A symbolic start: Turin 2006 opening ceremony

One of the most visible links between Formula 1 and the Olympics came during the 2006 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Turin, when Italian F1 driver Luca Badoer drove a Ferrari Formula 1 car in front of a global audience. The demonstration highlighted Italy’s motorsport heritage and provided a rare moment where Formula 1 shared the spotlight with Olympic sport.

Drivers who became Olympians

Although Formula 1 itself is not an Olympic discipline, several drivers have competed in Olympic sports, particularly winter events where speed, precision and courage overlap with racing skills.

Divina Galica is one of the best-known examples. She combined a racing career with elite skiing, competing in multiple Winter Olympics before later attempting to qualify for Formula 1 in the late 1970s.

Another historic crossover figure is Alfonso de Portago, the Spanish aristocrat and Ferrari driver. Alongside his motorsport career, he competed in bobsleigh at the Winter Olympics, demonstrating the versatility often seen among early racing drivers.

Similarly, Bob Said and Robin Widdows both balanced high-level motorsport activities with Olympic bobsleigh participation. Their dual careers reflected a time when crossover between disciplines was more common than today.

Former Sauber test driver at the 2026 Winter Olympics

The Olympic link may soon gain a contemporary chapter. Former Sauber Formula 1 test driver Simona de Silvestro is expected to represent Italy in bobsleigh at the 2026 Winter Olympics, competing in both monobob and two-person events at the Cortina Sliding Center.

The Swiss-Italian racer is already well known in international motorsport, having raced extensively in IndyCar between 2010 and 2022 and later competing in Formula E. At 37, her move into Olympic winter sport underlines the transferable skills between racing and winter sports.