Move over Alfonso De Portago, there’s a new Italian
Bobsledder in town!
Presumably by now, Y’all have heard the news
about Symona-Symona’, aka Simona de Silvestro competing in this year’s Milan
Cortina Winter Olympics. As the former female IndyCar driver will compete for
Italy in Her debut Olympic Games.
De Silvestro, now 37 years old and born in
Switzerland, has Italian heritage and will complete Her dream of racing in the
Women’s 2X Bobsleigh event for Italy.
De Silvestro competed in IndyCar over seven
years between 2010-2022, making a total of 71 starts. Spending Her first three
seasons (2010-12) driving for HVM Racing. Winning Rookie Of the Year (ROY)
Honours in the 2010 Indianapolis 500, finishing 14th.
As I briefly met Symona-Symona’ in the IMS
Flagroom on Carb Day Wayback’ in 2012, when She was saddled with the uncompetitive
“Powered by Judd” Lotus lump’. As She graciously came inside the Flagroom to
talk to our table and give me Her “John Hancock” as we kibitzed about the Lotus
Evora company car She was driving. Which I don’t know why I think was bright
yellow…
Joining KV Racing Technology in 2013 as Tony
Kanaan’s teammate, de Silvestro scored Her career best finish of second place
in the first race of the Grand Prix of Houston’s Double Header weekend. Joining
Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher as the only females to stand atop the podium.
2013 would also be Her zenith in IndyCar, with
a season best finish of 13th overall, before joining Sauber.
De Silvestro has made a total of seven starts
in the Indianapolis 500, Her latest driving for Beth Paretta’s female Paretta
Autosport team in 2022. While ironically, Her rookie start would be Her best
finish at Mother Speedway.
As de Silvestro served as the Sauber F1 Team’s test
driver in 2014, in hopes of becoming the first female in Formula 1 since Lella
Lombardi in 1976. Yet reputedly, funding squabbles over Her programme led to
Her departure from Sabuer. Moving to Formula E for Andretti during the 2015-16
season. And then gravitating Down Under to Australian Supercars.
Reportedly Simona’s interest in Bobsledding
dates back to at least 2014, having posted on Twitter about taking a “Fun” run
down the St. Moritz Bobsleigh track. Breezily joking about trying to compete in
the next Olympics game…
De Silvestro’s Bobsledding participation in
earnest began in 2022, when she began training in hopes of competing in Italy
in 2026. With Simona telling of how Her Great-Great Grandfather was the first
to climb Monte Civetta in the Italian Dolomites.
Simona first contested the 2022 Swiss
championship, and progressing to competing in the 2025-26 ICSF World Cup.
Finishing 27th in Monobob, and P28 in two-women Bobsleigh. Which earned Her
spot on the Italian Olympic squad., with Monobob competition taking place
today; whilst some Roundy-round action takes place at Day-Toner’…
Sleds can reach speeds of up to 90mph, with de
Silvestro Arse-sumedly competing in the two disciplines. Although serving as
the “Pusher”, i.e.; rear seat passenger on the two-woman event
As Simona joins very rare company, as Alfonso
De Portago is the only other motor racing driver I know of to compete in
Bobsleigh. With De Portago portrayed in Michael Mann’s excellent movie Ferrari.
De
Portago Who? Forgotten Formula 1 Bobsledder
Although NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine did develop and build Bobsleds for the U.S. Olympics team, which eventually won two Olympic medals. Including Steven Holcomb piloting a Bo-Dyn sled named Night train to Gold at Vancouver, BC in 2010…
