Our Team
Behind WYDA there are people with real experience in karting, Formula and GT, in sporting career management and in communication inside international motorsport. We don’t sell a service — we put the right people around your driver, at the right time.
Co-Founder & General Manager
Co-Founder of WYDA, Paolo Montera leads the Academy’s strategic vision, coordinating the sporting, managerial and personal development of young drivers. Active in motorsport for a long time as a driver, organizer, sporting director, team co-owner and driver manager, he has guided complete growth paths from karting to car racing — including that of Salvatore Gatto, supporting his sporting development up to international Formula competition. With a solid background in leading complex organizations and managing high-impact projects, he oversees drivers’ career programs and institutional relations with teams, academies, sponsors and international partners — ensuring a structured and sustainable growth path by building around them an international network of highly qualified professionals and partners.
Co-Founder / Technical Supervisor / Team Manager
Co-Founder and director of WYDA, Salvatore Gatto is the Academy's technical and operational reference point. His direct experience in karting and in managing drivers and teams is one of the central pillars of the WYDA project. A former driver, he built his career from international karting competition through to the formula categories, standing out as an official driver for the leading international karting manufacturers and achieving notable results at European and world level. In his car-racing career he was runner-up in the Italian Formula Azzurra championship, a winner of international races and third overall in the International Formula Master, establishing himself as one of the most promising young Italian talents of his generation. Today he brings the experience gained on track to WYDA's drivers, supporting families, teams and technicians in sporting planning, the management of competitive programs and the technical development of young drivers.
Co-Founder & Performance Director
Co-Founder of WYDA, Manuel Pereira leads the Academy's performance area and manages relationships with the families of the young drivers, integrating physical preparation, mental coaching, biofeedback, nutrition and the development of cognitive skills applied to driving. Through his work with Focuz Performance and advanced assessment and monitoring tools, he contributes to building a complete pathway for the driver — focused on on-track performance, stress management, concentration, recovery and professional growth.
Karting Coach
A multiple CIK-FIA World Champion and an icon of international karting, Davide Forè is one of the most successful and enduring Italian drivers in the history of the sport. At WYDA he brings young drivers a wealth of top-level technical expertise, with particular focus on driving technique, reading the track, race management, equipment development and building a professional mindset.
Formula & GT Coach
A driver, coach, federal instructor and tutor in the Italian Formula 4 Championship, Riccardo Azzoli has built a complete path through motorsport — from karting to single-seaters, from Formula 3 to GT cars. At WYDA he oversees the technical development of young drivers, with particular focus on the transition from karting to Formula, track management, telemetry and professional preparation for first experiences in single-seaters and GT.
GT Driver Ambassador
A driver, instructor and trainer with extensive experience in motorsport and the automotive world, Michele Merendino is WYDA's GT Driver Ambassador. A recipient of CONI's Bronze Medal for Sporting Merit, he has raced in national and international championships and works actively with leading organizations such as Quattroruote ASC, Audi Experience and Lamborghini Accademia Piloti. At WYDA he brings specialized expertise in the GT world, perceptual driving, visual targeting, risk management and the professional training of young drivers.
Media & Communications Advisor
Media Manager of the FIA Formula Regional European Championship, Media Consultant for Lamborghini Squadra Corse and Autosprint correspondent for Formula 1, feeder series and GT, Dario Lucchese coordinates WYDA's media and communications area, supporting young drivers in building their image, managing their content and handling relationships with media and stakeholders.
Karting Coach & Data Support
A driver with around 15 years of karting experience, Erika Lavazza has competed in Easykart, WSK, the Italian Championship and MINI Challenge Italia. After spells with Energy Corse, Virus Racing and Gamoto, she combined her work as a driver with an operational role as coach and data engineer, supporting young drivers through the different phases of the race weekend. At WYDA she contributes to the technical development of karting drivers, with particular focus on data analysis, race management and day-to-day growth on track. Her experience is also a concrete point of reference for young female drivers, whom she can support both technically and in building confidence, self-awareness and a competitive mindset.
