Emerson Fittipaldi

Emerson Fittipaldi is a Brazilian racing legend and double Formula One World Champion, who won the Drivers’ Title in 1972 and 1974. He was also runner-up in 1973 and 1975. He is a double winner of the Spanish Grand Prix, the Belgian Grand Prix, the British Grand Prix, the Argentine Grand Prix and the Brazilian Grand Prix. Whilst Chico Landi was Brazil’s first Formula 1 driver, Fittipaldi became the first Brazilian to win a Grand Prix, when he won the 1970 United States Grand Prix and its first World Champion in 1972, when he won the title with JPS Lotus. In 1973 he also won the inaugural Brazilian Grand Prix in front of his adoring home crowds. Following differences with Lotus’ owner Colin Chapman, “Emmo” quit the team at the end of 1973 and moved to McLaren, where he duly delivered the team’s first championship, as well as another home victory in the 1974 Brazilian Grand Prix. After 1975, Emerson joined the Brazilian Fittipaldi team, set up by his brother and ex-F1 driver Wilson Fittipaldi. Sadly, this final F1 career move failed to yield any further victories for Emerson and he retired, intensely frustrated, at the end of the 1980 season. After 3 years on the sidelines, he came out of retirement in 1984 to race IndyCars and became series champion in 1989 and winner of the famous Indianapolis 500 in 1989 and in 1993. Fittipaldi’s long racing career ended in 1996 when he suffered a huge crash during the Marlboro 500 at Michigan International Speedway.