When Ferrari turned the Turin 2006 Winter Olympics into a surprise F1 show

The 2026 Olympic Winter Games are upon us with Italy taking the reins this year. Both Kimi Antonelli and Stefano Domenicali have been involved in the ceremony, carrying the Olympic torch across Palmanova and the Dolomites, but Formula 1 was also heavily involved in the 2006 games.

The Turin Winter Olympic Games saw a ceremony selling the idea of design, industry and speed to not only 35,000 people in the stands but also to an estimated two billion viewers globally via 32 cameras. Part of how they achieved this was by driving a Ferrari F1 car across the stadium.

It began with the 2005 Ferrari F2005 branded with the Olympic rings and Turin colours involved in a makeshift pitstop. The Italian crew serviced the car before the engine was started in front of a cheering crowd. Driven by Italian driver Luca Badoer, the V10 machine was babied to a larger area before its 900 horsepower was unleashed in an almost-miraculous display of doughnuts. 

'Rhythm, passion and speed' was promised by the producers of the show, and that was certainly fulfilled for those lucky enough to breathe in the fumes of the last Ferrari V10 to compete in the championship.

While it sounded the part, the F2005 only scored one win out of the 17 races it took part in that year, making it one of the least successful Scuderia machines of that period. But it did its job in Turin, especially as it was a surprise segment of the show that didn't even appear on the programme. 

"Ferrari and Torino 2006 are two symbols of Italy at its best," said Mario Pescante, Turin 2006 government supervisor, at the time. "Italy that wants to win, that joins style and skill, that loves great challenges and fears no comparisons with the rest of the world."

This year's Games didn't feature any cars, despite the championship's incredible popularity now, but Domenicali looked to be over the moon as he did his part. 

Over the years, a number of F1 names have carried the torch, including Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc and Alex Zanardi.