Ferrari To Supply Italian Olympic Team With Aerodynamics-Enhancing Equipment

MARANELLO, Italy — Ferrari and the Italian Olympic Committee are teaming up because, in the words of Giovanni Petrucci, the committee's president, "We want to be as fast as a Ferrari in Beijing." The automaker will help its nation's athletes by supplying more aerodynamic equipment for them to use in various sporting events.

Ferrari will work on more high-tech equipment for the Italian teams to use in canoe and sailing at the Summer Games and bobsled, luge, skeleton, speedskating and other events for the Winter Games. The teams will also have access to Ferrari's wind tunnels for testing. Luca Cordera di Montezemolo, president of Ferrari, commented: "If there is even a millimeter of Ferrari help" in Italian wins, "we will be proud."

No financial details were announced, but the Italian La Stampa newspaper reports that the agreement included the possibility of Ferrari's involvement in developing high-tech equipment for cycling, tennis — and the non-Olympic sports of golf and water-skiing.

What this means to you: A little Prancing Horse in the Games should add to the excitement. — Laura Sky Brown, Correspondent