Simona de Silvestro, a former Formula 1 test driver, has qualified to represent Italy in bobsleigh at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The Swiss-Italian racer, who stepped away from motorsport in 2022, will compete in the women's monobob and two-woman events. Her transition highlights the adaptability of elite athletes across disciplines.
Simona de Silvestro's journey from Formula 1 circuits to Olympic ice tracks began with a 2014 test session for the Sauber team at Ferrari's Fiorano circuit, where she was evaluated for a potential race seat. Despite initial promise, contractual disputes halted her F1 prospects, leading her to excel in other series. In IndyCar, she secured a podium at the 2013 Shell-Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston and started the Indianapolis 500 seven times. She also became the first woman to score points in Formula E, finishing ninth at the 2016 Long Beach ePrix with Andretti. De Silvestro later competed in V8 Supercars and GT3 before announcing her pivot to bobsleigh in 2022.
The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, scheduled from February 6 to 22, 2026, will feature de Silvestro in the women's monobob heats starting February 15 and the two-woman bobsleigh on February 20. Her skills in high-speed decision-making and physical conditioning from racing have aided this rapid transition. Leveraging her Italian heritage, she qualified swiftly for Italy's team.
De Silvestro expressed her thrill on Instagram: “We’ve officially made it; we’re going to the Olympics. Proof that a little bit of madness, mixed with conviction, can make the impossible real. It all started with a dream that I wasn’t afraid to pursue. I can’t wait to represent Italy at Milan–Cortina 2026!” To the International Bobsleigh Federation, she added: “I always felt really inspired by the Olympics... I was looking at different sports and thought maybe bobsleigh is going to be the sport that can help me achieve this dream of going to the Olympics.”
Her story echoes motorsport's history of crossovers, such as Alex Zanardi's Paralympic golds in cycling or Alfonso de Portago's fourth-place bobsleigh finish at the 1956 Olympics. De Silvestro's qualification underscores the versatility of racing drivers in pursuing elite competition beyond the cockpit.
