STORY OF THE DAY: Ferrari Takes Third Behind the Mercedes Record Run

Umberto Maglioli and Luciano Monteferrario finished third in the 1955 Mille Miglia with the number 705 Ferrari 118 LM. Their time of 10 hours, 52 minutes and 47 seconds placed them behind the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLRs of Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio. Moss’s record drive dominated the day, but the Ferrari crew secured the leading position for an Italian car.

The 118 LM proved easier to manage than Ferrari’s more powerful 121 LM entries, particularly in its treatment of tyres over the long route. Maglioli maintained a disciplined pace while the larger Ferraris fell away, allowing the 3.7-litre car to survive the high-speed contest. Third place emerged from balancing performance with preservation rather than attempting to match Moss’s extraordinary average.

The 118 LM was a transitional sports racer built around a tubular chassis and a front-mounted Lampredi inline-four enlarged to approximately 3.7 litres. Its designation reflected the engine’s individual-cylinder capacity and Le Mans development purpose. Scaglietti open bodywork kept weight low, while strong torque suited climbs and acceleration, though the large four-cylinder engine imposed substantial vibration and mechanical loads.

Maglioli was an Italian road-racing specialist and the reigning Carrera Panamericana winner for Ferrari. Monteferrario was an Italian co-driver whose navigation and practical support were essential throughout the Mille Miglia. Their result mattered because calm teamwork brought home Ferrari’s best finish on a day when Mercedes possessed a decisive combination of speed, organisation and reliability.