This year, on 16 October, the Academy of Sciences hosted the Motorfest 2017, an annual opportunity for the team to pull the strings of the past season and inaugurate the new one.
“A party to celebrate the end of the season”, as Professor Nicolò Cavina, Faculty Advisor of the project defined it, who described UniBo Motorsport in these terms: “It is a laboratory that compares itself with the rest of the world. It is a flag that testifies to what the University of Bologna wants to be: a winner”.
Precisely because the University has to do with the “most beautiful products there are”, that is the students, its main task is to adapt the “products” to the needs of today’s market, namely Industry 4.0 and technological evolution. Sport matters, but above all passion and commitment, values that the project manages to convey.
Subsequently the Ambassador of the project, Pier Luigi Santi, spent words of praise thanking some of those present at the event, including Dr. Francesco Possati of Marposs, Dr. Rossella Amadesi of CEA extinguishers and Dr. Vittoria Muraro by Meneghini & Associati.
The word then passed to John Tintinalli, FSAE International Global Product Group Director: the key element of his speech was the “passion”, inserted in a perspective of sharing and in an exciting context full of tradition such as the University from Bologna. Dr. Tintinalli expressed great satisfaction in participating in the project because the Italians are capable of combining top-level technical professionalism with the passion that makes a project unique.
Similarly, the Technical Manager of Lamborghini Squadra Corse, Eng. Leonardo Galante, also stressed the importance of passion as an engine for such initiatives.
He then reiterated the union between universities and the industrial world, united by the same tight rhythms. In particular, the industry has the task of applying what the University researches and the children who derive from this type of training certainly have a higher gear.
It was then the turn of Eng. Roberto Cicalò, Lamborghini ACLSD Project Manager, who also provided support and suggestions for the redesign of components for the 2018 season, one or two days of workshops at Lamborghini and supply of materials.
A novelty for 2018 concerns the sponsors: People Design, whose HR Specialist representative Dr. Leandro Borello has underlined the duty of the company, as a local reality, to support the initiative.
After passing the word to the managers of the various departments, the intervention of the Magnificent Rector of the University of Bologna Francesco Ubertini acknowledged the great work done also in the season just ended. The Magnificent Rector focused on the importance of being able to include such training within the curriculum for young people able to combine knowledge with know-how, not to mention the development of team working skills and mutual support.
On the occasion of Motofest 2017, the Magnificent Rector also recognized an improvement in the team’s communication and exhibition skills, with the wish for constant improvement.
The word then passed to Eng. Pierluigi Zampieri, Ducati’s Vehicle Innovation Manager, who said he was happy to finally be able to collaborate with the Motorsport project, since the latter decided to expand its borders by presenting Motostudent. The latter is an initiative parallel to the FSAE focused on creating a motorcycle with an electric drive. Eng. Zampieri said he was hopeful of being able to go on track in March, underlining the importance of meeting deadlines.
Finally, it was the turn of Dr. Gianfranco Zauli, CEO of Asita: the leitmotiv was “thank you”; thanks to the boys, capable of transmitting the passion and awareness of what they wanted.
In addition to the interventions carried out by our precious partners, we had the opportunity to meet and thank all those universities that believe in our project.
An important presence is that of Prof. Ezio Mesini, Dean of the School of Engineering and Architecture and the Prorector of the students Elena Trombini.
The new season will certainly hold big surprises and exciting experiences more than last year. The challenge will be to win within a competition that is more intense and competitive every year. But you know, UniBo Motorsport loves challenges. And he’s not used to disregarding expectations.
