Alfonso de Portago 1957 Mille Miglia Crash – Original Period Photographs

These original photographs depict the immediate aftermath of the Alfonso de Portago / Edmund Nelson accident during the 1957 Mille Miglia, occurring on the final leg between Cerlongo and Guidizzolo.

The images show the Ferrari 335 S (chassis 0646), a factory-entered works prototype equipped with a 4.1-liter V12 engine and de Dion rear suspension, lying in a ditch along the roadside after the catastrophic failure that ended the race.

The photographs capture the car at the point where investigators later focused on a suspected tire failure—a front-left Pirelli Stelvio racing tire that may have been stressed by sustained high-speed running, coarse road surfaces, and the weight distribution characteristics of the 335 S at maximum velocity.

The scene represents a pivotal moment in motorsport history: the crash precipitated governmental action and contributed directly to the termination of the Mille Miglia as an unrestricted open-road speed trial. The photographs serve as primary-source visual evidence of the inherent risks of the Mille Miglia.

This event created the backdrop to the 2023 movie ‘Ferrari’.

Each measures 144 x 96mm

Accompanied with certificate of authenticity