2
“THE FUTURE OF RACING
LIES CLOSE TO THE PUBLIC”
I
NNOVATE
,
BY INVESTING IN YOUNG GRADUATES AND TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE SAFETY
,
AND
GUARANTEE RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IN THE WORLD OF MOTORSPORTS
. D
ALLARA
’
S
CEO
A
NDREA
P
ONTREMOLI
MAPS OUT THE ROUTE THAT THE COMPANY
,
AND MOTORSPORTS IN GENERAL
,
WILL HAVE TO TAKE IF THEY WISH TO
MAINTAIN THEIR APPEAL IN A WORLD THAT IS CHANGING FAST
,
AND WHERE
,
AS DEMONSTRATED OUR EXPERIENCES IN
A
MERICA
,
THE INTERACTIVE ASPECT IS RAPIDLY BECOMING AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE RACING EXPERIENCE
Engineer Pontremoli, are you satisfied
with Dallara’s performance in 2011?
“Yes, I’m satisfied because, despite the
difficult economic climate, we were still
able to expand, as well as adapting our
prices to meet the demands of the market.
We continued to create quality products at
competitive prices. This was made possible
by internal reorganisation that is already
yielding results, and will continue to do so,
creating benefits both for us and our
customers”.
Which sectors were you most satisfied
with?
“There wasn’t one sector in particular,
everyone pulled their weight and made a
contribution”.
And, with an eye on the future, which
were your most important victories?
“The most important victory was probably
the way we managed to overcome the crisis
through innovation”.
“Automotive and racing: how would you
analyse your success and prospects in
these two sectors?
As far as the racing sector is concerned, we
are in the middle of a significant
transitional period, and the most important
aspect of this is, of course, innovation: we
have to change the way we do things in
order to make sure that our results exceed
our customers’ expectations.
The fact that this year we produced three
new cars, the new Indy, the new World
Series Renault and the new F3, is an
example of this. If we hadn’t been able to
create a high performance, quality product
the market would never have permitted us
to realise these new cars”.
And the automotive sector?
“This sector is expanding rapidly.
A lot of the techniques used in the racing
sector are also proving successful in the
automotive world, such as the use of
carbon fibre, aerodynamics, and dynamic
vehicle simulation, which are the three
areas we are investing in.
The move towards a green policy results in
cars that are increasingly efficient, with
good aerodynamics, and this enables us to
reduce fuel consumption without
compromising performance”.
2011 was also important as it saw the
expansion of the factory’s American
projects: could you give us an update on
the current situation and tell us what to
expect from the coming year?
“The factory is complete and the first 15
Indycars have been delivered in the new
building. We intend to hold the official
opening on the same day as the
Indianapolis 500. It’s a very important
milestone for us since, in addition to
building the new cars for the Indy Series
there and acting as a spare parts
distribution centre, it will permit us to
create an engineering consultancy service”.
Expansion for the entire American
operation then?
“Exactly, because there will be increased
value for Dallara as a whole, but also
because, thanks to the economic growth
in the Speedway area, for those involved in
the racing world. There are already tens of
suppliers for the new Indy that are based in
Indianapolis near our headquarters”.
During a serious, worldwide economic
crisis like the current one, the search for
new markets is of vital importance. What
are Dallara’s new horizons?
“Naturally, the United States is an area
where we are always looking to expand.
Other areas include India, where, in contrast
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