Pietro Fittipaldi

Pietro Fittipaldi
Fittipaldi in 2018
Born	Pietro Fittipaldi da Cruz (1996-06-25) 25 June 1996 (age 28) Miami, Florida, U.S.
Relatives	Enzo Fittipaldi (brother) Emerson Fittipaldi (grandfather) Emerson Fittipaldi Jr. (uncle) Max Papis (uncle) Wilson Fittipaldi (great-uncle) Christian Fittipaldi (first cousin once removed)
IndyCar Series career
26 races run over 3 years
Team(s)	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Best finish	19th (2024)
First race	2018 Phoenix Grand Prix (Phoenix)
Last race	2024 Music City Grand Prix (Nashville)
Wins Podiums Poles 0 0 0
FIA World Endurance Championship career
Racing licence	FIA Platinum
Years active	2018, 2022–2023
Teams	DragonSpeed, IEC, Jota
Starts	9
Championships	0
Wins	1
Podiums	2
Poles	1
Fastest laps	0
Best finish	6th in 2023 (LMP2)
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	Brazilian
Active years	2020
Teams	Haas
Car number	51
Entries	2 (2 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	0
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	2020 Sakhir Grand Prix
Last entry	2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years	2022–2023
Teams	IEC, Jota
Best finish	18th (2022)
Class wins	0
Previous series
2017 2015 2015–2016 2014 2014 2013–2014 2013 2011–2012	Formula V8 3.5 FIA F3 European MRF Challenge Formula Renault Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 Alps British Formula Renault BRDC F4 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series
Championship titles
2017 2015–16 2014	Formula V8 3.5 MRF Challenge British Formula Renault

Pietro Fittipaldi da Cruz (born 25 June 1996) is a Brazilian racing driver, currently competing in the IndyCar Series for RLL and serving as a reserve driver in Formula One for Haas. Fittipaldi competed in Formula One at two Grands Prix in 2020.

Fittipaldi is the grandson of two-time Formula One World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi and the older brother of racing driver Enzo. Graduating from karting to stock car racing in 2011, Fittipaldi spent two seasons in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series before progressing to junior formulae in 2013. Fittipaldi won his first title at the 2014 Protyre Formula Renault Championship. He then won the 2015–16 MRF Challenge Formula 2000 Championship, before winning the 2017 World Series Formula V8 3.5 with Lotus.

A reserve driver for Haas since 2019, Fittipaldi made his Formula One debut at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, replacing an injured Romain Grosjean to become the fourth member of the Fittipaldi family to compete in Formula One. He made a further appearance in 2020 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Outside of Formula One, Fittipaldi has competed full-time in the IndyCar Series since 2024, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters in 2019, the European Le Mans Series from 2021 to 2022, and the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2023. He was also a test driver in Formula E for Jaguar from 2017 to 2019.

Pietro Fittipaldi da Cruz was born on 25 June 1996 in Miami, Florida.^[1] Fittipaldi is the grandson of two-time Formula One World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi and the older brother of racing driver Enzo.^[2]

Fittipaldi began his racing career in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, winning the track championship at Hickory Motor Speedway in 2011. In 2012 he won one race and finished fifth in the championship.

The Brazilian moved to Europe to pursue a career in open-wheeled racing in 2013, making his debut in the BRDC Formula 4 Championship and Protyre Formula Renault Championship^[3] In 2014, he won the latter series, clinching the title with one race remaining.^[4]

In 2015 Fittipaldi competed in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship for Fortec Motorsports. With a best result of sixth at two of the races at Algarve, Fittipaldi finished 16th in the championship standings with 32 points.

Fittipaldi continued racing for Fortec in 2016, this time driving in the Formula V8 3.5 Series alongside fellow rookie Louis Delétraz. However, he only scored one podium and ended up 10th in the standings, eight positions behind his teammate.

Nevertheless, he continued competing in the World Series, this time with Lotus. He won six races, dominating the championship, 44 points ahead of his closest rival Matevos Isaakyan.

In February 2018, Fittipaldi was named a part-time driver of the No. 19 Honda for Dale Coyne Racing in the IndyCar Series, replacing Zachary Claman DeMelo in six races that year.^[5] He made his debut at the Phoenix Grand Prix, where he was forced to retire after contact on lap 40. He achieved his first top ten finish at Portland and finished 26th in the standings.

Fittipaldi returned to IndyCar in 2021 exclusively for oval races, splitting the No. 51 Dale Coyne Racing with RWR car with Romain Grosjean, who planned to only enter road and street circuit rounds.^[6] Fittipaldi was the fastest rookie qualifier for the 2021 Indianapolis 500.^[7]

On 23 October 2023, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced Fittipaldi would drive the No. 30 Honda for the 2024 IndyCar Series.^[7] At the opening round of the season, the 2024 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, he finished 13th, his best result of the season.^[8]

Fittipaldi raced for Audi Sport Team WRT in the 2019 Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. He scored a best result of fifth at Misano, and finished in the points six times, scoring 22 and ended up 15th in the drivers' standings.

In October 2014, Fittipaldi was one of four drivers to be invited to test for the Ferrari Driver Academy.^[9] He first tested a Formula One car on 27 November 2018 during the post-season test at the Yas Marina Circuit, driving for Haas.^[10]

In November 2018, the Haas F1 Team confirmed Pietro Fittipaldi as its official 2019 test driver.^[11] Haas announced that the Brazilian would test the car at the first pre-season test at Barcelona in February 2019.^[12] In April 2019 Fittipaldi took part in the 2019 Bahrain Young Driver Test, before then making an appearance at the mid-season test at Catalunya.

On 30 November 2020, it was announced that Fittipaldi would race for Haas in the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, replacing the injured Romain Grosjean who was hospitalised after an accident at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix in which he suffered burns to his hands and ankles.^[13] This made him the first grandson of a Formula One driver to become a Formula One driver himself.^{[citation needed]} Fittipaldi started his debut Grand Prix in last and finished the race 17th, the last of the remaining drivers. Haas team principal Guenther Steiner commented on Fittipaldi's debut "I think Pietro did a great job, considering he drove the car for the last time a year ago". Fittipaldi remarked that it is difficult for a driver to make it to Formula One, and he was glad to have finished his first race.^[14]

He again stood in for Grosjean at the season finale in Abu Dhabi. Fittipaldi qualified 19th and was elevated to 17th on the grid due to other drivers collecting penalties. In the race, he suffered a slow pit stop and again finished last of the running drivers in 19th place. After the race, Fittipaldi stated that he would "like to still keep a foot in Formula One" as a reserve driver in 2021.^[15] In February 2021 it was confirmed that he would remain in his role as a Haas test and reserve driver for the 2021 season.^[16]

He was retained in the role for the 2022 season.^[17] He drove the Haas VF-22 during the first day of 2022 pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, substituting for Nikita Mazepin after Mazepin's contract was terminated.^[18] Fittipaldi was replaced for the remainder of the test by Kevin Magnussen. Fittipaldi was actively considered by Haas for Mazepin's seat in the race team but ultimately Magnussen was chosen over him.

Fittipaldi drove the VF-22 in the free practices of the Mexico City and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix and also took part in post-season testing in Abu Dhabi.^[19][20]

Haas retained Fittipaldi's roles for the 2023 season.^[21] He drove the VF-23 during the young drivers' test.^[22]

Fittipaldi continued in his role as reserve driver for a sixth straight season in 2024, sharing this role with Oliver Bearman.^[23] He drove the VF-24 alongside Bearman during the Pirelli tyre test at Silverstone following the British Grand Prix.^[24]

In May 2018, Fittipaldi broke both legs in a crash during qualifying for the World Endurance Championship 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps race.^[25][26]

In January 2023, it was announced that Fittipaldi would drive full-time in the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship for Jota Sport alongside David Heinemeier Hansson and Oliver Rasmussen.^[27]

^† Fittipaldi did not win the national championship; he was the individual track champion of Hickory Motor Speedway.
^‡ As Fittipaldi was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.
^* Season still in progress.

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

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

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

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

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

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

^† Driver did not finish, but was classified as he completed over 90% of the race distance.

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

* Season still in progress.

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

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

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

^† As Girolami was a guest driver he was ineligible to score points.

Year	Team	Co-Drivers	Car	Class	Laps	Pos.	Class Pos.
2022	Inter Europol Competition	David Heinemeier Hansson Fabio Scherer	Oreca 07-Gibson	LMP2	364	18th	14th
2023	Jota	David Heinemeier Hansson Oliver Rasmussen	Oreca 07-Gibson	LMP2	316	24th	13th

^† As Fittipaldi was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points.

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

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

^† Points only counted towards the Michelin Endurance Cup, and not the overall LMP2 Championship.

• Formula One drivers from Brazil

• Pietro Fittipaldi driver statistics at Racing-Reference
• Pietro Fittipaldi career summary at DriverDB.com