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| ROAL Motorsport | |
|---|---|
| Name | ROAL Motorsport |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Base | Italy |
| Principal | Roberto Ravaglia |
| Co-principal | Aldo Preo |
| Series | World Touring Car Championship, TCR International Series, European Touring Car Cup |
| Drivers | See below |
ROAL Motorsport ROAL Motorsport is an Italian touring car racing team established in 2001 by Roberto Ravaglia and Aldo Preo. The team has competed in series including the World Touring Car Championship, the TCR International Series, and the European Touring Car Cup, campaigning cars from manufacturers such as BMW and Alfa Romeo. ROAL has fielded notable drivers who have raced at circuits like Monza, Brands Hatch, Portimão and Spa-Francorchamps.
ROAL Motorsport was founded in 2001 by former Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft champion Roberto Ravaglia and businessman Aldo Preo, entering touring car competition with support from BMW Motorsport. The team first appeared in the European Touring Car Championship and later moved into the newly organized World Touring Car Championship when it was relaunched in 2005, aligning with teams such as Alfa Romeo Team and rivals like SEAT Sport and Honda Racing. ROAL contested rounds at classic venues including Silverstone, Magny-Cours, Hockenheimring, and Nürburgring. Over the years the team adapted to regulatory changes from the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and the introduction of technical standards shared with outfits such as Yokohama (tyre manufacturer)-backed teams and Sunred Engineering. ROAL later diversified into regional series including the TCR Europe Touring Car Series and one-off events in the European Touring Car Cup.
ROAL's leadership combined the racing pedigree of Roberto Ravaglia with the managerial role of Aldo Preo, creating links with BMW AG and commercial partners. Engineering staff have included technicians formerly associated with BMW M Motorsport, Prodrive, and independent specialists from JAS Motorsport and Zakspeed. Race operations involved coordination with logistics providers frequenting paddocks at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Autodromo Nazionale Monza, and Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. Team mechanics and crew chiefs often had prior experience in championships like Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters and the British Touring Car Championship. ROAL collaborated with series officials from the World Touring Car Cup and equipment suppliers including Magneti Marelli, Brembo, and Sachs (part of ZF Friedrichshafen AG).
ROAL competed extensively in the World Touring Car Championship where teams such as NIKA Racing and Exagon Engineering also raced. The team entered rounds in the TCR International Series alongside competitors like Liqui Moly Team Engstler and Craft-Bamboo Racing. ROAL took part in rounds of the European Touring Car Cup, and occasional endurance events aligned with promoters like FIA-sanctioned organizers and circuits hosting rounds of the Blancpain GT Series. The team raced at international events including the FIA Motorsport Games-linked weekends and support races at Formula One grands prix in locations such as Hungaroring and Suzuka Circuit.
Drivers who raced for ROAL include touring car veterans and emerging talents who had connections to BMW Junior Team programs, national champions from series such as the Italian Superturismo Championship, and participants in events like the 24 Hours of Spa. ROAL achieved race wins and podiums at tracks including Monza, Zandvoort, and Oschersleben, contesting championship rounds alongside drivers from SEAT Sport and Chevrolet RML. The team’s drivers frequently competed against prominent names from WTCC history and championship contenders from WTCR seasons, contributing to points-scoring finishes and independent trophies within series regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile.
ROAL has campaigned predominantly BMW 320i and BMW 320si models developed under technical rules similar to those used by BMW Motorsport and homologated by Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile authorities. Engineering work emphasized chassis setup, aerodynamics, and engine mapping in collaboration with suppliers like PANOZ-linked specialists and electronics firms such as Bosch (company). The team adapted cars to technical regulations that paralleled developments by Honda Civic touring entries prepared by JAS Motorsport and SEAT León packages from SEAT Sport. ROAL also implemented suspension and brake systems consistent with components from Öhlins, Brembo, and AP Racing. During transitional regulation periods the team upgraded to cars homologated for TC2 and TC1 classes where applicable.
ROAL formed commercial ties with automotive and industrial partners including BMW, aftermarket suppliers, tyre manufacturers like Yokohama (tyre manufacturer), and technical partners such as Magneti Marelli and Bosch (company). The team’s sponsorship roster featured national brands and regional promoters working with event organizers such as Promoter Touring Car Events and collaborations with other teams including Proteam Racing for logistical synergies. ROAL engaged with media partners at international rounds broadcast alongside Eurosport and regional motorsport networks, and negotiated supplier agreements resembling partnerships seen between BMW M Motorsport and corporate sponsors.
ROAL Motorsport contributed to the continuity of Italian participation in international touring car racing, fostering talent pipelines akin to those of BMW Junior Team and providing competitive machinery that contested rounds against historic outfits like Alfa Romeo and SEAT Sport. The team’s results at circuits such as Monza, Spa-Francorchamps, and Brands Hatch reinforced Italy’s presence in World Touring Car Championship lore. ROAL’s technical approaches mirrored innovations in touring car engineering practiced by leading works teams and independent specialists, influencing setup philosophies used in regional series including TCR Europe Touring Car Series and national championships across Europe.
Category:Auto racing teams in Italy