Tom Clarkson: Stefano, it’s great to see you again. How are you?

Stefano Domenicali: I’m very good, thank you very much. I think the energy that we are providing to the ecosystem is always great. On the other hand, I still feel a bit moved from what has happened in my region in Italy, because as you know, we had to cancel the Grand Prix. The effect of this catastrophe is huge. The people who are living there, they will suffer for many, many months.

TC: You’ve had to make a lot of big calls in the last three years. How tough was the cancellation of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix for you?

SD: Well, I think that it was painful, but absolutely the right decision that we have taken because the magnitude of what has happened there is so huge that you cannot even imagine if you are not there. Of course, you need to consider all the elements and I think that was right. Also, I would say it was important to see the level of understanding because everyone understood what we were talking about. It is not possible to recover the date this year, but we are discussing to see how we can extend the contract for one year because I think that place deserves that. We are going to discuss the details very shortly in our future.

TC: And your family and friends, are they okay?

SD: Yeah, they are fine. But I’ve got a lot of friends that unfortunately lost everything – but the beauty of our region is that we are people that love to take the smile, not blame anyone, or cry, and just recover.

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TC: Stefano, we have so much to talk about, but can we throw it back five years? Because that’s when you were last on Beyond The Grid and a lot has happened in that time. Back then, you were running Lamborghini. But interestingly, at the time, you didn’t rule out a return to Formula 1. And here you are as President and CEO of Formula 1. Is the job what you expected it to be?

SD: I think at that time, honestly, I didn’t rule it out but I was very happy with my job. It was very exciting. A lot of things were happening and when I received the call from Chase Carey and from Greg Maffei, it was really a sort of ‘wow’. And as always in life, there are some trains that if you don’t catch, you will not get back. I decided to take that new adventure in a territory that I knew. I knew the business, I knew what was going on. And you need to consider these in the context of the pandemic, post-pandemic, political evolution, team involvement, media broadcaster, and so on. All these things are very exciting.

TC: Can you remember where you were when Chase Carey rang you about the job?

SD: I remember very well because it was in our house in Monza, and it was the week after the Italian Grand Prix. That’s when I received the call and I was not expecting that I need to give an answer in a very short time. So I need to collect the family and discuss with them. In one week, we had to give the answer back, which I did.

TC: And what did your wife and children say?

SD: I’m so grateful to them because they were saying ‘that’s your life, that’s your decision.’ We took the approach of opportunity instead of a problem. We had the privilege of moving to London and giving the chance to our kids to move and study in the UK. Changing the scholarship system, changing the friendships and changing the way, but it’s just an opportunity to grow and to live an experience of a new life. That was really good. Of course, with my wife, we shared that because she had to move, she had to follow the family business and to follow a normal life. I’m really very, very grateful to her and to them because they understood and now they are with me and embracing this new opportunity of life in a great way.

TC: I love the way you refer to Formula 1 as the family business…

SD: At the end of the day, I was born in Formula 1, professionally speaking. My wife knows the business very, very well. My kids are, I would say, interested, but not really superfans. That’s good to keep the feet on the ground because one of the problems that we know is happening to people in Formula 1, is that they believe that there is only Formula 1 in their life. And there’s not. I discovered that when I left Formula 1 and then had a different experience. But yeah, it’s a family business.

TC: Had you ever considered a move to England when you were still a team player, you know, leaving Ferrari for a British-based team?

SD: Not really, Tom. I never received any offer or opportunity, so I haven’t thought about it. But in terms of my mental approach, I was always open to any challenge that I would love to do. The territory is not the limit. It is true that I love my country. Italy is a beautiful place to live and to have your life. But the territory or the lands of the country is not a barrier for me.