusiast Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, the Mille Miglia represents a perfect opportunity to indulge his personal passion for collectable automobiles and to associate Chopard timepieces with the automotive world. Thus, this will be the 37th occasion on which Mr Scheufele has competed in the event, having taken part variously with his father, his wife, his daughter or, most frequently, Chopard Ambassador and celebrated racing driver Jacky Ickx.
The latter, who won the Le Mans 24 Hours race no fewer than six times between 1966 and 1985, is Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s co-driver again this year. As both men start their engine, Chopard will unveil new timepieces from the Mille Miglia collection in Chopard’s paddock stand on the outskirts of town, or in the race’s dedicated space located in Piazza Vittoria, both in Brescia.
The 2025 Mille Miglia editions revealed
Competitors will be able to see the eagerly anticipated 2025 Mille Miglia new editions which, this year, comprise two distinct models. The first is the Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph Tribute to Sir Stirling Moss, a striking timepiece created to celebrate one of the greatest feats in motorsport history. Crafted in the Maison’s exclusive Lucent Steel™ with a 40.5 mm diameter and equipped with a precision chronograph movement, this limited-edition timepiece is produced in just 70 pieces – a nod to the 70th anniversary of Sir Stirling Moss’s legendary 1955 victory at the Mille Miglia. That year, he and co-driver Denis Jenkinson took the chequered flag with a record time of 10 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds, averaging an astonishing 97.96 mph (157.65 km/h) – a record that stands to this day.
The second timepiece dedicated to this year’s race is the Mille Miglia GTS Power Control - 2025 Race Edition, marking a decade since Chopard introduced the GTS range – which stands for ‘Grand Turismo Sport’. A bold 43 mm timepiece in Lucent Steel™, with a salmon-coloured dial, featuring Chopard’s chronometer-certified 01-02-M movement, it is designed for gentleman drivers who demand performance, style, and endurance on every stretch of their journey.
From Brescia to Rome and back again
Either of these new timepieces will make an ideal racing companion for this year’s race. As always, all drivers will follow the traditional figure-eight configuration inspired by the original race routes of the 1927-1938 era, which starts and ends in Brescia. Participants will pass through a captivating series of cities and landscapes, including Verona, Ferrara, San Marino, Livorno, and of course, Rome, before winding their way back north. The journey also includes legendary mountain passes such as the Raticosa and Futa, ensuring a mix of challenge, heritage, and stunning scenery.
Over 400 classic cars – all of which must be of a make and model that raced in the original Mille Miglia, up until 1957 – will take part in this prestigious celebration of automotive history.
