Emerson Fittipaldi
Fittipaldi in 2020
Born (1946-12-12) 12 December 1946
São Paulo, Brazil
Championship titles
FIA World Drivers' Championship (1972, 1974)
CART Championship Car (1989)
Major victories
Michigan 500 (1985)
Indianapolis 500 (1989, 1993)
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityBrazil Brazilian
Active years19701980
TeamsLotus, McLaren, Fittipaldi
Entries149 (144 starts)
Championships2 (1972, 1974)
Wins14
Podiums35
Career points281
Pole positions6
Fastest laps6
First entry1970 British Grand Prix
First win1970 United States Grand Prix
Last win1975 British Grand Prix
Last entry1980 United States Grand Prix
Champ Car career
195 races run over 13 years
Best finish1st (1989)
First race1984 Long Beach Grand Prix (Long Beach)
Last race1996 Michigan 500 (Michigan)
First win1985 Michigan 500 (Michigan)
Last win1995 Bosch Spark Plug Grand Prix (Nazareth)
Wins Podiums Poles
22 65 17
Signature

Emerson Fittipaldi[1] (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈɛmeʁsõ fitʃiˈpawdʒi]; born 12 December 1946) is a Brazilian former automobile racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the Indianapolis 500 twice each and the CART championship once.

Moving up from Formula Two, Fittipaldi made his race debut for Team Lotus as a third driver at the 1970 British Grand Prix. After Jochen Rindt was killed at the 1970 Italian Grand Prix, the Brazilian became Lotus's lead driver in only his fifth Grand Prix. He enjoyed considerable success with Lotus, winning the World Drivers' Championship in 1972 at the age of 25. At the time, he was the youngest ever F1 world champion, and he held the record for 33 years. He later moved to McLaren for 1974, winning the title once again, and helping McLaren win their first Constructors' Championship. He surprised the paddock by moving to his brother's Fittipaldi Automotive team prior to the 1976 season, being replaced by James Hunt. Success eluded him during his final years in Formula One, with the Fittipaldi cars not competitive enough to fight for victories. Fittipaldi took two more podium finishes, before retiring in 1980.

Following his Formula One career, Fittipaldi moved to the American CART series, achieving numerous successes, including the 1989 CART title and two wins at the Indianapolis 500 in 1989 and 1993.

Since his retirement from Indy Car racing in 1996, Fittipaldi races only occasionally. In 2008, he became one of only three people in history to have a Corvette production car named in his honor. At age 67, he entered the 2014 6 Hours of São Paulo.

Early life

Emerson Fittipaldi was born in São Paulo, Brazil. He is the younger son of prominent Italian-Brazilian motorsports journalist and radio commentator Wilson Fittipaldi Sr[2] and his wife Józefa "Juzy" Wojciechowska, an immigrant from Saint Petersburg of Polish and Russian descent.

He was named after American author and philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Both his parents had raced production cars shortly after the Second World War and Wilson Sr was also responsible for the first Mil Milhas race in 1956, in São Paulo, having been inspired by the 1949 Italian Mille Miglia. Emerson, along with his brother Wilson, became motorsports enthusiasts as young children.[3]

Career history

Fittipaldi driving the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School F3 Lotus 59 in the 1969 F3 Guards Trophy at Brands Hatch

At age 14, Fittipaldi was racing motorcycles, and at 16, hydroplanes. While racing one day, his brother Wilson blew over at 70 mph (110 km/h) and landed upside down. Wilson was uninjured in the accident, but it prompted both Fittipaldi brothers to stop competing in boat racing and focus solely on racing land vehicles.[4] In 1967, Fittipaldi won the 6 Hours of Interlagos in a Volkswagen Karmann Ghia at the age of 20, and a year later the 12 Hours of Porto Alegre.

The pair moved to racing Formula Vees, and built up a company with their parents. In his second season in single-seaters, Fittipaldi won the Brazilian Formula Vee title at age 21. He left for Europe in 1969, with the ambition to convince team owners of his talent in three months. After some podiums and his first victories in Formula Ford, Fittipaldi was first trained and then subsequently engaged by the Jim Russell Driving School Formula Three team. He won nine F3 races on the Jim Russell Lotus 59 in the MCD Lombard Championship to become the 1969 champion.[5]

Formula Two

For 1970, Fittipaldi moved up to F2 by joining the Lotus semi-works Team Bardahl campaigning Lotus 59B. With six finishes in the points and four on the podium, he ended the eight-race season in third place behind Clay Regazzoni and Derek Bell. While this result was very impressive for the newcomer to the series, the spotlight was on Fittipaldi that year because of his activities in Formula One instead.

Formula One

Based on the success of the Cosworth DFV engine and Lotus 49/49B cars in 1968, Team Lotus was enjoying the reputation as one of the top F1 teams with the inflow of sponsorship money, and Colin Chapman used the third seat on the team for championship races as the testing ground for younger drivers. This was in contrast to the team's tradition to use non-championship F1 events for the purpose.

The third seat was given to Alex Soler-Roig in early 1970, and then to Fittipaldi starting with the British GP in July, with Jochen Rindt and John Miles as the regular seat holders. Fittipaldi scored a fourth place as the No. 3 driver at the next German GP where the No. 1 Jochen Rindt won, and the No. 2 John Miles retired.

Team Lotus plans for the season drastically changed when Jochen Rindt was killed at Monza in September and became the only driver to win the championship posthumously. John Miles also left the team, and Fittipaldi was promoted to be the Lotus No. 1 driver on his fifth F1 race at the United States GP with Reine Wisell and Pete Lovely as the teammates. Fittipaldi proved up to the task and won this first post-Rindt race for Lotus.

In his first full year as Lotus's lead driver in 1971, Fittipaldi finished sixth in the Drivers' Championship as the team further developed the previous season's Lotus 72. Armed with what was arguably the greatest Formula one design of all time, the Lotus 72D, Fittipaldi proved dominant in 1972 as he won five of 11 races and claimed the F1 Drivers' Championship.

At 25 he was then the youngest champion in F1 history. It appeared he might do it again in 1973. But after three wins in four attempts with the 72D, he began to struggle in the new 72E that was unveiled mid-year. It resulted in the reverse of the previous year, with Stewart beating Fittipaldi for the Drivers' Championship.

Fittipaldi left Lotus to sign with the promising McLaren team. Driving the highly efficient McLaren M23, he had three victories in 1974, reached the podium four other times, and beat out Clay Regazzoni in a close battle for his second championship. The following season, he notched two more victories and four other podiums, but was second to a dominant Niki Lauda. However, at the height of his F1 success, Fittipaldi shocked everyone by leaving McLaren to race for older brother Wilson Fittipaldi's Copersucar-sponsored Fittipaldi Automotive team.

He remained with the team for five seasons but only managed a best finish of second. Fittipaldi decided to retire from racing at the end of 1980. He has since said that his last two years in Formula One were very unhappy: "I was too involved in the problems of trying to make the team work, and I neglected my marriage and my personal life",[6] although at the time he cited the deaths of many of his colleagues as his reason.[7] He was only 33, but had been racing in Formula One for a decade. He had failed to finish seven of the last ten races that year and had several times been outpaced by his Finnish teammate Keke Rosberg (a future champion himself). He moved into the management of the team[8] alongside his brother. The team struggled on for another two years with minimal sponsorship, going into receivership at the end of 1982.[9]

CART

After leaving F1 in 1980, Fittipaldi took time out from major racing for four years. In 1984, the 37-year-old Fittipaldi made his debut in the American CART series. He spent his first season acclimatising to IndyCars, driving for two teams before joining Patrick Racing as a replacement for the injured Chip Ganassi. Fittipaldi scored his first victory at the 1985 Michigan 500. Fittipaldi stayed five years with Patrick Racing, recording six victories and solid finishes in the overall standings.[10]

In 1989 Fittipaldi had five wins, finished in the top five in every race he completed, and was the CART champion. Among his wins was a dominant performance in the 1989 Indianapolis 500 where he led 158 of 200 laps and won by two laps, but only after a dramatic duel with Al Unser Jr. in the closing laps of the race. Unser ran down Fittipaldi after a late-race restart and passed him for the lead on lap 196. Three laps later, Fittipaldi used lapped traffic to his advantage to pull alongside Unser on the backstretch. Neither driver would give way, and the two cars touched wheels as they went through turn three side by side. Unser's car spun out of control to hit the outside wall, while Fittipaldi was able to maintain sufficient control to keep his car moving straight. In spite of the altercation, Unser applauded Fittipaldi from the infield as Fittipaldi passed by on the final lap.[11]

Emerson Fittipaldi racing in the Indianapolis 500 in 1994

Roger Penske hired Fittipaldi for his racing team in 1990 and he continued to be among the top drivers in CART, winning at least one race with Penske for six straight years. But for bad luck he might have won three consecutive Indianapolis 500s, suffering blistered tires in 1990 and a gearbox failure in 1991, both while leading. In 1993 he added a second Indianapolis 500 victory by taking the lead from reigning Formula One World Champion Nigel Mansell on lap 185 and holding it for the remainder.[12]

The race saw him break Indianapolis victory lane tradition when he drank a celebratory bottle of orange juice before the traditional bottle of milk. He was only the second driver to not drink milk at Indianapolis since the tradition was founded in 1936 (and firmly established in 1956). Fittipaldi owned several orange groves in his native Brazil, and wanted to promote the citrus industry. Fan reaction was negative to the break in tradition despite the fact that Fittipaldi did drink milk shortly after.[13] As a result of drinking the juice, Fittipaldi forfeited $5,000 from the winner's purse and publicly apologized to the American Dairy Association.[14]

Fan reaction to the milk snub was highly negative, and he was booed a week later at Milwaukee, a center of the American dairy industry. In the years that followed, many fans continued to hold the action against him. In interviews since, Fittipaldi explained his action, and apologised for the wave of negativity that followed. Fittipaldi returned to Indianapolis to drive the Chevrolet Corvette Pace Car for the 2008 Indianapolis 500. Despite the passage of 15 years, he was again booed and heckled by some fans during the parade laps.[15]

In May 1994, Fittipaldi skipped a practice session for the Indianapolis 500 after his close friend Ayrton Senna, also a native of Brazil and a former Formula One champion, died in a crash. Fittipaldi was one of the pallbearers during Senna's funeral, alongside Jackie Stewart, Alain Prost and several other F1 world champions. Fittipaldi nearly won his third 500 but clipped the turn 4 wall with 15 laps to go while he was holding a nearly full lap lead over teammate Unser Jr.[16]

Approaching 50, Fittipaldi was still driving in CART in 1996 when an injury at Michigan International Speedway ended his career. Fittipaldi did not return to the series as a driver after the injury. Fittipaldi finished his CART career with 22 wins. In 2003 he made a return to CART as a team owner.[17]

Later career

Fittipaldi at the 2011 São Paulo Indy 300. He waved the green flag at the start of the race.

Fittipaldi was the acting team principal for the Brazilian A1 GP entry.[18] In 2005 Fittipaldi made a surprise return to competitive racing in the Grand Prix Masters event held at Kyalami in South Africa, finishing second behind fellow F1 driver Nigel Mansell.[19]

In 2008, Emerson and his brother Wilson entered the Brazilian GT3 Championship, driving a Porsche 997 GT3 for the WB Motorsports team.[20] In 2011, he started embracing social media and became a Chairman of Motorsport.com.[21] In 2013 he began writing a regular monthly blog column on the official website of McLaren.

Awards

Racing record

Career summary

Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
1969 British Formula Three Jim Russell Racing Driver School 11 7 1 4 9 57 1st
1970 Formula One Gold Leaf Team Lotus 5 1 0 0 1 12 10th
European Formula Two Team Bardahl Lotus Components 6 0 0 0 4 25 3rd
1971 Formula One Gold Leaf Team Lotus 9 0 0 0 3 16 6th
World Wide Racing 1 0 0 0 0
1972 Formula One John Player Team Lotus 11 4 3 0 7 61 1st
World Wide Racing 1 1 0 0 1
1973 Formula One John Player Team Lotus 15 3 1 5 8 55 2nd
1974 Formula One Marlboro Team Texaco 15 3 2 0 7 55 1st
1975 Formula One Marlboro Team McLaren 13 2 0 1 6 45 2nd
1976 Formula One Copersucar-Fittipaldi 15 0 0 0 0 3 17th
1977 Formula One Copersucar-Fittipaldi 14 0 0 0 0 11 12th
1978 Formula One Fittipaldi Automotive 16 0 0 0 1 17 10th
1979 Formula One Fittipaldi Automotive 15 0 0 0 0 1 21st
1980 Formula One Skol Fittipaldi Automotive 14 0 0 0 1 5 15th
1983-84 USAC Championship Car GTS Racing 1 0 0 0 0 5 37th
1984 PPG Indy Car World Series WIT Racing 3 0 0 0 0 30 15th
H&R Racing 2 0 0 0 0
Patrick Racing 4 0 0 0 0
1985 PPG Indy Car World Series Patrick Racing 15 1 0 0 4 104 6th
24 Hours of Daytona Ralph Sanchez Racing 0 0 0 0 0 N/A NC
1986 PPG Indy Car World Series Patrick Racing 17 1 2 0 5 103 7th
1987 PPG Indy Car World Series Patrick Racing 15 2 0 0 3 78 10th
1988 PPG Indy Car World Series Patrick Racing 15 2 1 0 5 105 7th
1989 PPG Indy Car World Series Patrick Racing 15 5 4 0 8 196 1st
1990 PPG Indy Car World Series Team Penske 16 1 2 0 6 144 5th
1991 PPG Indy Car World Series Team Penske 17 1 2 0 6 140 5th
1992 PPG Indy Car World Series Team Penske 16 4 2 3 7 151 4th
1993 PPG Indy Car World Series Team Penske 16 3 2 3 9 183 2nd
1994 PPG Indy Car World Series Team Penske 16 1 2 4 10 178 2nd
1995 PPG Indy Car World Series Team Penske 16 1 0 2 2 67 11th
1996 PPG Indy Car World Series Hogan Penske 12 0 0 1 0 29 19th
2014 FIA World Endurance Championship - GTE Am AF Corse 1 0 0 0 0 8 23rd
Source:[23]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 WDC Pts.
1970 Gold Leaf Team Lotus Lotus 49C Ford V8 RSA
ESP
MON
BEL
NED
FRA
GBR
8
GER
4
AUT
15
10th 12
Lotus 72C Ford V8 ITA
DNS
CAN
USA
1
MEX
Ret
1971 Gold Leaf Team Lotus Lotus 72C Ford V8 RSA
Ret
ESP
Ret
6th 16
Lotus 72D Ford V8 MON
5
NED
FRA
3
GBR
3
GER
Ret
AUT
2
CAN
7
USA
NC
World Wide Racing Lotus 56B P&W gas turbine ITA
8
1972 John Player Team Lotus Lotus 72D Ford V8 ARG
Ret
RSA
2
ESP
1
MON
3
BEL
1
FRA
2
GBR
1
GER
Ret
AUT
1
CAN
11
USA
Ret
1st 61
World Wide Racing Lotus 72D Ford V8 ITA
1
1973 John Player Team Lotus Lotus 72D Ford V8 ARG
1
BRA
1
RSA
3
2nd 55
Lotus 72E Ford V8 ESP
1
BEL
3
MON
2
SWE
12
FRA
Ret
GBR
Ret
NED
Ret
GER
6
AUT
Ret
ITA
2
CAN
2
USA
6
1974 Marlboro Team Texaco McLaren M23 Ford V8 ARG
10
BRA
1
RSA
7
ESP
3
BEL
1
MON
5
SWE
4
NED
3
FRA
Ret
GBR
2
GER
Ret
AUT
Ret
ITA
2
CAN
1
USA
4
1st 55
1975 Marlboro Team McLaren McLaren M23 Ford V8 ARG
1
BRA
2
RSA
NC
ESP
DNS
MON
2
BEL
7
SWE
8
NED
Ret
FRA
4
GBR
1
GER
Ret
AUT
9
ITA
2
USA
2
2nd 45
1976 Copersucar-Fittipaldi Fittipaldi FD04 Ford V8 BRA
13
RSA
17
USW
6
ESP
Ret
BEL
DNQ
MON
6
SWE
Ret
FRA
Ret
GBR
6
GER
13
AUT
Ret
NED
Ret
ITA
15
CAN
Ret
USA
9
JPN
Ret
17th 3
1977 Copersucar-Fittipaldi Fittipaldi FD04 Ford V8 ARG
4
BRA
4
RSA
10
USW
5
ESP
14
MON
Ret
SWE
18
12th 11
Fittipaldi F5 Ford V8 BEL
Ret
FRA
11
GBR
Ret
GER
DNQ
AUT
11
NED
4
ITA
DNQ
USA
13
CAN
Ret
JPN
WD
1978 Fittipaldi Automotive Fittipaldi F5A Ford V8 ARG
9
BRA
2
RSA
Ret
USW
8
MON
9
BEL
Ret
ESP
Ret
SWE
6
FRA
Ret
GBR
Ret
GER
4
AUT
4
NED
5
ITA
8
USA
5
CAN
Ret
10th 17
1979 Fittipaldi Automotive Fittipaldi F5A Ford V8 ARG
6
BRA
11
USW
Ret
ESP
11
BEL
9
MON
Ret
FRA
Ret
GBR
Ret
21st 1
Fittipaldi F6 Ford V8 RSA
13
Fittipaldi F6A Ford V8 GER
Ret
AUT
Ret
NED
Ret
ITA
8
CAN
8
USA
7
1980 Skol Fittipaldi Team Fittipaldi F7 Ford V8 ARG
NC
BRA
15
RSA
8
USW
3
BEL
Ret
MON
6
FRA
Ret
15th 5
Fittipaldi F8 Ford V8 GBR
12
GER
Ret
AUT
11
NED
Ret
ITA
Ret
CAN
Ret
USA
Ret
Sources:[24][25]

Non-championship Formula One results

Fittipaldi at the 1974 Race of Champions

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1971 Gold Leaf Team Lotus Lotus 72 Ford V8 ARG
Ret
QUE
Ret
SPR
7
RIN OUL VIC
2
Lotus 56B P&W gas turbine ROC
Ret
INT
Ret
1972 John Player Team Lotus Lotus 72D Ford V8 ROC
1
BRA
Ret
INT
1
OUL
2
REP
1
VIC
Ret
1973 John Player Team Lotus Lotus 72 Ford V8 ROC
Ret
INT
Ret
1974 Marlboro Team Texaco McLaren M23 Ford V8 PRE
1
ROC
3
INT
1975 Marlboro Team McLaren McLaren M23 Ford V8 ROC
5
INT
2
SUI
Ret
1978 Fittipaldi Automotive Fittipaldi F5A Ford V8 INT
2
1980 Skol Fittipaldi Team Fittipaldi F7 Ford V8 ESP
5
Source:[26]

USAC

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Team 1 2 Rank Points Ref
1983-84 GTS Racing DQSF INDY
32
37th 5 [27]

CART

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Rank Points Ref
1984 WIT Racing March 83C Cosworth DFX V8 t LBH
5
PHX
12
15th 30 [28]
March 84C INDY
32
MIL POR
H&R Racing MEA
7
CLE
20
MCH ROA POC
Patrick Racing MDO
4
SAN
18
MCH
12
PHX LAG CPL
13
1985 Patrick Racing March 85C Cosworth DFX V8 t LBH
2
INDY
13
MIL
8
POR
3
MEA
2
CLE
8
MCH
1
ROA
5
POC
6
MDO
8
SAN
25
MCH
13
LAG
24
PHX
8
MIA
26
6th 104 [29]
1986 Patrick Racing March 86C Cosworth DFX V8 t PHX
3
LBH
16
INDY
7
MIL
24
POR
12
MEA
2
CLE
13
TOR
17
MCH
20
POC
19
MDO
21
SAN
3
MCH
3
ROA
1
LAG
7
PHX
5
MIA
20
7th 103 [30]
1987 Patrick Racing March 87C Chevrolet 265A V8 t LBH
19
PHX
18
INDY
16
MIL
7
POR
14
MEA
3
CLE
1
TOR
1*
MCH
7
POC
18
ROA
18
MDO
6
NAZ
21
LAG
20
MIA
10
10th 78 [31]
1988 Patrick Racing March 88C Chevrolet 265A V8 t PHX
21
LBH
16
INDY
2
MIL
3
POR
3
7th 105 [32]
Lola T88/00 CLE
19
TOR
4
MCH
19
Lola T87/00 MEA
14*
POC
21
MDO
1*
ROA
1*
NAZ
8
LAG
16
MIA
20
1989 Patrick Racing Penske PC-17 Chevrolet 265A V8 t PHX
5
LBH
3
1st 196 [33]
Penske PC-18 INDY
1*
MIL
16
DET
1
POR
1*
CLE
1*
MEA
2
TOR
2
MCH
14
POC
19
MDO
4
ROA
5
NAZ
1*
LAG
5
1990 Team Penske Penske PC-19 Chevrolet 265A V8 t PHX
5
LBH
2
INDY
3*
MIL
3
DET
7
POR
9
CLE
3
MEA
6
TOR
20
MCH
17*
DEN
18
VAN
6
MDO
12
ROA
2
NAZ
1*
LAG
6
5th 144 [34]
1991 Team Penske Penske PC-20 Chevrolet 265A V8 t SRF
19
LBH
17
PHX
3
INDY
11
MIL
8
DET
1*
POR
2
CLE
2*
MEA
7
TOR
21
MCH
20
DEN
2
VAN
17
MDO
2
ROA
6
NAZ
8
LAG
4
5th 140 [35]
1992 Team Penske Penske PC-21 Chevrolet 265B V8 t SRF
1
PHX
3
LBH
3
INDY
24
DET
8
POR
2
MIL
4
NHA
21
TOR
19
MCH
13
CLE
1*
ROA
1*
VAN
19
MDO
1
NAZ
7
LAG
19
4th 151 [36]
1993 Team Penske Penske PC-22 Chevrolet 265C V8 t SRF
2*
PHX
14
LBH
13
INDY
1
MIL
3
DET
23
POR
1*
CLE
2
TOR
2
MCH
13
NHA
3
ROA
5
VAN
7
MDO
1*
NAZ
5
LAG
2
2nd 183 [37]
1994 Team Penske Penske PC-23 Ilmor 265D V8 t SRF
2
PHX
1*
LBH
21
MIL
2
DET
2
POR
2
CLE
20
TOR
3
MCH
10
MDO
3
NHA
3*
VAN
9
ROA
3
NAZ
3
LAG
4
2nd 178 [38]
Mercedes-Benz 500I V8 t INDY
17*
1995 Team Penske Penske PC-24 Mercedes-Benz IC108B V8 t MIA
24
SRF
18
PHX
3*
LBH
20
NAZ
1
INDY
DNQ
MIL
23
DET
10
POR
21
ROA
15
TOR
10
CLE
25
MCH
5
MDO
21
NHA
5
VAN
7
LAG
16
11th 67 [39]
1996 Hogan Penske Penske PC-25 Mercedes-Benz IC108C V8 t MIA
13
RIO
11
SRF
25
LBH
20
NAZ
4
500
10
MIL
4
DET
25
POR
20
CLE
22
TOR
14
MCH
25
MDO ROA VAN LAG 19th 29 [40]

Indianapolis 500 results

Twin-engine racing Beetle developed by Wilson and Emerson Fittipaldi
Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
1984 March Cosworth 23rd 32nd WIT
1985 March Cosworth 5th 13th Patrick
1986 March Cosworth 11th 7th Patrick
1987 March Chevrolet 33rd 16th Patrick
1988 March Chevrolet 8th 2nd Patrick
1989 Penske Chevrolet 3rd 1st Patrick
1990 Penske Chevrolet 1st 3rd Penske
1991 Penske Chevrolet 15th 11th Penske
1992 Penske Chevrolet 11th 24th Penske
1993 Penske Chevrolet 9th 1st Penske
1994 Penske Ilmor-Mercedes 3rd 17th Penske
1995 Lola Ilmor-Mercedes Failed to Qualify Penske

Complete 24 Hours of Daytona results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
Ref
1985 United States Ralph Sanchez Racing United States Tony Garcia
Colombia Mauricio DeNarvaez
March 85G-Buick GTP - DNS DNS [41]

Complete Grand Prix Masters results

(key) Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap.

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5
2005 Team LG Delta Motorsport GPM Nicholson McLaren 3.5 V8 RSA
2
2006 Team LG Delta Motorsport GPM Nicholson McLaren 3.5 V8 QAT
12
ITA
C
GBR
8
MAL
C
RSA
C
Source:[23]

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rank Points
2014 AF Corse LMGTE Am Ferrari 458 Italia GT2 Ferrari 4.5 L V8 SIL SPA LMS COA FUJ SHA BHR SÃO
6
23rd 8
Source:[24]

Personal life

Family

Fittipaldi with Italian fans at Mugello in 1974

Fittipaldi is the younger brother of former Formula One driver and team owner Wilson Fittipaldi. He is the uncle of TUDOR United Sports Car Championship driver Christian Fittipaldi. He was married to Maria Helena from 1970-82. They had three children. He was married a second time, to Teresa, in the mid-1980s. They have two children.[42]

In early December 2012 he married economist Rossana Fanucchi in São Paulo after a partnership of eleven years. They have a son, Emerson Jr., born in 2007, and daughter Vittoria, born in early 2012.[43] Emerson Jr. competed in the 2021 F4 Danish Championship, finishing third overall.[44]

His daughter Tatiana, married racing driver Max Papis. They have two children, Marco Papis and Matteo Papis; Emerson's grandsons.[45][46]

His daughter Juliana, had two sons and a daughter with Carlos da Cruz, Pietro, Enzo and Valentina Fittipaldi.[47][48] Pietro and Enzo are also racing drivers, with Enzo being announced as a member of the Red Bull Junior Team in November 2022.[49] Pietro made his Formula 1 debut at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix driving for the Haas F1 Team.[50]

Life

In September 1997, while recovering from injuries in a crash at Michigan International Speedway a year earlier, he was flying his private plane across his orange tree farm in the state of São Paulo. The plane lost power and plunged 90 metres (300 ft) to the ground, leaving him with serious back injuries. Though Fittipaldi had converted to Christianity the year prior, his beliefs were reinforced after the crash. Fittipaldi is a Protestant in the Presbyterian tradition.[51]

He was a friend of Beatles guitarist George Harrison and was with him shortly before Harrison died in November 2001.[52]

In 2016, Fittipaldi established Fittipaldi Motors, and along with Pininfarina and HWA AG, created his first sports car project, the Fittipaldi EF7, though the car never entered production.[53]

In August 2022, Fittipaldi announced his candidacy for the Italian Senate, representing the South American overseas constituency, running as a member of the Brothers of Italy political party[54] being eventually defeated by Italo-Argentine Mario Borghese a month later in the 2022 Italian parliamentary elections.[55]

See also

References

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  2. Comune di Trecchina. "Trecchina, un po' di storia". Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  3. "Emerson Fittipaldi". ESPN. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  4. "From motorbikes to McLaren". McLaren Racing. 14 March 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
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  6. Ludvigsen, Karl (2002) 'Emerson Fittipaldi' p. 136 Haynes Group. ISBN 1-85960-837-X
  7. "Fittipaldi to Retire", The Times, 12 December 1980, pg. 20
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  12. "That's entertainment?". Motor Sport. 1 July 1993. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  13. "Four days to the 100th Indianapolis 500: Emerson Fittipaldi and the Orange Juice". USA Today. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  14. "Auto Racing Notebook". UPI Archives. 3 June 1993. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  15. "Lewis Hamilton is a great example for the other F1 drivers, says Emerson Fittipaldi". The Guardian. 30 October 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  16. "1994 Indianapolis 500: an all-in gamble pays off". 31 January 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  17. "Emerson Fittipaldi returns to CART as owner with Fittipaldi-Dingman Racing team". Autoweek. 10 February 2003. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  18. Mohapatra, Bikash (7 October 2007). "He is still A1", [Daily News and Analysis]. Retrieved on 7 September 2021.
  19. "Mansell wins SA Grand Prix Masters". Mail & Guardian. 14 November 2005. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  20. "Emerson Fittipaldi vai correr na GT3 Brasil". globo.com. Retrieved 30 July 2008.
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  22. Emerson Pittipaldi at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
  23. 1 2 "Emerson Fittipaldi". Motor Sport. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  24. 1 2 "Emerson Fittipaldi Results". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  25. Small, Steve (2000). "Emerson Fittipaldi". Grand Prix Who's Who (Third ed.). Reading, Berkshire: Travel Publishing. pp. 203–206. ISBN 978-1-902007-46-5. Retrieved 7 August 2023 via Internet Archive.
  26. "Emerson Fittipaldi – Involvement Non World Championship". StatsF1. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  27. "Emerson Fittipaldi – 1983 USAC Gold Crown Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  28. "Emerson Fittipaldi – 1984 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  29. "Emerson Fittipaldi – 1985 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  30. "Emerson Fittipaldi – 1986 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  31. "Emerson Fittipaldi – 1987 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  32. "Emerson Fittipaldi – 1988 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  33. "Emerson Fittipaldi – 1989 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  34. "Emerson Fittipaldi – 1990 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  35. "Emerson Fittipaldi – 1991 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  36. "Emerson Fittipaldi – 1992 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  37. "Emerson Fittipaldi – 1993 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  38. "Emerson Fittipaldi – 1994 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  39. "Emerson Fittipaldi – 1995 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  40. "Emerson Fittipaldi – 1996 CART Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  41. "Daytona 24 Hours 1985". Racing Sports Cars. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
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  43. "Emerson Fittipaldi oficializa união com Rossana Fanucchi em São Paulo". GloboEsporte. 8 December 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  44. Gripping, Kim (4 October 2021). "Mads Hoe blev mester - men Strømsted løb med opmærksomheden" [Mads Hoe became champion - but Strømsted ran with the attention]. Formel 4 (in Danish). F4 Danish Championship. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
  45. "Smith: Papis living the American Dream". ESPN.com. 14 August 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  46. Rainier Ehrhardt (17 August 2013). "Nationwide Children's Hospital 200". Getty Images.
  47. "Fittipaldi dynasty continues with Pietro on path to F1". GP Today. 2014.
  48. Deb Williams (27 June 2014). "Davidson's Enzo Fittipaldi continues racing family's tradition". The Charlotte Observer.
  49. "Ferrari recruits Enzo Fittipaldi to young driver programme". Archived from the original on 24 December 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  50. "Haas confirms Fittipaldi to drive at Sakhir Grand Prix". 30 November 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  51. "60 Seconds: Emerson Fittipaldi". metro.com.uk. 1 May 2008. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  52. "George Harrison in Brazil and Singing Tribute to Emerson Fittipaldi". Sounds and Colours. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  53. "Fittipaldi EF7 Vision Gran Turismo: F1 champ turns from racing to making". https://www.carmagazine.co.uk. 14 April 2017. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  54. Cooper, Sam (18 August 2022). "Emerson Fittipaldi takes his first steps into the Italian political system". Yahoo! Sport. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
  55. "Emerson Fittipaldi perde disputa pelo Senado italiano". G1 (in Brazilian Portuguese). 26 September 2022. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
Books
  • Ludvigsen, Karl (2002). Emerson Fittipaldi Heart of a Racer. Osceola: Motorbooks International. ISBN 1-85960-837-X.
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