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In his time as President
of the Royal Automobile Club of Catalunya (RACC) he has turned
it into one of the most dynamic
and successful motoring clubs in the world.
He was responsible
for overseeing the construction of the first permanent race
track in the region, the Circuit de
Catalunya, which, in just over ten years has become one of
the most successful circuits in motor sport.
Salvadó has also been a vociferous campaigner for
road safety. The RACC has hosted world congresses for road
safety and is one of the major proponents of the FIA Foundation’s
Think Before You Drive campaign.
In his first interview since
taking over his new role at the FIA, Salvadó talks
to Automotive about the major issues facing mobility today
and his future plans for the
organisation.
What is the most important issue facing mobility
and the automobile today?
The most important issue right now is road
safety. That is where our focus must be at this moment.
In the near future,
the major issue is the concept of sustainable mobility. The
ability to move people, products and services
is the key to economical development. We must find a system
that promotes mobility but it has to be more efficient than
the current system as regards energy, environment and infrastructures.
Our
aim must be to make a more rational use of the car, because
the space for road traffic is very scarce. This will
lead to significant energy savings and the respective improvements
as regards the environment. It should also lower accident
rates worldwide.
What plans do you have for your new role
in the FIA as Deputy President for Mobility and the Automobile?
We must work on a
model that will allow us to properly manage the problems
inherent in mobility. This is especially in
regard to road safety because the current high accident rate
is a true plague worldwide.
We must utilise the Mobility side
of the FIA as a focal point for dialogues and exchanges between
its member clubs,
and to establish common policies. To do this I want to bring
together all of the highly capable members of the FIA from
other continents, who right now might feel far away from
us, to create a truly worldwide network of expertise.
There
is a huge amount of potential. Several clubs have led by
example in their respective countries and I want the
rest of the clubs around the world to reach this high standard.
If we manage to operate as a network, we can have a very
real influence on international policy. And by working closely
with the FIA Foundation we can bring about major improvements
in road safety.
What attributes do you bring to your new role?
President Mosley
knows me well and he knows that I am a man who gets the job
done rather than talk about it.
Following
the completion of the merger between the FIA and the Alliance
Internationale de Tourisme (AIT), the issues
of mobility, road safety and environment are now within the
framework of FIA Mobility. As such, with a centralised administration,
it will be easier to put my plans into action.
It is obviously
a great honour for me and it makes me really very proud.
I want to thank Max Mosley for his personal trust.
I want to contribute to the vision of the FIA in tackling
all of the subjects related to mobility.
Max Mosley said that
the Mobility side of the FIA will become more dynamic with
you in charge. How will you make it into
a more dynamic, proactive organization?
To be dynamic, we
have to be ambitious and set ourselves high targets that
will push us forward.
The FIA and the clubs
have the ethical responsibility to act and to be present
in the world of mobility. Most of all
they have to be a useful and important element of our society.
We not only do our work professionally but also with passion
and belief that we can assist and help in society.
We must
promote the concept of sustainable mobility and handle road
safety issues with decisiveness. There is a lot
more that we can contribute to.
What lessons have you learnt
from running the RACC that you can bring to your role at
the FIA?
I can bring the management
concept I use at the RACC, which I call a ‘university vision’.
It means you need to have a rigorous, detailed, analytical,
deductive vision,
allowing you to deal with problems from different angles,
with the help of experts in each field. We must not be too
simplistic in our approach, especially with regards to road
safety. It is important to cover all bases.
It is also important
to do all of this with a sporting spirit. This is very typical
of the RACC, which instils us with a
constant eagerness to better ourselves, to exert ourselves,
to make sacrifices, work as a team and never be happy with
the first result. Innovation, quality and the eagerness to
improve are central to the RACC as an organisation.
What are
the day to day responsibilities of the FIA Deputy President?
Leading the staff of the Mobility side of the FIA
to carry out the programme set out by the World Council.
I see the
job of the Deputy President as the job of the president of
a council, in which the needs of clubs and regions are discussed.
We need to look at all issues surrounding mobility, road
safety, the environment and tourism. We need to debate these
issues, analyse them and to try to find solutions. All of
this has to be done with determination, passion and rigour.
How
will you combine your FIA duties with your role as President
of the RACC?
My feeling is that up till now I have been devoted
full-time to my family, my private business and the RACC.
Now I will
add a new task. I think that you have to be very demanding
with yourself and treat all tasks with a full-time-job attitude.
To do that, it is necessary and essential to count on a good
team of collaborators. Anything is possible if you have a
good team.
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