Italy · est. 1972
The Varano constructor behind the modern spec grid
Forthcoming lots
1 forthcoming lot · Monterey 2026
The house
Giampaolo Dallara founded Dallara Automobili da Competizione in his home town of Varano de' Melegari on 15 January 1972. He had graduated in aeronautical engineering from the Politecnico di Milano in 1959 and worked at Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and De Tomaso; Dallara's history records his role in the Miura. From 1974, the company collaborated with Lancia on competition projects including the Stratos, Beta Montecarlo, LC1 and LC2.
F3History identifies the 1981 381 as the first Formula 3 car to bear the Dallara name: it used an aluminium monocoque and raced mainly in Italy. The 1985 F385 was Dallara's first carbon-fibre monocoque; F3History records Dallara victories in eleven of the fifteen Italian Championship events that season. In 1993 Paul Stewart Racing changed Kelvin Burt from a Reynard to an F393 for round ten of British Formula 3; Burt won the title, and Autosport reports that Reynard had disappeared from the grid in 1994.
Dallara cars raced in INDYCAR from 1997. Jim Guthrie gave the constructor its first series win at Phoenix in 1997 and Eddie Cheever its first Indianapolis 500 victory in 1998. INDYCAR's current account dates Dallara's exclusive chassis supply to 2008; Dallara opened its Speedway, Indiana site in 2012, where IndyCars are assembled. The current FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3 grids use Dallara-built cars, and Dallara also supplies chassis for Indy NXT.
Dallara presented the Stradale, its first road car under the Dallara name, on 16 November 2017 and gave the first example to Giampaolo Dallara on his eighty-first birthday. The current specification lists a carbon-fibre monocoque, carbon-fibre bodywork, a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an 855 kg dry weight. Road & Track reported in August 2025 that more than 350 had been built; this was a progress report, not a final production total.
Dallara remains an operating company based in Varano de' Melegari. Giampaolo Dallara is president and Andrea Pontremoli chief executive; in January 2022 Giampaolo and Angelica Dallara placed the family holding into the 25-year D.Trust to support continuity and the company's local roots. Giampaolo Dallara was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame in May 2026.
Selected milestones
1972
Dallara is founded in Varano
Giampaolo Dallara establishes Dallara Automobili da Competizione in the family home; the SP1000 is the first Dallara vehicle.
1985
The F385 adopts carbon fibre
The F385 is Dallara's first carbon-fibre monocoque. F3History records Dallara victories in eleven of fifteen Italian Formula 3 events that season.
1993
The F393 changes British Formula 3
Paul Stewart Racing moves Kelvin Burt from a Reynard to an F393 at Donington for round ten. Burt wins the title, and Reynard disappears from the 1994 grid.
2008
Exclusive INDYCAR supply begins
INDYCAR's current account dates Dallara's exclusive chassis supply to 2008.
2017
The Stradale reaches the road
Dallara reveals its first road car under the house name and presents the first example to its founder on his eighty-first birthday.
What defines Dallara
Dallara designs, develops and manufactures competition cars and supports series, teams and automotive clients with engineering, testing and production capability.
INDYCAR identifies Dallara as its exclusive chassis supplier from 2008. FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3 state that every current car in their respective grids is built by Dallara to the same specification.
The F385 began Dallara's carbon-fibre-monocoque era. Dallara now states that its composite business makes Stradale chassis and components for automotive clients; model-specific work should be attributed only where the source identifies it.