Graduation 2025: Sigillum Magnum to Stefano Domenicali and a speech that invites to dare
2 October 2025Graduation 2025 brought to Piazza Maggiore the ceremony for the diploma conferral of Masters and Executive Masters, with greetings from academic and institutional authorities and the presence of the Community.
In this solemn setting, Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula 1, received the Sigillum Magnum of the University of Bologna after a laudatio by Professor Giuri, who introduced his managerial profile and his strong connection to Bologna.
Domenicali opened by addressing the true protagonists of the evening, the graduates: “allow me to begin by greeting the students of Bologna Business School,” he said, emphasizing the emotion of speaking “in this Piazza so full of history and symbols.” The award, he explained, “is an honor that I feel deeply because it comes from a territory and a community that has meant so much in my life journey.”
Looking back to the beginning, he recalled arriving at the University “without certainties, with ambitions and many doubts,” and the formative value of error: “here I learned to think, to doubt, to make mistakes and to get back up.” Hence his direct appeal to the graduates: “think big. Have the courage to dare.”
When moving from education to work, the story became more concrete. “With a simple CV and a good deal of audacity I sent my application to Ferrari,” he recalled. “During the week I was in the office, on weekends at Mugello to oversee the organization of the races. At 26 I was entrusted with the race direction of the MotoGP events at the circuit.” The message is clear: “many careers are born from unexpected opportunities, from roads we did not seek but that found us.”
A central moment in his story was Spa-Francorchamps 1998, when he defused the tension that had exploded on track between Michael Schumacher and David Coulthard: “true strength lies in maintaining calm and clarity. It takes courage to make quick decisions, turning pressure into determination.” A principle that, for Domenicali, applies as much in workshops as in boardrooms.
His career then took him “from the sporting dimension to the industrial one” at Audi and later to the presidency and leadership of Automobili Lamborghini, until the call from Formula 1: “in these 5 years we have had the courage to dare and we are the concrete example of what it means to rethink an entire model.” The results tell the story: “from 2021 to today we have doubled the fanbase to over 826 million people, nearly tripled revenues and achieved record attendance. In 2024 about 6.5 million people attended the circuits worldwide and 1.6 billion cumulative TV audience.” But, he added, “behind every number there has been constant work, carried out day after day.”
The heart of Stefano Domenicali’s speech were the values that guide his work: “as F1 we have moved together, guided by dedication, integrity, teamwork, innovation, and excellence.” To these, Domenicali added his “three cornerstones: positivity, energy and grit. They are my compass, especially in complex moments.” From here came some practical invitations to the graduates: “set an example, create a healthy environment, cultivate exchange and dialogue. Do not be afraid to share your skills, defend what makes your eyes shine, nurture it with passion.”
In receiving the Sigillum Magnum, Domenicali gave the award the meaning of a commitment: “this recognition closes a circle but even more it opens another: towards the responsibility to give back, to inspire, to build bridges between generations and cultures.” A special dedication went to his family, “always by my side, in every curve and in my toughest pit stops.” And a final wish to the graduates: “face challenges with courage and determination… from Bologna you can depart and go far, but you can always return with gratitude.” He closed with the motto that became the seal of the evening: “Avanti tutta, sempre!”
