Scuderia Ferrari finally claimed its first podium of the F1 season after Charles Leclerc finished third in Sunday's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, in the shadow of Mecca. Then, the Pontiff died. The Vatican announced on Monday that Pope Francis died at 88 years old. Despite his ailing health, the Pope made the traditional Easter blessing and took one last ride in the Popemobile around Saint Peter's Square. Francis loved public transportation, but like Popes before him, he was unconditionally courted by Italy's automakers and was subsumed by the country's love of motorsport.
Pope Francis will be remembered for his humility. As the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in the late 1990s and 2000s, he eschewed all of the lavish amenities tossed at the leading priest of a Latin American capital city, like the position's palatial residence. The then-Cardinal also refused to ride in chauffeured limos, choosing instead to use Buenos Aires' bus system. Even directly after being elected in the 2013 papal conclave, Francis took the bus back to his apartment in Rome.
Lamborghini
This obviously wouldn't continue during Francis' tenure as Pope with his consignment to the Popemobile for his own safety. However, he advocated for the clergy to live more humble lives and drive used cars. According to Reuters, the Pope said in 2013:
"It hurts me when I see a priest or a nun with the latest model car, you can't do this. A car is necessary to do a lot of work, but please, choose a more humble one. If you like the fancy one, just think about how many children are dying of hunger in the world."
Regardless, Lamborghini still donated a Huracán to the Pope in 2017. It was as tasteful as Lamborghini could be, in white with golden-yellow accents in homage to the Vatican's colors. Francis signed the hood, and the car was auctioned off for charity. The sale raised $876,000 for different charities chosen by the Pope.
In a much more humble gesture, Pope Francis was made an honorary member of the Scuderia Ferrari Club in 2015. The Pontiff had an audience with members of the massive F1 fan club that ventured to the Vatican to present him with a membership card. The members jokingly said they didn't ask Francis to pray for Ferrari because they knew the team would win that season. For those who don't remember, Mercedes curb-stomped the rest of the field in 2015. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel finished third in the championship, over 100 points behind champion Lewis Hamilton. As of 2025, Scuderia Ferrari has yet to win another title in F1.
After crushing the hopes of Ferrari fans, Mercedes gave Francis an electric Popemobile in 2024. The heavily-modified G580 with one swiveling seat for the Pope, sitting in the middle of a carpeted truck bed. Francis pushed for the clergy to drive EVs. He acknowledged the existence of climate change and humanity's role in causing it. He argued that economic growth and technological progress shouldn't be valued over human culture and the natural world.
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