F1 Drivers Who Competed at the Winter Olympics
F1 Drivers Who Competed at the Winter Olympics
The 25th Winter Olympic Games are underway in Milano Cortina, Italy, featuring over 90 nations, 2800 athletes, and 116 events across northern Italy. With the opening ceremony marking the start of 19 days of action, many in the F1 paddock, known for their love of snow sports, will be watching closely.
Connections between F1 and the Winter Olympics are stronger than you might think. Recently, Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali carried the Olympic torch in January. Back in 2006, test driver Luca Badoer performed donuts in a Ferrari during the Turin Games opening ceremony.
Most remarkably, four F1 drivers have actually competed at the Winter Olympics, pushing their adrenaline-fueled talents into winter sports alongside their racing careers.
Divina Galica – Alpine and Speed Skiing
Divina Galica is one of only five women to race over an F1 Grand Prix weekend and a legendary British skier. At age 19, she debuted at the 1964 Innsbruck Olympics in slalom, giant slalom, and downhill. She returned to Grenoble 1968, finishing eighth in giant slalom, and peaked at the 1972 Sapporo Games with seventh place in the same event.
Transitioning to motorsport, Galica debuted in F1 at the 1976 British Grand Prix in a Surtees TS16 but failed to qualify, as she did for two 1978 entries. She excelled in sports cars before returning to skiing at age 47 for the 1992 Albertville Olympics' speed skiing demonstration event.
Her legacy inspires, and she remains involved in motorsport post-skiing retirement.
Alfonso de Portago - Bobsleigh
Spaniard Alfonso de Portago raced in five F1 events in 1956-1957, podiuming second at the 1956 British Grand Prix in a shared Ferrari and fifth at the 1957 Argentine Grand Prix. Tragically, he died in a 1957 Mille Miglia crash.
His winter sports passion was familial; during his F1 career, he helped form Spain's first bobsleigh team at the 1956 Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympics. In the two-man event, he finished fourth, just 0.16 seconds from bronze, and ninth in the four-man.
Bob Said - Bobsleigh
American Bob Said's sole F1 outing was the 1969 United States Grand Prix at Sebring, retiring on lap one after spinning. Prior, he competed in bobsleigh, part of the US four-man team at the 1968 Grenoble Olympics, finishing 10th against British F1 driver Robin Widdows.
Said returned for Sapporo 1972, placing 14th in four-man and 19th in two-man events.
Robin Widdows - Bobsleigh
British driver Robin Widdows' only F1 race was the 1968 British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch, retiring due to ignition failure in his Cooper BRM.
Four years earlier, at Innsbruck 1964, he finished 13th in four-man bobsleigh. He improved to seventh at Grenoble 1968, three places ahead of Said.
Honourable Mention: Simona de Silvestro
For the 2026 Games, watch former Sauber test driver Simona de Silvestro, a prominent female racer in IndyCar (2010-2022) and Formula E. At 37, she represents Italy in monobob and two-person bobsleigh at the Cortina Sliding Center, potentially adding to her achievements.