Emotional tribute to Daniel Young, promoter of Formula Nissan

Last Thursday the tribute was given Barcelona in the figure of Daniel Young, president of Nissan Spain between 1995 and 2003, with his business vision and passion decided that Nissan should support the idea of Jaime Alguersuari to create Formula Nissana single-seater competition with the aim of discovering new Spanish talent and bringing it to Formula 1.

In an event in the city of Barcelona, ​​​​co-organized by Nissan Motor Spain, Jaime Alguersuari and Inge Aerts de Young, widow of Daniel Youngan important representation of Barcelona society gathered to celebrate this memorial, in addition to pilots like Anthony Garcia (2000 Formula Nissan winner), former collaborators of the Nissan company and the media. They also enthusiastically participated in the event Marc GeneFerrari driver and ambassador and winner of Formula Nissan in 1998, Joaquin Verdegaypresident of the Managing Commission of the Royal Spanish Automobile Federation and Christian CostagannaCEO of Nissan Motor Spain.

In his speech, Christian Costaganna, CEO of Nissan Motor Spain, highlighted the important role he played Daniel Youngas a Nissan executive in Spain and commented that “his contribution, during the years he was president of Nissan Spain, was to position the Nissan brand. From the foundations created with off-road vehicles, such as Nissan Patrol and the trucks we built on plant of Avilamade it a purchase option within the passenger car segment, for Spaniards” and added that “he is also the first Nissan executive in Spain to exceed the number of 50,000 units sold in a year and, perhaps, to- he highlights from his legacy that He is clear in his daily work about the satisfaction and recognition of all employees of the brand, which allows us to have great pride in belonging to Nissan, which still has us now.”

Daniel Young, visionary and courageous

Daniel Young He began his career in the automotive sector in 1968 at what was, at the time, probably the largest automobile company in the world. General Motors. He worked in the marketing and sales area, both at the headquarters in the United States and at various subsidiaries in South America and Asia until he arrived in Europe, in Sweden, in 1977.

At the beginning of the 80’s it reached Spain and since he came he fell in love with this country. After long experience in Spain In 1993 he signed on Nissan Motor Iberian and became general commercial director. Just two years later he held the position of CEO of Nissan in Spain.

In 1997, after learning the dream of Jaime AlguersuariI made the decision to support him. A unique project was born, the Formula Nissanwhich also has an international aspect unmatched in Europe and has undoubtedly contributed to the development of the brand’s image. Nissan at a higher level.

In 2001, it renewed its support through a new contract that allowed the continuation of that idea with a view to Nissan World Series. A vision that allowed us to see the birth of pilots of the stature of Marc Gene, Fernando Alonso or Antonio Garciaamong many others and who eventually won the top category of Formula 1 and other highly prestigious international competitions.

Jaime Alguersuari is the creator and promoter of Formula Nissan and its continuation for more than 15 years. The event is for Alguersuari Daniel Young Memorial This means recognizing the figure of a man who changed the panorama of motorsports competition in Spain: “in 1997, Spanish single-seater motorsport was something completely local and regional, Spain had no presence in the international single- seater competition, it is absolutely zero, and we have no weight in the world of Formula 1. As athletes we had a need, based on which I had a dream and I know only one person from the automotive industry in Spain, maybe , who would understand it. Without any hope of achieving it, I visited that executive and told him my dream and he said “go ahead.” That executive’s decision, Daniel Young, changed everything .His decision became a commitment and he followed it to the end, in 2003, with the same intensity.

And Alguersuari added “today Fernando Alonso He is probably the most famous Spanish driver in the history of Formula 1 and I can assure you that if Daniel Young Would not have given his OK to Nissan’s collaboration with the Formula Nissan project, Fernando Alonso is not in Formula 1 today, as drivers like Marc Gené, Antonio Garcia, Carlos Sainz or even my own son, who in 2009 became the youngest driver in history to debut in Formula 1 at the age of just 19 (and 125 days old). We will follow the hero of Daniel Young, because Spanish motorsports owes him this since 1997.”

Formula Nissan is very important for the sporting side of the Nissan brand and has also given many fans a unique opportunity to enjoy the sport of motor racing at the highest level.

Speaking at the Daniel Young Memorial event, Marc Genewho spoke on behalf of all the pilots who were part of this project and as the winner of its first edition in 1998, clearly expressed the impact of the figure of Daniel Young: “It was very lucky to meet something extraordinary. people like Daniel Young, both personally and professionally. Thanks to initiatives promoted by Daniel such as Formula Nissan, many drivers have fulfilled our dreams, some even reaching F1. “I am excited to be with his family and friends at this Daniel Young Memorial.”

Daniel Young’s contribution during the years he was president of Nissan Spain was the positioning of the brand. child changed the brand Nissan in Spain thanks to innovative and top quality advertising campaigns and he was an executive with an earlier vision, when he focused the business on customer satisfaction, something that now, many years later, is a obligation for any company that wants to maintain sustainable business development in this sector.

Daniel Young has launched all these initiatives, thanks to his innovative vision and supporting and promoting the Nissan dealer network in Spain. He hit the right key again, because the commercial network that Nissan has now brings additional brand value to its customers every day. And he developed all these challenges, defending Nissan’s goals in Europe and Japan, which is the best guarantee of betting on the brand in Spain for a long time. Without their contribution, undoubtedly, the brand that is now Nissan, a pioneer in electric vehicles and in the creation of the SUV segment in Spain and Europe, would be different.

For Christian Costaganna“the event is the well-deserved recognition of a man, a Nissan executive, who more than 20 years ago was a faithful reflection of Nissan’s purest DNA: dared to do what others dared not do.”

One of the most important people today at the Daniel Young Memorial event is his widow, Inge Aerts de Young; who highlighted that Daniel’s passion has always been the car, and especially the car competition. He considers that combining both passions in his professional activity is a dream for him, that he lives every day in his work and with total participation. In some ways, Inge Aerts de Young believes that, deep down, it is “easy and natural” for her to devote herself to what she loves and comments that “today we celebrate incredible achievements of Daniel and his undeniable impact on the world of motorsport and especially to some of you who have joined me today at this memorial. I want to share with you the man behind those achievements, because for me , Daniel is not only a champion in the professional field, he is my champion.