VI-Grade has appointed Dr Leonardo Pascali as managing director, effective October 1, 2026. Pascali joins the company following an international career in automotive engineering, high-performance vehicle development and motorsport.
Most recently, he was technical director of Audi Sport’s Dakar project, where he was responsible for the technical development of the Audi RS Q e-tron program. The vehicle won the 2024 Dakar Rally overall with Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz.
Prior to Audi, Pascali held senior engineering positions at McLaren Automotive, Porsche and Centro Ricerche Fiat, building extensive experience in vehicle dynamics, chassis development and advanced vehicle technologies. During his time at McLaren Automotive, where he served as head of chassis and vehicle technology, Pascali was named vehicle dynamicist of the year 2017 by Vehicle Dynamics International.
Development and validation strategy
In his new role, Pascali will lead VI-Grade’s focus on full-vehicle development and validation, with its roadmap placing greater emphasis on software-defined vehicles, ADAS, energy management and integrated electronic systems.
The company plans to combine Software in the Loop (SiL), Hardware in the Loop (HiL) and Driver in the Loop (DiL) technologies, linking virtual models and driving simulators with physical electronic control units and vehicle systems. The approach will enable OEMs to validate software releases, assess system interactions and evaluate vehicle behavior from the driver’s perspective.
“I am excited to join VI-grade at a time when the way vehicles are developed is undergoing such a fundamental transformation,” said Pascali. “Working closely with test drivers has taught me that a vehicle cannot be judged through isolated measurements alone. Objective data and simulation are essential, but so is the driver’s assessment of how every system works together. That is why VI-grade’s human-centric, full-spectrum approach resonates with me. I see a major opportunity to bring the complete driving experience into virtual development and to test real electronic control units together with virtual vehicle models through Hardware in the Loop. Combining these capabilities with Driver in the Loop and physical testing can help our customers make more confident decisions earlier in development.”
Pascali’s engineering approach has included close collaboration with professional test drivers, combining objective engineering data with subjective driving assessments. In previous vehicle development roles, his own evaluations, alongside those of the chief test driver, contributed to final vehicle sign-off.
This approach aligns with VI-Grade’s focus on evaluating vehicles as integrated systems and considering the overall driving experience across different engineering disciplines.
“Leonardo brings an exceptional combination of deep engineering expertise, international leadership and first-hand experience developing advanced road and competition vehicles,” commented Alessio Lombardi, global sales director – simulation, VI-Grade / HBK.
“His understanding of both virtual and physical vehicle development makes him ideally positioned to lead VI-grade into its next phase and further strengthen the role of simulation within HBK’s broader Smart Testing strategy. We are delighted to welcome him to the team.”
