Spanish Noble Alfonso de Portago's Life and Fatal Race in His Ferrari
In the heart of Italy during the 1957 Mille Miglia race, a poignant moment was captured in a photograph that would forever be known as the "Kiss of Death." This black-and-white image shows actress Linda Christian leaning over the side of Spanish aristocrat and Ferrari driver Alfonso de Portago's car, moments before his fatal crash.
De Portago, a man of high risk and speed, was born into aristocracy, an Olympic bobsledder, pilot, and playboy who took up racing only three years before the accident. Before the race, he had written an article for Sports Illustrated reflecting on the deadly uncertainty of motor racing, stating that careers could be ended by a "very small error" leading to being "embarrassingly dead the next."
The Mille Miglia, a 1,000-mile endurance run on public roads, was infamous for its danger and had a history of fatal crashes. De Portago aimed to become world champion by 1960, and he had proclaimed, "I won't die of an accident." However, his life ended tragically at the age of 28, less than 30 miles from the finish line.
The crash occurred on a straightaway, not on a sharp corner as some might expect. The Ferrari 335 S that de Portago was driving suffered a blown front left tire, which sent the car off the road, crashing into a concrete barrier and into a crowd of spectators. The crash killed de Portago, his co-driver, and nine bystanders, including five children.
The photograph of Linda Christian kissing de Portago moments before the crash became widely published in newspapers announcing the tragic accident. It not only symbolizes the tragic end of de Portago’s life but also the perilous nature of the Mille Miglia race, which was consequently discontinued after that year due to safety concerns.
De Portago's life was emblematic of high risk and speed. Born into aristocracy, he was a man of many talents, competing in various activities, including driving, steeplechasing, bobsledding, athletics, bridge, and writing. His crash was not a foregone conclusion, but his fearless reputation on the racetrack was shattered by this tragic event.
The Ferrari 335 S that de Portago drove in the 1957 Mille Miglia race is now a historical artifact. Gregor Grant, the editor of Autosport, said that de Portago was a fabulous person who excelled in various activities, including driving, steeplechasing, bobsledding, athletics, bridge, and writing.
In the days before the crash, de Portago expressed his concerns about the race to his second wife, fashion model Dorian Leigh, predicting that his "early death" may come during the event. This tragic prediction was a stark reminder of the deadly uncertainty of motor racing.
De Portago was less than 30 miles from the finish line when he crashed. His crash was not the first during the Mille Miglia, but it was one of the most tragic and led to the end of the race. The Mille Miglia, a race driven on the open roads of Italy, will forever be remembered for the "Kiss of Death" and the tragic end of Alfonso de Portago's life.
- The perilous nature of the Mille Miglia, a race known for its danger and fatal crashes, became even more evident in 1957, when a crash during the event claimed the life of Spanish aristocrat and Ferrari driver Alfonso de Portago.
- Despite de Portago's rise to fame in the automotive industry and his reputation for high risk and speed, his life ended tragically on a straightaway, less than 30 miles from the finish line.
- The general-news media extensively reported on the Mille Miglia crash, with one of the most poignant images being a photograph of actress Linda Christian leaning over de Portago's car, moments before his fatal crash, now known as the "Kiss of Death."
- The crash of the Ferrari 335 S driven by de Portago not only marked the end of the Mille Miglia race due to safety concerns, but it also underscores the deadly uncertainty of motor racing, as de Portago himself had predicted before the event.
