Pope Francis, a true car lover and Ferrari fan, remembered for final Popemobile ride at age 88
Pope Francis (via Getty Images)
Francis passed away on Monday at 88. In a final gesture, he took one last ceremonial lap around Saint Peter's Square in the
Popemobile
, completing a personal tradition that balanced his affection for humility with the theatrics of his papal office.
Pope Francis
was known to have had a well-documented love for cars; his love of
Formula 1
and affection for
Scuderia Ferrari
made him popular among followers of religion and speed.
A humility-based papacy that shared a bond with the paddock
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Before he was elected pope in 2013, Pope Francis was the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, where he became renowned for relinquishing the perks of office. Instead of commuting in luxury cars, he took buses and small second-hand cars. Even as pope, he urged clergy around the world to eschew excess.In 2013, he openly chastised clergy members for owning brand-new luxury cars, reminding one of the ethical divide in a world where children are going hungry. His words sent shock waves, while Italy's top automobile makers went on showering the
Vatican
with presents.
Ferrari pomp and motorsport tributes
Pope Francis was also saluted in 2015 by being offered to become an honorary member of the Scuderia
Ferrari
Club—a tribute bestowed upon him by the team's legendary fan base worldwide. Members of the club came to the Vatican to give Pope Francis an honorary membership card, joking that they didn't need his blessing for Ferrari to win. Mercedes ironically had their year to dominate the grid in 2015, with Sebastian Vettel taking third place in the championship standings.
A few years back,
Lamborghini
gave the Pope a white and gold Huracán, Vatican colours refined. Characteristically, Francis had signed the car and sold it off for almost €715,000, the proceeds all going to charity groups.
Later still, Mercedes-Benz presented him with a Popemobile fully electric—a specially adapted G580 model—symbolising the Pope's passion for climate change and encouraging clergy to travel in electric cars.
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Undo
The Formula 1 world pays heartfelt tribute
As news of his death broke, Formula 1 chief
Stefano Domenicali
, an ex-Lamborghini chairman, gave a glowing tribute on Instagram to the Pope's humility and spirit of giving. Domenicali penned. 'We will miss his smile, so true and deep.'
Also read:
Inside Lenovo's Yamato lab: How ThinkPads survive Formula 1's pressure
His passing occurred on the day that Scuderia Ferrari celebrated their first podium of the 2025 F1 season when Charles Leclerc finished third in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. It was a celebration for the team, but the sport soon went black to pay respect to a man who modestly loved it from the Vatican backrooms.
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