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| Company type | S.p.A. |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1977; 48 years ago (1977) |
| Founders | Enrico Glorioso Antonio Parisi |
| Headquarters | Volpiano, Metropolitan City of Turin, Italy |
| Products | Steering wheels, car seats, racing helmets, racing suits, gloves, shoes, t-shirts |
| Website | sparco-official.com |
Sparco S.p.A. is an Italian auto part and accessory company headquartered in Volpiano near Turin that specializes in producing items such as seats, steering wheels, harnesses, racewear and helmets. Sparco branded alloy wheels are produced under licence by OZ Group. They also sponsor many types of auto races including rallies and single-seaters.
History
The company was founded in 1977 in Italy and today the ownership is still Italian; the company is one of the leading manufacturers of racing safety equipment.
In 1977, FIA decided to restrict their safety standards, in order to decrease injuries during races: the first product that brought fame to Sparco, was a fireproof racing suit, that could withstand 11 seconds in fire, an absolute record for the time. This resistance was more than enough to meet new FIA 8856-2000 requests. Moreover, that was the only effective alternative to the cotton racing suits, which were not fireproof and did not meet the new requirements. Each year Sparco improved their technology, so the fire resistance of their suits increased yearly.
In 2009, Aldino Bellazzini acquired a majority stake in Sparco and assumed the role of Chairman. Following his appointment, Bellazzini initiated a series of technical improvements within the company. These enhancements contributed to Sparco obtaining the ISO/TS16949:09 quality certification in 2010.
Sparco, in collaboration with McLaren, developed the McLaren SP16+, a race suit that is notably at least 10 percent lighter than any other on the market. Since 2016, this innovative suit has been worn by drivers of the McLaren F1 Racing Team.
Sponsorships
Formula One
Formula 2
IndyCar
Chip Ganassi Racing- Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
- Andretti Global
- Dale Coyne Racing
- Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
NASCAR
Former sponsorships
Formula One
Arrows
Alfa Romeo Racing-
Benetton Formula - Ferrari
- Forti
Jordan Grand Prix- MasterCard Lola
- McLaren
Midland F1 Racing- Minardi
Prost Grand Prix
Super Aguri F1
Spyker F1
Team Lotus (2010–11)/Caterham F1 Team- Toyota Racing
- Virgin Racing
- Williams
See also
Notes and references
- Kierstein, Alex (26 August 2013). "Sparco's still hand-built, in Italy". Road & Track.
- Collins, Jessica (28 July 2017). "Racing Around: July's Short Track Racing News". Hot Rod.
- "Sparco - Company History Timeline". CARiD.com.
- "Sparco Acquires Impact, MasterCraft Safety". Performance Racing Industry.
- Alaniz, Anthony (17 November 2018). "McLaren, Sparco develop lightest FIA-certified race suit". Motor1.
External links
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