2. Stefano Domenicali

Italian manager Stefano Domenicali was born on May 11, 1965. Chase Carey was replaced as CEO of Formula One Group by him. He first became interested in racing when he went to the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari race track on weekends to assist in the paddock and the media centre.

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After retiring as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Automobili Lamborghini, Stefano Domenicali began serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of Formula 1 in January 2021. Mr Domenicali joined Formula 1 after an accomplished career in the automotive sector, where he was successful in both commercial and motorsport capacities.

He began working for Ferrari in 1991 after earning a business management degree from the University of Bologna. He oversaw the Mugello race from 1992 to 1994 and participated in the DTM and other racing competitions. Prior to being elevated to Team Manager in December 1996, he served as Ferrari’s sporting department’s head of personnel from 1995 to 1996. He was also responsible for sponsorship interaction.

He remained there until January 2001. After a brief stint as Logistics Manager, he became the team’s Sporting Director in 2002. On November 12 2007, Ferrari announced Domenicali would take on the role of Director of the Ferrari Formula One team, a position previously held by Jean Todt and became team principal in 2008. Under his leadership, Ferrari won the 2008 Constructors’ Championship before enduring a less competitive 2009 season in which the team won only a single race. In 2010, the team won five races and finished third in the Constructors’ Championship behind Red Bull Racing and McLaren.

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Domenicali led the team into 2011, which saw Fernando Alonso finish fourth in the championship table, two places ahead of Felipe Massa in sixth. Then came the 2012 season. Fernando Alonso didn’t win the title, but his teammate was 156 points behind him, so it didn’t matter how well he did. He won three Grand Prix races with Ferrari, and the Drivers’ and the Constructors’ Championships put them in second place. He was named one of “The Men of the Year 2012” by Top Gear magazine for keeping Ferrari at the sharp end of F1 against the odds.

From 2009 to 2014, Domenicali represented Ferrari on the FIA World Motor Sport Council. He recently left the FIA Single Seater Commission as president to join Formula 1. He served as AUDI AG’s Vice President of New Business Initiatives from November 2014 to March 2016. He was appointed CEO of Lamborghini in Sant’Agata Bolognese in March 2016.

After receiving criticism, Domenicali defended using Qatar and Saudi Arabia in F1 for races. The practice of slave labour in the Gulf countries has drawn heavy criticism.

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