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After an extraordinary season with CRG, Dino Chiesa, one of the most popular, successful and respected team managers, has decided to return to “his” marquee in 2017, with CRG’s agreement. Focussing on Zanardi chassis and works IAME engines, as has been the case for the past 12 years.

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[dropcap]F[/dropcap]rom the days of Rosberg and Hamilton, then De Vries and Stroll, and up to the recent victories of Hiltbrand and De Conto, Dino Chiesa has been one of the most successful team managers in terms of track results and certainly the person who has "nurtured" the greatest number of drivers who have gone on to reach the summit of motorsport.

2016 was an extraordinary year for him: rich in victories for his CRG drivers and personal satisfaction, such as the F.1 World Championship won by his protégé Nico Rosberg, who insisted on having Dino Chiesa present at the Golden Helmets awards ceremony.

However, since Dino is a man who always looks to the next target, even after the most rewarding of victories, he has decided to change next year. Rather, as he himself told TKART, he will “get back to doing what I've always done”.
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So, what will Dino Chiesa be doing next year?
For 2017, in agreement with CRG at company level and Tinini on a personal level, we have decided to focus on the Zanardi brand in order to provide customers with a better service, in line with their needs.

Meaning?
Last season there were races that saw 20 drivers under the CRG marquee.

The organisation is capable of managing all of them, but there is little doubt that if instead of having 20 drivers under one marquee there are 10 under one and 10 under another, it is possible to provide a better service and manage everyone with more confidence and care.

That is why - I repeat, by mutual agreement – we have decided with CRG to ‘manage things separately’.

It is not a true separation, then?
Absolutely not.
Just as last year it wasn’t the case of my "returning" to CRG. Basically, I never left: I was a team manager there for years, then 12 years ago I embarked on the Zanardi adventure, which also answered to CRG. A series of circumstances in 2016 led me to spending another year with CRG.

Next year will see a return to what I had been doing over the previous 12 years.

However, there will be total synergy between us and the sharing of data.

We will also have the same sporting calendar: the traditional one including the most important international competitions, to which we will add the major events of the X30 circuit, such as Le Mans, the European RGGMC and the European Cup.

Which drivers will you be taking with you?
Tom Joyner will be the team’s consolidated driver and will also take on other roles during the season. There are the many names with which we are negotiating and others will soon be officially announced.

Besides the drivers, above all you’ll be working with IAME, right?
We will only use IAME engines, in all classes.
We will also have the direct support of the company, both in terms of works material and continuous development throughout the season.

IAME was another of the reasons that led Tinini and me to take the decision to use two different teams: CRG is tied to TM in KZ, thanks to an agreement for the TM KZ10C Black Edition engine developed specifically for them.

So, when IAME hinted that they wanted more direct involvement with a racing team, the request could not be granted by CRG, which pushed us further towards the decision to use two different teams.

What are your goals for 2017?
As always, my philosophy is to nurture drivers in a professional, competitive, but also serene environment.
Naturally, the aim is to win, but the key thing is to 'build' the driver, make them understand what doing this job means.

I also want a certain atmosphere within the team, we all try to feel good, have fun within reason and keep karting a form of sport, not just a business.

You know one or two things about drivers who have developed well...
Let's say that every 3 or 4 years one of my drivers reaches the summit of motorsport. Next year will be the turn of Lance Stroll with Williams F1.

It is definitely one of the things I like most, because there’s a great sense of satisfaction when a guy like Rosberg finds the time to reply to a congratulatory message I sent him on the evening following the last race that saw him win the World Championship.

If you then add the fact that a few days later I was with him at the Autosprint Golden Helmets awards ceremony, the satisfaction is greater still.

After all this, what do you see now in your future?
We’ve already spoken about 2017. In 2018... I think something else will change.

After all, I’ll be 50 years old in July and I think it's time to think about what I’m going to do when I grow up.
Of course, my life is and will always be go-karting, but I have to start thinking about how to get to retirement age...