Brazilian · São Paulo, Brazil · Born 18 January 1971Christian Fittipaldi is a Brazilian former Formula 1 driver, nephew of two-time champion Emerson Fittipaldi, who went on to a long and successful career in American open-wheel and sports car racing.
Christian Fittipaldi won the International Formula 3000 title in 1991 and, after four seasons in Formula 1, built a more decorated career in American racing, winning the 24 Hours of Daytona in both 2004 and 2014 — becoming the nephew of two-time F1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi to carve out a distinct legacy of his own across two continents. He built a strong junior record, winning the 1989 Brazilian Formula Three Championship and finishing fourth in the British Formula Three standings in 1990 as a teammate of Mika Häkkinen, before winning the International Formula 3000 title in 1991. Fittipaldi graduated to Formula One with Minardi in 1992, and became infamous for a spectacular incident at the 1993 Italian Grand Prix, where he cartwheeled into the air after colliding with teammate Pierluigi Martini at the finish line, crossing the line upside down to still finish eighth. He moved to the Footwork team for 1994, his final Formula One season, having scored 12 championship points across 43 Grand Prix starts. Disillusioned with the sport's politics, Fittipaldi relocated to the United States in 1995, where he built a substantial and lengthy career, finishing runner-up in his Indianapolis 500 debut and winning Rookie of the Year honours, before racing in Champ Car for eight seasons with two wins. He later transitioned into NASCAR and sports car endurance racing, winning the 24 Hours of Daytona in both 2004 and 2014, and continued competing in top-level sports car racing well into the 2010s.
A spectacular cartwheeling crash at the 1993 Italian Grand Prix and a long, successful post-F1 career in American racing
How They Played
Consistent, durable racer who thrived over long career stretches rather than outright single-lap pace
Lasting Impact
Part of Brazil's storied Fittipaldi racing dynasty, who carved out his own successful career across multiple disciplines after Formula One
Career Honours
- International Formula 3000 Champion (1991)
- Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year (1995)
- 2x 24 Hours of Daytona winner (2004, 2014)
| Constructor | Season(s) | Races |
|---|---|---|
| Minardi | 1992–1993 | — |
| Footwork | 1994 | — |
| Career Total | — | 0 |
Brazilian Athletes