13
L’ingegner Toso
con Ryan Hunter Reay
in visita alla Dallara
same car and the same engines, it was time
for a radical departure, suggesting, for
example, the Delta Wing. Both sides had
valid arguments, but in the end they were
able to achieve consensus and the Indycar
community decided unanimously to
introduce a new car, while stipulating that
the contents be tailored to well-defined
priorities, and at a greatly reduced purchase
price: first of all, more advanced safety
systems (rear wheel protection and wider
bodywork to reduce the risk of contact
between the wheels), which immediately
attracted the attention of FIA; secondly,
increased working life of components;
thirdly, performance levels consistent with a
spectacle that relies on frequent overtaking
manoeuvres».
To what degree would you say that the
teams have the desire to increase their
influence within the IZOD IndyCar
organization?
«
To answer that question it is necessary to
take into account the cultural differences
between motor racing in the United States
and the rest of the world, predominantly
Europe. In Europe and the rest of the world,
with the exception of the United States, FIA
controls both the technical and the
economic aspects of the sport, the main
category is Formula 1, which represents the
ultimate goal for drivers, technicians,
constructors and sponsors alike. In contrast,
the United States supports a number of top
level motor racing championships, such as
Nascar, Midgets, Dragster and Indycar; this
means that, for many American racing fans,
Indycar does not necessarily represent the
pinnacle of the sport.
With this in mind, the people who are
directly involved the IZOD Indycar Series
constitute a tightly-knit community, similar
to a travelling theatre company, and with a
specific demographic of passionate fans.
Therefore, it is entirely natural that each
“
actor” in this company occasionally feels
the desire to play the leading role; but all
the actors, from those who supply the tyres,
electronics, engines or chassis, through the
drivers and the engineers that use them, the
team owners who decide when and what to
buy, the sponsors who finance the teams
and the race organizers, to the fans who pay
for the whole show, are well aware that they
all have their own equally important part to
play, and that the success is always positive
for theam all because it makes it possible to
repeat the show and invest in new events
the following year».
How has your relationship with the
leadership of the category developed?
«
Essentially the Indycar leadership hasn’t
really changed at all. The Indianapolis
circuit and IZOD Indycar are controlled by
the Hulman-Georges, a historic Indiana
family, and a number of collaborators who
have extensive experience in the sector. The
most important change was the departure of
the managing director, Randy Bernard, who
dedicated a great deal of time energy to
promoting the category and was responsible
for bringing new sponsors on board and
organizing events in new locations
