With the Winter Olympics starting on 6 February, sports fans all around the world are buzzing. The approach of the Olympics always sparks conversation among F1 fans and causes many to wonder what would happen if F1 were an Olympic sport. I took matters into my own hands to design the Olympic event for motorsport, and who knows, perhaps there is a chance of Lewis Hamilton competing for Team GB some day…
Event Format
Firstly, the design of the motorsport event: 6 countries, 12 drivers, 12 cars, 1 track. The event will feature 1 F1-specialised driver and one driver more adept to different motorsports like rally, IndyCar, or endurance racing. This means each country requires two drivers and two completely different cars, making for a unique engineering challenge.
The track will be designed to ensure there’s a fair playing field. It will be made up of two separate tracks – one resembling a tight F1 street circuit, and the other a lengthy rally section. The F1 track will be similar to the Monaco Grand Prix circuit with tight walls and sharp corners. The speeds will be high but the change to the Olympic event compared to real F1 will mainly be with the tyres. To add even more unpredictability, drivers will be forced to use tyres that have been altered to wear out quicker. This means the F1 circuit of the track will require one pit stop. The pit crew must all be of the same nationality as the driver, adding even more competitive spirit to this half of the event. Once the F1 drivers cross the finish line, their teammates will start their race on the rally track. Using WRC (World Rally Championship) cars, the drivers will have to finish what their teammates started in low-grip conditions on a track made up of dirt, gravel, snow, and ice. This makes for lots of unpredictability and increased endurance and car control needed for drivers. The overall time taken to complete both tracks will determine the winner, with the driver who gets fastest lap time on each track being awarded an extra point for their country.
The Competing Nations
The event will include six countries, all full of motorsport prowess, with one driver who specialises in F1 and one who specialises in another motorsport domain. The teams are:
- Great Britain – Lewis Hamilton (F1) and James Calado (endurance)
- France – Pierre Gasly (F1) and Sébastian Loeb (rally)
- Germany – Sebastian Vettel (F1) and André Lotterer (endurance)
- Spain – Fernando Alonso (F1) and Carlos Sainz Sr. (rally)
- Finland – Valtteri Bottas (F1) and Kalle Rovanperä (rally)
- Italy – Kimi Antonelli (F1) and Antonio Giovinazzi (endurance)
Predicted Podium
With all these killer lineups, it is hard to predict which country would come out on top. All teams would probably excel on the F1 track, but the rally circuit, which requires unique skills and lots of experience, would cut out teams without elite rally specialists. For this reason, here are the predicted medal winners:
Gold medal – Team Finland
Valtteri Bottas would provide a calm and skillful approach to the F1 section because of his extensive experience. Where Finland would really secure their victory is the second half, thanks to Kalle Rovanperä. Rovanperä was the 2022 and 2023 World Rally Champion. He currently races in the Super Formula Championship, showing how he can perform well in different categories. This is just what’s needed for the unpredictable Olympic motorsport event.
Silver medal – Team Spain
Fernando Alonso is a 2-time F1 world champion and one of the most experienced drivers on the grid. His exceptional racecraft and ability to adapt to subpar machinery (which is necessary when you take into account the engineering rules of the Olympic motorsport event) would make him a great asset. Carlos Sainz Sr. is a two-time World Rally Champion and has won the Dakar Rally four times. If there’s something Team Spain doesn’t lack, it’s experience and longevity.
Bronze medal – Team France
Finally, the bronze medal would go to Team France. While Pierre Gasly is one of the weaker F1 drivers, he is a consistent asset to the Olympic duo. France would be able to podium at the Olympics thanks to the immense talent of Sébastian Loeb. Loeb is a nine-time WRC champion, making him one of the most successful of all time. Loeb won all his titles with Citroen, showing how he can thrive in French machinery, an essential skill for the Olympics. With two well-built cars, Team France would cruise to the bronze medal.
While this article is just for some fun, it does make you realise that motorsport has lots to offer on the global stage. The possibility of engineers, drivers, and pit crews all from the same country shows how racing can fit into the Olympics. Perhaps one day, we might see F1 drivers in equal machinery racing for national pride.
