ROME – Marketing man. Connoisseur of sports and above all of sports culture and its values. Cristiano Fiorio, an important surname in the history of motoring, was appointed head of the Alfa Romeo F1 project at the end of July. Born in 1972, son of art. His father, Cesare, whose surname he proudly bears, is well known to Formula 1 fans, having been at the helm of the Ferrari team from 1989 to 1991 (36 Gp, 9 victories and 25 times on the podium) but above all a legendary rally driver with Lancia, among all the Fulvia Coupé, Stratos, 037 and the queen of those competitions, the Delta HF Integrale. The unstoppable team that won 7 constructors’ world championships. Today, Cesare Fiorio is 82 years old and for 20 he moved to Puglia on the family estate where he takes care of the Masseria Camarda.
Cristiano is the second son (the first, Alex is from 1965, he too was a Rally driver, world champion of Group N in 1987) and he arrived in FCA in 2013 where he covered several stages. He was in charge of Emea Brand Marketing, then of advertising, digital, events and sponsorships. In November 2019 he was also head of the team that oversaw the launch of the new electric 500. Now he arrives at Alfa for the decidedly most important project of all: managing the sponsorship of the Alfa Romeo Racing team. The target? “Maximize results and return on investment, with progressive improvement year after year”. An adventure to be written.
Do you already feel a great responsibility?
“I’m experiencing a mixture of feelings. I have always tried to do well with a great sense of responsibility. As soon as he landed in Alfa, naturally the inevitable comparisons with the past and with what my father did in the racing world immediately appeared. It’s normal and I expected it. What I feel I have, however, is a great responsibility towards the company, its long history and then towards my family ».
Speaking of family, what did your father teach you?
«He has always taught me to work hard trying to study very well the various situations I have had to deal with. Above all it pushed me to always try to never do what everyone does. He also gave me a great desire to win. This is also a responsibility. Especially with regards to Imparato (the CEO of Alfa Romeo, ed.) Who gave me this opportunity ».
What will he take with him from his past?
«I worked for 17 years following the races, from the world championship to the Formula 3 drivers. I have had many sporting experiences but Formula 1 is something else entirely. A different challenge. We have very strong pressure and the obligation to always be at the top. I’m sure they will be interesting years. With the change of car and the new rules everything will become more fun. There will be more battle and everyone will have more chances ».
And what role will Alfa play in all this?
«For us it is a challenge that has just begun. There is a big climb to do and little time available but we have to be up to par with the whole team. Ready and responsible ».
What difference do you think there is between today’s F1 and that of your father?
«Today there are more funds available for the teams. And above all there is a professionalism that has evolved a lot. F1 has an extraordinarily important stage in the media. Together with a very high level of organization and marketing. It has great economic interests. In short, it is a sport that has great strength in every aspect. In F1 there are just ten teams and 20 drivers. But they are all “super heroes”, the most technological and performing men in the entire sports world. They are astronauts, a kind of Avengers. A concept that has not yet passed and, therefore, our challenge will also be to communicate this difference ».
How important is marketing?
“It can be worth a lot. Formula 1 is the sport that has grown the most in interest between the 16-35 age group. A target that not only looks at the sporty aspect but also at the beauty of the cars. Public interested in knowing what’s behind a model, the men who work there ».
And in all this, what weight could the value of a brand like Alfa Romeo have?
“It can count for a lot but it must be a very high value”.
And what do you have in mind to relate to F1 ‘?
«We will create our own TV series“ Alfa F1, behind the scenes ”that will tell the whole world of racing. From how a car is designed to how important it is to make it performant and above all more beautiful. The technological level of the racing car rises continuously but is consistent with the electrification of the brand ».
So a close relationship also with road models?
«Of course, it is precisely on those that we have to transfer the technology of Formula 1: inside each road model there must be a piece of F1. But without ever losing the pleasure of sporty and safe driving. It is a very important and fundamental step for the investment. The more we manage to do it, the greater the result ».
Let’s go back to racing. What will the new F1 Alfa be like?
«I hope that the new car of 2022 goes in the direction of performance. Something innovative and risky. More fun driving components but always with the ability to steer the car. Much work will be done on technological research in the coming years. The cockpit, that is the driving position and the controls, another standardized component, could also change. I would never want the complexity on our cars. The basis of fun is having what you need. This is why the Alfa will go in the direction of great driving pleasure, eliminating all that is not needed ».
In your opinion, is there a “risk of boredom” for the grand prix?
«I wouldn’t say so. The work Stefano Domenicali (CEO of Formula One Group, ed.) Is doing goes in the opposite direction. The FIA has already made several attempts to make racing more and more spectacular. For example, I would like to see more and more F1 with more winners. Being part of it and staying there must be the goal and pleasure of all. Something as extraordinary as F1 is, a kind of aerospace industry. Extraordinarily technological ».
In short, will F1 also have to raise the bar?
“Of course. Let’s think about the comparison with other sports. The Superbowl or the Champions League with the finals make millions of spectators. F1 gets a hundred million spectators every weekend. Over one and a half billion views at the end of the season. It is a sport that is conquering new spaces and new targets. Let’s try to involve other worlds, not just sports and performance ones. Ours is not specialization. Formula 1 goes further ».
Like the car in general. Change in order not to die, someone said so …
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