Italian Olympic Athletes to Use Ferrari-Designed Equipment

Successes at Ferrari had prompted the Italian Olympic Committee to seek a fast partnership with the Maranello-based company. The agreement would see CONI, the Italian Olympic Committee, pair up with Luca di Montezemolo’s outfit in producing better, faster, stronger athletes for the next two Olympics.

Ferrari would essentially help develop hi-tech equipment for such disciplines as skeleton, canoeing, sailing, paralympic skiing, bobsled and luge.

"We want to be as fast as a Ferrari in Beijing," CONI president Giovanni Petrucci said.

Di Montezemolo echoed his sentiments: "There are three things we have in common: passion, the ability to work as a team and the Italian flag," he said. "If there is even one-thousandth of Ferrari in Italian victories, we'll be honored."

If this works out for both entities we may see the likes of McLaren, Renault and RBR teaming up with their own Olympic committees seeking wins. What’s uncertain is if a losing F1 team would automatically bring down its associated Olympic team.