Scuderia Corsa owner Giacomo Mattioli on racing, Daytona, and the future

One thing you will notice during an endurance race weekend is that there is a lot of downtime. Of course, this unscheduled time can be some of the busiest off-track, as team members, spectators, and drivers all seem to be running around like crazy, hoping to get that one last thing done before the event starts.

During a few moments of the lunch hour on Saturday, Jan. 26, Scuderia Corsa team principal Giacomo Mattioli met with your very own West Palm Beach Motorsports Examiner to answer a few questions about the sport.

• Why did you decide to get involved in auto racing? - "Well, you know, I was born and raised in Modena. That’s where the Ferrari factory is located. I started working at the factory when I was 23 after college. I grew through the ranks of the company, and had the opportunity to come to the United States and own my own dealership. I always looked up to the old masters that had a dealership like Francorchamps in Belgium, and I think racing is part of Ferrari DNA and if you want to represent the brand properly you need to get involved in racing. So, it’s a passion, but it’s also a business decision."

• How do you think you’re going to do this season? - "We are very confident that our package is strong and competitive. The 458 Italia is a great car. I think that our driver line-up is very quick. We will definately compete for the championship."

• How do you feel about the unification of the GRAND-AM and ALMS series? - "I think it’s great news. I think Grand-Am is a great organization. I think it’s perfect as a team owner to have only one GT championship in North America. That makes the market for advertising and sponsorship cleaner and better. I’m looking forward to 2014."

• Do you have any plans on trying to race in Le Mans in 2014? - "That’s a good question. Le Mans is always on everybody’s mind when you talk about endurance racing, but I’m very pleased and happy to be in Daytona, and my focus is on Daytona today."

Giacomo Mattioli and Art Zafiropoulo created the Scuderia Corsa racing team in 2011 for the sole purpose of supporting the racing needs of Ferrari clients. Turnkey programs include, GT3 endurance racing, Ferrari Challenge Series and track events. Giacomo Mattioli is the owner of Ferrari Maserati Beverly Hills and partner in Ferrari Maserati Silicon Valley with Art Zafiropoulo.

The West Palm Beach Motorsports Examiner would like to thank Mr. Mattioli, Miss Rosella Locatelli, and Mr. Charles Windisch-Graetz for the opportunity to learn a little more about how a GT team in Grand-Am works, and share some of the with you - the readers of examiner.com.

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