Ferrari, the legendary winner of 243 Formula One Grands Prix and with a rich heritage of building the world’s finest road cars, is planning a sports hub for the famous prancing horse brand to set sail.
The Italian automaker said on Wednesday it plans to compete in the world sailing competition and team up with ocean sailor Giovanni Soldini as team leader.
Ferrari has been an icon of F1 since the world championship began in 1950, winning its last F1 Drivers’ Championship in 2007 and the Constructors’ Championship in 2008. Its chairman, John Elkann, said the new project would expand the company’s “racing soul”.
“In addition to competing on racetracks around the world, Ferrari is now embarking on this new business to enhance its technical know-how,” the company said in a statement.
Ferrari said its ships will rely on “cutting-edge technology throughout the entire cycle, from concept, engineering to realization”, adding: “The pursuit of maximum performance at sea will result in sustainable innovations and concrete solutions, in line with Ferrari’s philosophy .” Tradition will become an important driving force for the evolution of its sports cars. “
This week, Soldini and Stellantis-owned Italian carmaker Maserati announced the end of their 11-year partnership in ocean sailing. The 57-year-old Italian is a veteran of more than 30 years of solo and crewed ocean racing experience, including two solo circumnavigations around the world.
“I am delighted to start this new adventure with Ferrari. We are working on an important and cutting-edge project with amazing technical potential,” Soldini said in a statement.
Newsletter Promotion Post
Ferrari’s Elkann, who is also chairman of Stellantis, said: “In the face of this new competitive challenge, we will push ourselves beyond current boundaries, driven by our ability to innovate and our commitment to sustainability. “
