Giuseppe Risi is a big race-fan and a very busy man: he not only is the owner and principal of the Houston Ferrari and Maserati dealership, but he also owns and manages the Risi Competizione racing team, founded in 1998 to run the Ferrari 333SP. The team moved to the GT2 class when the brand new Ferrari 360 has started in car-racing and has remained faithful to this class since then. After two titles in 2006 and 2007 and a mixed 2008 season, Giuseppe Risi is looking forward to the new season once again with passion.
You won both Team and Drivers’ American Le Mans Series titles in 2007, but 2008 looked like a nightmare for you team. How hard has it been to deal with?
“We have to remember that 2008 wasn’t a complete “nightmare” as we won the 24 Hours of Le Mans (GT2) as well as one of the other big events – Petit Le Mans – and that makes up for a great deal. However, I agree it’s not easy to accept the situation as it was, especially after our successes in 2007. We looked at every race and analysed the reasons why we didn’t have certain results, and understood the reasons which is the most important thing. A good team has to be able to look inward at themselves and try to understand what caused problems and, once addressed, it’s much easier to deal with the situation. Either that or the results were just sheer bad luck!”
About your victory at Le Mans, was it a kind of revenge over 2007?
“Victory at Le Mans in 2008 was very much a kind of revenge for 2007 although, in my heart, I believe that we would also have won the 2007 race. However, having said that, the race is not over until the checkered flag drops.”
And Petit Le Mans 2008: was this victory a relief for you?
“Winning Petit Le mans was a relief for us, coming after our other American Le Mans Series win of the season at Mosport, and again it showed most importantly to our sponsors, to Ferrari and team itself that we hadn’t lost the ability to win or to prepare a good racing car.”
It is said, that the American Le Mans Series is the best GT2 class championship. Do you agree with it?
“I agree very much so that the American Le Mans Series has the best GT2 category. I believe the class has more competitive racing taking place than any other (with the exception of one or two very exciting races amongst the prototypes) over the course of a full season, and the most exciting.”
You have already been in LMP category with the Ferrari 333SP. Would you like to develop a prototype with a Ferrari engine?
“I would very much like the opportunity to develop a prototype with a Ferrari engine. We have the expertise to run and operate such a vehicle and I would like to take the team to that next level. However, this is very much a subject that depends on Ferrari and the world’s economic situation is a big factor in everyone’s future plans.”
You are a Ferrari and a Maserati dealership. Would you imagine running a car which is not a Ferrari (like Dave Maraj with Audi and Porsche)?
“It would be difficult to run a non-Ferrari or Maserati product simply because of my long history with Ferrari. However, I also have to think about the team which is a closely woven unit which has been built over the last 10 years and now has all that specific expertise on hand. I would like to stay in a competitive atmosphere to be able to fully utilise the team and also, as a team owner, to provide continuity to people who have believed in me.”
Your team runs 2 cars looking very different because of colors and sponsors. How is you deal with Tracy Krohn?
“As far as our deal with Krohn Racing is concerned, Tracy takes care of his own sponsorship and chooses his own drivers in the car. We provide all the running expertise and operation of this vehicle which is why the car is entered under the Risi Competizione banner. I would also like to add that Tracy’s best results in motor racing thus far have come from competing with us at big events like second place at Le Mans in 2007 and third at Sebring last year.”
Is Ferrari still working on the F430 to improve the car?
“Development never stops at Ferrari and Michelotto (ed. the company which develop the car), even though this is the last year for the Ferrari F430.”
What kind of support do you get from Ferrari?
“We get a lot of support from Ferrari, maybe not so much in terms of sheer finance but through the drivers and the official recognition of basically being Ferrari’s representation in American Le Mans Series racing in the USA.”
What do you aim at in 2009 (Le Mans and American Le Mans Series)?
“For 2009 we would like to win Le Mans again and certainly try to win as much as we can in the American Le Mans Series, especially with this being the last year of the F430.”
How do you see the future of the GT category with the new regulation?
“I think the GT category will always survive because of all the commercial reasons that exist to sell GT vehicles, no matter what the regulations are. There’s nothing more positive than to see cars being sold for racing, especially in endurance events, with customers looking forward to having a good product and also for the most part a race-proven product. GT racing has been at the core of automotive history for ever and I don’t see that changing. The regulations might change from year to year, but GT racing will always be here.”
Interview by Cécile Bonardel