SIMONA DE SILVESTRO Proves F1 Skills Transfer to Olympic Bobsled Dreams

February 15, 2026

• SIMONA DE SILVESTRO blazed a trail from Formula 1 test driving to Olympic bobsled competition, proving that motorsport skills translate to other sports. After testing a 2012 Sauber at Fiorano in 2014 and realizing F1 doors weren’t opening, she pivoted to IndyCar, Formula E, and V8 Supercars before making the bold switch to bobsled in 2022.
• Her transition paid off spectacularly when she qualified for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics on her first attempt, representing Italy. DE SILVESTRO celebrated the achievement on social media, calling it “proof that a little bit of madness mixed with conviction can make the impossible real,” showing exactly the kind of fearless mentality that serves racers well whether they’re on four wheels or flying down an ice track.
• While Hamilton and Leclerc dream about bobsled from their Ferrari seats, DE SILVESTRO actually made the leap and proved it works. Her journey from being shut out of F1 to Olympic competition demonstrates that when one door closes in motorsport, champions find another way to compete at the highest level – and sometimes that path leads to even bigger stages.

ab motorsports, bobsled, formula 1, winter olympics