The four F1 drivers who competed in the Winter Olympics including one former Ferrari star

The 2026 Winter Olympics are about to open in Milan-Cortina because the wearing calendar continues to have within the gaps before the beginning of the Formulation 1 season.

There are easiest two pre-season assessments taking position between now and the Australian Huge Prix, nonetheless in that time, hundreds of medals will likely be won at essentially the most up-to-date edition of the Winter Olympics.

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Brooding about how a whole lot of many chilly climate sports actions are to Formulation 1, it’s exceptional to factor in that there would possibly maybe be far of a crossover between the 2.

Alternatively, within the historical past of the Winter Olympics, four contributors bear also taken section in a Formulation 1 Huge Prix.

Despite the undeniable truth that none of these drivers are household names, one has a extraordinary position in F1 historical past, while any other used to be fortunate sufficient to flee in one of Enzo Ferrari’s cars.

Alfonso de Portago – Bobsleigh, Ferrari podium finisher

Alfonso de Portago used to be an eccentric Spanish aristocrat who had a habitual wearing profession.

He featured because the ‘gentleman rider’ on the Huge Nationwide and formed the Spanish bobsleigh crew for the 1956 Winter Olympics in this year’s host venue, Cortina.

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De Portago’s bobsleigh crew carried out fourth, and that same year, he made his F1 debut in a customer Ferrari.

He carried out 2d on the 1956 British Huge Prix before Juan Manuel Fangio, sharing the vehicle with Peter Collins.

The 13th Count of la Mejorada used to be portrayed by Gabriel Leone within the 2023 film Ferrari, and he used to be sadly killed a year after his Olympics and F1 debut in an accident all the plot in which thru one of Italy’s most smartly-known races, the Mille Miglia.

Divina Galica – Alpine/tempo snowboarding, three Huge Prix entries

British driver Divina Galica is one of beautiful five ladies to ever compete in Formulation 1.

Racing for Surtees in 1976 and Hesketh in 1978, she did no longer qualify for any of the three Huge Prix she entered.

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Alternatively, she had a prominent racing profession, coming 2d in a British Formulation One flee and taking section in two Shellsport World Sequence campaigns.

Earlier than F1, Galica used to be an alpine skier, making her debut at Innsbruck 1964 and featuring on the next two Winter Olympics, before returning to take section in a tempo snowboarding tournament in 1992, feeble 47.

Bob Acknowledged – Bobsleigh, one-time Formulation 1 driver

There’s a stage of nominative determinism referring to the truth that Bob Acknowledged made his two appearances on the Winter Olympics in a bobsled.

He raced at Grenoble in 1968 and Sapporo four years later, despite the undeniable truth that he never came shut to winning a medal.

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His F1 profession used to be even shorter, taking section within the main genuine United States Huge Prix in 1959 at Sebring.

It used to be won by Fresh Zealander Bruce McLaren, with Acknowledged qualifying 13th in his Connaught before retiring on the opening lap following an accident.

Robin Widdows – Bobsleigh, one F1 entry for Cooper

While Acknowledged had made his one and easiest look in Formulation 1 nine years before his Winter Olympics debut, 1968 used to be an animated year within the profession of Robin Widdows.

He raced towards Acknowledged within the bobsleigh for Big Britain in 1968, nonetheless made his debut four years earlier at Innsbruck, failing to medal at either tournament.

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Widdows had a a hit Formulation Three and Formulation Two profession, and on the 1968 British Huge Prix, Cooper provided him a probability to take section at Manufacturers Hatch.

He licensed 18th out of 20 drivers, a 2d within the wait on of fellow Cooper driver Vic Elford, before retiring after 34 laps with an ignition challenge.

READ MORE: Winter Olympics 2026: Tournament and tournament schedule and the set aside to seem