ACI AND CARABINIERI FORESTRY PROJECT: ‘EVERY DRIVER A TREE’
Imola, 16 May 2025. Today – on the occasion of the Formula 1 AWS Grand Prix of Made in Italy and Emilia-Romagna 2025, within the project ’Every driver a tree” – Stefano Domenicali – President and CEO of Formula 1, Tullio Del Sette – ACI Commissioner Extraordinary, Giancarlo Minardi – President of Formula Imola, Marco Panieri – Mayor of Imola, and, for the Comando Unità Forestali Ambientali e Agroalimentari, Raffaele Pio Manicone, Brigadier General, Commander of the Regiment, planted 20 trees – one for each Formula 1 World Championship driver – in the woods of the Enzo and Dino Ferrari International Autodrome, in street Graziadei in Imola.
The initiative is promoted by the Automobile Club of Italy in collaboration with the Command of the Carabinieri’s Forestry, Environmental and Agri-food Units. The trees – Manna Ash, Field Maple, and Siberian Elm – were provided by the Carabinieri National Biodiversity Centers.
Moreover, to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the founding of ACI and the 800th anniversary of the death of the Poor Man of Assisi, Tullio Del Sette and Stefano Domenicali also planted a clone of the “Cypress of Saint Francis,” which has been rooted for 800 years in the cloister of the Franciscan monastery of Villa Verucchio in Rimini. The name of the tree – cultivated in the laboratories of the Carabinieri National Biodiversity Center in Pieve Santo Stefano – comes from the tradition that the cypress miraculously sprouted from the bordone (the long staff with a curved handle used by pilgrims) which Saint Francis of Assisi is said to have planted in the ground during a journey through the province of Rimini in the 13th century.
DEL SETTE: “THE WORLD OF MOTORSPORT AS AN ACTIVE PART OF THE ECOLOGICAL TRANSITION PROJECT”
“For the past four years, ACI has chosen to symbolically link this and other motorsport events to nature through a simple yet deeply meaningful gesture: planting a tree for each participating driver. It is not only about increasing the green heritage of our country, but also about affirming that the world of motorsport can and must play an active role in the ecological transition process. Over one thousand trees have already been planted in various locations across Italy in collaboration with the Carabinieri Forestali. ”.
DOMENICALI: “THIS INITIATIVE DEMONSTRATES FORMULA 1’S COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES”
SUSTAINABILITY
“We are proud to support this initiative” which connects our sport with the local area and the environment. The “One Driver, One Tree” project, both here and in Monza, is a concrete demonstration of the significant commitment that Formula 1 has maintained for years on sustainability issues. even beyond the track.”
MINARDI: “AN INITIATIVE THAT EXEMPLARILY UNITES SPORT, LOCAL AREA, AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT”
“We are proud to have hosted today, at the Bosco dell’Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari, an initiative that unites, in an exemplary manner, sport, territory and environmental commitment. The “One Driver, One Tree” project is not just a symbol, but a concrete action towards a more sustainable future. Seeing these trees grow every year next to our track reminds us that even a racetrack can be a place of rebirth, education and respect for the environment. As President of Formula Imola, I am convinced that events like this demonstrate how the passion for motors can go hand in hand with the protection of our natural heritage.”.
PANIERI: “IMOLA ALSO A PROTAGONIST IN THE PROMOTION OF A SUSTAINABLE CULTURE”
“This initiative perfectly represents the sense we want to give to the union between great sporting events and responsibility towards the future. Planting a tree for each driver means leaving a tangible sign of attention to the environment, enhancing the Bosco dell’Autodromo as a symbolic place where passion for engines meets sustainability. It is also a way to remember that Imola, through the Autodromo and its institutions, can be a protagonist not only in competitions, but also in the promotion of a sustainable culture and respect for nature. A special thanks goes to Deputy Mayor Elisa Spada, with responsibility for the Environment, and to the Autodromo Councillor, Elena Penazzi, for the important and shared work carried out in recent years on the circuit, intertwining environmental, sports and territorial enhancement policies..”
A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT
The project “Every driver, a tree” and the “Biodiversity Village”, created again this year by the Carabinieri Forestali near the monument to the unforgettable Ayrton Senna, have been a great success. ACI is aware that the automotive sports sector has a significant impact on the environment and that, through initiatives of this nature, it acts as a spokesperson for issues such as ecological transition, respect for greenery and the reduction of CO2 emissions, in the belief that every institution has the duty to promote initiatives for the protection of our planet.
Photo: from left: Elisa Spada, (Deputy Mayor of Imola); Marco Panieri (Mayor of Imola); Tullio Del Sette (Extraordinary Commissioner of ACI); Stefano Domenicali, (President and CEO of Formula 1); Giancarlo Minardi, (President of Formula Imola) and General Raffaele Pio Manicone (Commander of the Forestry, Environmental and Agri-food Units Group of the Carabinieri).
