Producer of the chassis used by Hitech GP, Dallara is the most successful manufacturer in the history of Formula 3
Dallara Automobili da Competizione was founded in Parma in 1972 by its current president, Gian Paolo Dallara. After working for Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and De Tomaso, he wanted to pursue the dream of working in the world of racing cars.
Successes in Formula 3 – first in Italy and then throughout the world – plus acclaim in America with IndyCar, together with a continued focus on innovation have led to the company being regarded as one of the most important players in motorsport worldwide. Today, Dallara specialises in designing, manufacturing and development of racing cars while striving for the highest standards of quality, performance, safety, and customer support. It also provides consultancy services for major manufacturers.
Innovative techniques that are synonymous with Dallara include use of carbon fibre composite materials; aerodynamics using wind tunnel testing and CFD; vehicle dynamics through simulations and testing; plus fast and flexible production of high quality prototypes.
Every weekend some 300 Dallara cars run on tracks around the world in various formulas. The company is present in all Formula 3 championships. It is also the sole supplier of cars in the IndyCar championship, Indy Lights, GP2, GP3, World Series 3.5 by Renault and Super Formula. Dallara builds cars for instructional leagues such as the Formulino, for the Formula E championship and participates in the USCC.
In recent years the company’s engineering activities have expanded, both for racing cars and for high-performance road cars. The consultancy services offered by Dallara are used by many of the world’s leading car makers, including: Alfa Romeo, Audi, Bugatti, Ferrari, KTM, Lamborghini, Maserati.
From 2007, Gian Paolo Dallara was joined by Andrea Pontremoli, who after leaving his role as president and CEO of IBM Italy assumed the position of Dallara CEO, with the aim of cultivating innovative strategies for the development of the factory in Parma.
2012 saw the opening of Dallara IndyCar Factory, an engineering centre in Indianapolis. A hub for research and development, it’s driven by the concept of ‘Edutainment’ that drives a passion for technology and innovation through fun, exciting experience.
Dallara in Formula 3
Formula 3 is the most successful racing series in the world. With its numerous European, American, Asian and Australian championships, it’s considered as the leading school for professional drivers. This category has produced many talented drivers who have gone on to win Formula 1, Sport and IndyCar series, including Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Will Power.
Success on the track happened quickly for Dallara. After its debut in 1978, and the first Italian championship in 1980, a fierce battle broke out with the French and English rivals for the international market, until the Dallara F393 – with its competitive level of aerodynamics and the introduction of the single-fronted shock absorber that’s still used today – has ensured that about 90% of the F3 cars in the world are by Dallara.
The FIA obliges a 4-year regulatory stability to contain the annual operating costs for the teams. In the years when a new car was being requested, the production peaks stood at more than 80 cars, exceeding 150 over the following three years.
Dallara has a network of technical support and spare parts for all races and test sessions. The company offers clients a wide range of consulting services at its Varano factory.
