Some of the most famous Catholic drivers from F1’s 75 years

With a job as dangerous as driving a racecar more than 200 miles per hour around a winding track, perhaps it isn’t surprising that some drivers have deep religious faith. Here’s a partial list of some of the most famous Catholic drivers from Formula One’s 75 years.

The 1978 Formula One world champion was born into a Catholic family and immigrated to the United States when he was a teenager. Andretti raced in many racing series, and won two IndyCar championships before switching to a full-time Formula One race seat in 1971. 

During his career in Formula One, Andretti won 12 races out of 131 entries, and was on the podium 19 times. 

After leaving Formula One, Andretti continued to race in other series. In November 1988, Andretti and his son, Michael, arrived at the GTE World Challenge of Tampa sports-car race, and found that the car had been outfitted with stickers promoting Dianetics, a Scientology book.

The father and son Andretti refused to drive the car until the stickers were removed – despite the pleas of his team owner. 

“I said, ‘you don’t understand, I’m sorry, I’ll be excommunicated by the pope if I do that. We’re not going to drive,’ so they took the stickers off,” Andretti recounted to autosport reporter Marshall Pruett in 2016. 

“To their defense, they didn't really understand, they didn't get it. They only saw the money,” said Andretti. 

Robert Kubica is the first – and only – Polish driver to compete in Formula One. Like many Poles, Kubica is devoted to Pope St. John Paul II. He even raced in a helmet with “John Paul II” written on it. 

In 2011, Kubica was competing in a rally race and suffered a serious crash. His right hand was almost severed, and it was feared that his racing career was over. 

From the hospital, Kubica requested and received multiple relics of St. John Paul II, including a vial of his blood, in an effort to add a heavenly boost to his healing. 

While Kubica missed the 2011 season, he did return to racing. He had a full-time seat in Formula One with Williams in the 2019 season, and last raced in Formula One in 2021. 

Four-time Formula One world champion Alain Prost has been public about his Catholic faith during his racing career. 

In 1985, Prost, his wife, and members of his racing team had a private audience with Pope John Paul II. 

Prost gave the pontiff a model of the McLaren car he drove that season, and two books about Formula One. 

The brief meeting had quite an impact on the French driver. 

“I am a practicing Catholic so the meeting today will remain as one of the dearest memories of my life,” Prost told reporters at the time. 

Michael Schumacher, seven-time Formula One world champion, was born into a Catholic family in Germany. 

Schumacher met Pope John Paul II multiple times. In 1999, he first met the Pope as part of a group of celebrities playing a soccer game. He described the meeting as “the most beautiful day of my life."

He again met with the Pope in January 2005, as part of a delegation from Ferrari. 

Since his 2013 skiing accident, Schumacher has been the subject of prayers from Pope Francis for his recovery, and was visited at his home in Switzerland by Archbishop Georg Ganswein, the former personal secretary of Benedict XVI.

Ayrton Senna, Prost’s teammate and three-time world champion, was also Catholic. 

The Brazilian driver, who is regarded as one of the best drivers of all time, reportedly read the Bible on long-haul flights. He also spoke to the media about his faith in God. 

"Just because I believe in God, just because I have faith in God, it doesn't mean that I'm immune. It doesn't mean that I'm immortal,” he told the media in 1989. 

Senna was killed in a horrific crash on May 1, 1994. His gravesite reads "Nada pode me separar do amor de Deus,” or “Nothing can separate me from the love of God.” 

While a team itself cannot be Catholic, per se, Ferrari has had a longtime connection with the papacy. 

Pope St. John Paul II made a visit to Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters in 1988 and celebrated Mass.

The Pope was even gifted a 2005 Ferrari Enzo, one of only 400 of the limited-edition vehicles made. The Pontiff’s car was the 400th and “the last” built of the model, and was given to him in January 2005, says the website for auction house RM Sotheby’s. 

Pope St. John Paul II declined to formally accept the car, and told Ferrari that they should instead sell it and give the proceeds to charity. The car sold at auction in June 2005, and Pope Benedict XVI was given a check of the proceeds, said Sotheby’s. 

Following the death of John Paul II on April 2, 2005, Ferrari raced with the noses of their cars painted black as a show of respect at the Bahrain Grand Prix held the following day.