The company was founded by designer Gian Paolo Dallara in 1972 in Varano de' Melegari, near Parma, Italy, and started building chassis for sports car racing and hillclimbing, racing in the smaller engine classes.
A compañía foi fundada polo deseñador Gian Paolo Dallara en 1972 en Varano de' Melegari, preto de Parma, Italia, e comezou a construción de chasis para as carreiras de coches, subidas de montaña e carreiras nas clases máis pequenas.