Q: In a very short period of time you have opened many fronts...
-Up to now we had focussed on the challenge posed by the Dakar, achieving results that are in line with our expectations: Jordi Viladoms, Gerard Farrés and Alessandro Botturi finished among the top ten, and Paolo Ceci recovered many positions after suffering technical problems. This, however, is just the beginning. With the training provided and the new bike being manufactured we will be competing in the 2012 World Cross Country Championship and other significant events, such as the Dos Sertoes Rally in Brazil, the Baja 1000 (compatible with the activity calendar) and the Merzouga Rally as preparation and tuning up for the Dakar 2013.

Q: Are you happy with the results achieved?
-I am happy, but the results achieved so far fall within our ambitious expectations. Nonetheless, we will keep going and aim to improve in the future.

Q: What are the plans for the enduro team?
-In November we decided to become involved in the enduro world, especially focusing on young talents. Accordingly, Tomas Oldrati, Jonathan Manzi and Edoardo D’Ambrosio joined the team that will compete in the World Championship and in the Italian Championship. Massimo Mutti, however, will only participate in the latter. In addition to taking part in the World Rally Championship races, Botturi will also participate in some races of the Italian competition. The team is managed by Alessandro Bellometti, an expert in and former champion of this specialty. Both in rallies and enduro our target is to develop an innovative, avant-garde bike.

Q: Where does your passion for this sport come from?
-I’m an “endurer” and I had the chance to be on many travels throughout Africa along with Fabrizio Meoni, a great person and an excellent pilot. This project is partly inspired in Fabrizio’s sports ethics. What is more, we want to provide young talents with opportunities. We believe that a sports result is a consequence of the talent expressed through hard work, modesty and passion.

Q: Why Bordone Ferrari?
-Nicoletta Elisa Altieri Bordone is the granddaughter of Nicola Bordone, an industrial engineer from Milan who devoted his life to the world of motorcycles in the interwar period. I am Ferrari. Together we came up with the idea to create a team which, at present, focuses on two well-defined projects: a sports project and an industrial project relating to the development of three bikes (vintage, rally and enduro).

Q: You have been talking about two projects. ¿What’s the relationship between them?
-The sports programme is linked to the manufacturing of our bikes. The first test of our structure was the Merzouga Rally at the beginning of November. Ceci and Viladoms finished second and third, respectively, with one stage victory each. In Morocco we tested the new bike, the development of which is in line with the schedule determined by our racing department in Milan, the offices of which are located in a 650 sq. m. loft, with another 5,000 sq. m. at our disposal. Designers, draftsmen and mechanics work there. We focus on Italian design, engine reliability, the quality of components and a constant know-how obtained from the races.

Q: When will we see the new rally bike?
-The project is still absolutely secret. I can only say that it will be a high quality product with a powerful and reliable engine and a very stable tubular steel chassis. We have made a strong commitment and we aim to become a benchmark team and bike, capable of defying well-established makes. The whole team, comprising in excess of 40 people, is driven by a great passion and love for this challenge. We stand united in achieving the goals we have set.

Q: When will the bike be ready?
-According to our plans, it should be ready in April.

Q: The other project relates to the manufacturing of a vintage bike...
-It will be an exclusive bike, the quintessence of Italian design; and it will be closely linked to the life of Nicola Bordone.