Here we are in the Piazza Vittoria in Brescia Italy during scrutineering for the Mille Miglia which will start later that night of April 25, 1953 and run throughout the following day. Stirling Moss is pushing his works Jaguar C-Type along with his passenger Mort Morris-Goodall, then Jaguar’s competition manager, as an official directs them where to go. This Jaguar is a works-entered car which had begun its busy racing life in 1952. The Moss/Morris-Goodell team had prepared themselves well in advance having done six practice laps of the route in the weeks prior to the race. Jaguar Cars had also entered another C-Type which was driven by Tony Rolt with Len Hayden, a Jaguar mechanic, which would be the last car to start.
The Jaguar team leaders surrounded by enthusiastic spectators as they arrive for their official checks. The number of their Jaguar indicates its starting time for the following morning.
The Moss/Morris-Goodall C-Type would not make it to the first checkpoint at Ravenna part way down the Adriatic Coast. A rear axle tube would tear away from the differential perhaps due to the bumpy Italian roads combined with hard driving under race conditions.
The Rolt/Hayden entry would also retire before Ravenna with engine failure. These were the last appearance of works Jaguar entries in the Mille Miglia.
Photos from the Archivio Corrado Millanta and Louis Klemantaski ©The Klemantaski Collection – http://www.klemcoll.com
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