Few events in the world can make the hearts of classic car enthusiasts beat faster than the legendary 1000 Miglia. Born in 1927, this world-famous automotive event unfolds on an urban “circuit” of 1.618 km (the equivalent of 1.005 Roman miles) starting from Brescia and arriving in the city itself. After abandoning its original speed race format in 1957, in 1977 the 1000 Miglia restarts as a regularity competition reserved for cars built between 1927 and 1957. The track is still 1.000 miles long and largely retraces that original through Italy, from Brescia to Rome and back.

Guests of Chopard, which is the Official Watch and Main Partner of the 1000 Miglia, on the occasion of the start of this fascinating race we had the honor of interviewing two important personalities: Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Co President of Chopard, and one of the greatest pilots of the last century, Jackie Ickx !

The two have been friends for over 30 years and have raced the 1000 Miglia together for numerous editions, so I was very curious to understand the elements in common between two such different personalities - Mr. Scheufele's calmness is balanced by Jackie's explosive personality - but endowed with great Passion ...

MATTEO BEGA

Mr. Scheufele how did the partnership between Chopard and what Enzo Ferrari defined as “the most beautiful race in the world”, the 1000 Miglia, born?

KARL-FRIEDRICH SCHEUFELE

Our partnership with 1000 Miglia began in 1988, thanks to my passion for classic cars and motor racing. I think this combination of prestigious races like the 1000 Miglia and our watches was a great idea. We started by creating the first Chopard watch dedicated to the Mille Miglia and we have sealed this partnership until today.

MATTEO BEGA

What elements does Chopard share with this historic competition?

KARL-FRIEDRICH SCHEUFELE

Running in these races, driving, is a matter of precision, timing and craftsmanship. All elements that share both the world of watchmaking and that of racing. It is part of Chopard's DNA.

MATTEO BEGA

Mr. Jackie Ickx, how did your friendship with Mr. Scheufele and the Chopard maison start?

JACKIE ICKX

Are you from the police? (laughs)
It was providence, somehow. We never know what life has in store for us, what people we will meet today. There are many people in your path, who can change your life. From the very beginning in which Mr. Scheufele and I met, we had a good time and for 34 years we have also built a beautiful collaboration between a family company, such as Chopard, now in its fifth generation. This maison has a different soul than a large group with shareholders etc ...

MATTEO BEGA

Do you remember your first experience at the 1000 Miglia together? If I'm not mistaken, it was 1989 ...

KARL-FRIEDRICH SCHEUFELE

We didn't know each other well yet, but I asked Jackie if she wanted to ride with me. He accepted, but to my amazement he was not interested in driving, but in enjoying the beauties that Italy had to offer. For me it was not very relaxing at first, knowing that I was driving alongside a legend of motoring. Near Rome, I looked next to me and saw him sleeping… I realized that after all I wasn't driving so badly.

JACKIE ICKX

I slept because I trusted his guide a lot, he is a very good driver. Karl has participated in almost 30 editions of 1000 Miglia and this explains a lot of the friendship that exists between Chopard and this race.

MATTEO BEGA

As a driver, winner of seven editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans among other things, what do you think mechanical watchmaking has in common with motor racing?

JACKIE ICKX

Without a doubt the pursuit of precision. My whole life has been devoted to finding the best time. In the past we measured the seconds, as the gap between one time and another, now we count the thousandths of a second. In auto racing it's all about precision and driving the right car.

Often the driver takes all the credit, but that's just the last part of a hard work done behind the scenes. Look at Lewis Hamilton, on many occasions he never fails to emphasize the importance of his team: it is not just a courtesy, it is a profound thought. Because he understood that if he wasn't with the Mercedes team, he would never get those results.

For Chopard it is the people who work in their laboratories, in their ateliers, where the family makes their intuition and philosophy available to do a 100% job, with a unique quality. All people that we never see, but they are part of the group of 2000 people who work to obtain a well-made and precise watch, as in motor racing: 80% of the work is done before the day of the race, by a whole team.

This is to say, and it also applies to my successes, that credit is made up of people who make you who you are.

MATTEO BEGA

Chopard means watches and style, just as the 1000 Miglia is not just a race. How do you design your watches to dedicate them to this event?

KARL-FRIEDRICH SCHEUFELE

Inspiration always comes when I look at cars. The colors, the materials, the style, the combinations. As for the straps: what you wear is the fruit of an idea that came to me while looking at the tires of my Porsche 550 Spyder. It was 1996 and the first was made two years later, and it immediately became a classic.

MATTEO BEGA

I love this watch very much and I find that, beyond its beauty and its link with the 1000 Miglia, the dial is very neat, has beautiful details that are often rare for this price range.

KARL-FRIEDRICH SCHEUFELE

I have a good or bad reputation, it depends on the point of view. I am very fussy about the care and details of the dial. It is very difficult to find well-made dials, which is why we at Chopard produce our dials in-house and have our own factory.

MATTEO BEGA

How important has the Passion been and is it in your respective careers?

KARL-FRIEDRICH SCHEUFELE

Passion is the engine of everything. Without this great Passion I would not be able to work in the same way. I must have a passion for everything I do. In a moment like the one we experienced last year, it was very important: it pushed me to look beyond, to improve and develop new ideas at Chopard.

JACKIE ICKX

If you don't have Passion in whatever you do, you have to be lucky in your life to find something you like. Passion is a privilege, because it is a permanent element. As a man, it is important to find something along your path that you enjoy and become a goal in your life. When you have Passion, you are a better person and live life differently. I'm sorry for those who don't have Passion, because without it life is empty.

MATTEO BEGA

If you had to choose just one car to drive for a car competition, but also just for a leisurely Sunday ride, what would it be?

KARL-FRIEDRICH SCHEUFELE

I would definitely choose my 911 Porsche 1973 RS ..

JACKIE ICKX

I'm sorry, but I could never answer this question. I have driven too many cars, many of them beautiful and it would be too difficult to choose ..

MATTEO BEGA

Last question, what watch are you wearing today?

KARL-FRIEDRICH SCHEUFELE & JACKIE ICKX

The latest edition of the Chopard “1000 Miglia”!

  • Jackie Ickx
  • Karl-Friedrich Scheufele

We thank Karl-Friedrich Scheufele, Jackie Ickx, friends of Chopard and Bertelli Pigola for their great availability in the realization of this interview!