The passing of Tazio Nuvolari, which took place on August 11, 1953, caused a profound sensation throughout the world. In particular, it deeply moved the men of the Mille Miglia — Renzo Castagneto, Aymo Maggi, and Giovanni Canestrini — the three who, together with Franco Mazzotti, who had died during World War II, had conceived and brought to life “the most beautiful race in the world.”

Castagneto, the deus ex machina of the Mille Miglia, and his friends were genuinely attached to the Mantovan driver—not only because of their affection and esteem for the man and the admiration they felt for the great champion, but also out of gratitude, as they considered him one of those whose exploits had most contributed to the unstoppable growth of their creation.

To honor his memory, the organizers of the Mille Miglia altered the traditional route so that it would pass through Mantova. From that moment on, the NUVOLARI GRAND PRIX was established, to be awarded to the fastest driver and therefore to be contested along the long straight stretches that cross the Po Valley, starting from Cremona and passing through Mantova, all the way to the finish line in Brescia.

In addition to the four historic editions held from 1954 to 1957 and promoted by the organizers of the Mille Miglia, 35 re‑enactments of the NUVOLARI GRAND PRIX have been held to date, in the form of an international regularity event reserved for historic vehicles. Since 1991, the founding members of Mantova Corse—Luca Bergamaschi, Marco Marani and Claudio Rossi—have continued the same mission handed down by the legendary founders of the Mille Miglia. The purpose remains the same: to allow new generations of drivers to test themselves at the wheel of the vehicles that wrote the history of those days, paying homage to the greatest, the boldest, the most daring of their predecessors: the legendary Tazio Nuvolari.