A lawyer by profession, Francesco Zerbi was a man of great vision and strong practical sense. As president of the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (1995-2006), he instituted wide-ranging changes, reforming its statutes and redesigning the role of the national federations. Focusing on racing spectacles, he entrusted their management to organize increased capacity at events and brought in new sponsors while increasing media interest, leading to significant advantages for teams, pilots and fans of this sport. The substantial financial windfalls of these operations allowed the creation of a policy of supporting national federations during difficult times.