Mario Illien
Mario Castille ( born August 2, 1949 Chur, Switzerland ) is a Swiss engineer and motor development. He is the founder and co-owner of Ilmor and two-time winner of the Louis Schwitzer Award for Engineering Innovation Excellence.
Life
Following an apprenticeship as a draftsman at the Emser works Castille studied in the early 1970s engineering at the Engineering School of Biel. During his studies he worked as a mechanic of the Swedish Grand Prix pilots Joakim Bonnier and developed a Formula 2 engine for Simca and a drive unit for a racing motorcycle. In 1977, after graduation, he was initially involved in MOWAG in Kreuzlingen in the development of diesel engines for armored vehicles. But he returned to motorsport.
About Cosworth to Ilmor
In 1979 he switched to Cosworth in Northampton, England, where she learned Paul Morgan know and founded in 1984 with this company Ilmor. Together with financier and team boss Roger Penske developed Castille and Morgan the Ilmor - Chevrolet engine, which in the until then by Cosworth engines dominated racing series total of 86 IndyCar races, six times the Indianapolis won 500 and five IndyCar titles between 1987 and 1993.
Formula 1
Castille then focused on the international racing and developed the Ilmor Formula 1 engine, which was used from 1991 by the teams March, Tyrrell, clean and Pacific. 1993 Mercedes got in at Ilmor. From 1995, the engines were at the rear of the McLaren by Mario Castille and could each win in 1998 and 1999 drivers' titles with Mika Hakkinen and retract numerous Grand Prix victories.
Special Projects Group and founding of Ilmor Engineering
According to Paul Morgan's death in 2001, DaimlerChrysler AG increased in 2002 its shares in Ilmor to 55 percent and it was agreed the gradual acquisition of the remaining shares. Castille founded in 2001, the Special Projects Group as independently operating group within the Mercedes- Ilmor Limited. The Special Projects Group consisted of the 60 -member team that the GM IRL engine developed and produced. After DaimlerChrysler in 2005 acquired the remaining 45 per cent of Mercedes- Ilmor and the company changed its name to Mercedes -Benz High Performance Engines, Castille acquired with Roger Penske, the Special Projects Group, including the naming rights to " Ilmor " and founded again Ilmor Engineering Limited. With this he is once again independent and produces engines for IRL and NASCAR Honda engines for Penske Racing. 2006 and 2007 Castille was also represented in motorcycle sport and went with the developed together with Eskil Suter Ilmor SRT X ³ in the MotoGP class of the Motorcycle World Championship at the start. During the 2007 season, they finished this commitment for financial and technical reasons.
Private life
Mario Illien is married and father of two children.