Pietro Fittipaldi

Grandson of a champion, reserve driver for Haas, and winner in sportscars.

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Pietro Fittipaldi da Cruz (born 25 June 1996) is a Brazilian and American racing driver, who competes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for Pratt Miller Motorsports, and in the European Le Mans Series for Vector Sport; he also serves as a reserve driver in Formula One for Haas and as a simulator driver for Cadillac. Fittipaldi competed under the Brazilian flag in Formula One at two Grands Prix in 2020, and the IndyCar Series between 2018 and 2024.

Quick Facts

Birth name: Pietro Fittipaldi da Cruz
Born: 25 June 1996
Birthplace: Miami, Florida, U.S.

Lore & Background

Born in Miami, Fittipaldi is the grandson of two-time Formula One World Drivers' 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 Charouz.

He served as a test driver in Formula E for Jaguar from 2018 to 2019. 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, and finishing seventeenth. He made a further appearance in 2020 at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Following three seasons in sportscar racing—winning the LMP2 class at the 2023 6 Hours of Monza—Fittipaldi competed full-time in the IndyCar Series in 2024 with RLL.

Reader's Guide

Outside of open-wheel racing, Fittipaldi competed in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters in 2019, the European Le Mans Series from 2021 to 2022, and the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2023. Fittipaldi has competed in the LMP2 class of the IMSA SportsCar Championship since 2023 for Rick Ware, Inter Europol, and Pratt Miller. In May 2018, at the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps Fittipaldi suffered a high-speed crash in which his car lost steering and a wheel entered the cockpit, breaking both legs. Doctors initially projected a year’s recovery, but after rehabilitation aided by IndyCar medical personnel and the use of custom carbon-fiber braces, he returned to racing approximately two and a half months later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Pietro Fittipaldi?

He is a Brazilian-American driver who joined Haas as a reserve and test driver starting in 2019. His career includes significant stints in open-wheel and sports car racing outside of Formula One.

When did Pietro debut in Formula One?

His first race occurred at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix where he replaced an injured teammate named Romain Grosjean. He subsequently raced again during the season finale in Abu Dhabi later that year.

Is Pietro related to Emerson Fittipaldi?

Yes, he is the grandson of the two-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion Emerson Fittipaldi. This family legacy places him within a historic lineage of Brazilian motorsport success.

Where else does Pietro compete professionally?

He has driven in the IndyCar Series and the IMSA SportsCar Championship alongside his European Le Mans Series experience. Currently, he also serves as a simulator driver for Cadillac's racing division.