Named after American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson, Fittipaldi was born on December 12, 1946, in Sao Paulo. His father, Wilson Fittipaldi, a well-known motorsport journalist and radio commentator, influenced both Emerson and his older brother, Wilson Jr., to follow motorsport passionately. Despite their father’s reluctance to fund their racing careers, the brothers became successful entrepreneurs in their teens. Starting with a custom steering wheel made by Emerson, they developed a thriving car accessory business and later built and raced their own karts, with Emerson becoming the Brazilian kart champion at 18. In 1967, the brothers constructed Volkswagen-powered Formula Vee single-seaters, and Emerson won the Brazilian championship driving one of them.
| Nationality | Brazilian |
|---|---|
| Born | Emerson Fittipaldi 12 December 1946 São Paulo, Brazil |
Emerson’s rapid success in Brazil prompted him to leave his mechanical engineering studies and test his skills abroad. In 1969, speaking only Portuguese, he arrived in England, bought a Formula Ford, and won immediately. His success continued in Formula Three, leading to a Lotus Formula Two contract in 1970. His impressive performance in F2 earned him a place in the Team Lotus Formula One team by the end of the 1970 season. Initially intended to gain experience, tragic events, including the death of Jochen Rindt, thrust Emerson into a lead drive at Lotus.
Despite a serious road accident in France in 1971 that affected his confidence, Emerson returned in 1972 to win five of the 12 races in the dominant Lotus 72, becoming the youngest World Champion (at the time) in Formula 1 history at 25.
In 1973, despite feeling overshadowed by his faster teammate Ronnie Peterson, Emerson’s consistent results earned him second place in the championship behind Jackie Stewart. Seeking new challenges, he joined McLaren in 1974, where he won three races and claimed his second World Championship. After finishing runner-up in 1975, Emerson made a surprising move to drive for his brother’s Copersucar-funded team, a decision driven by family loyalty and patriotism.
Unfortunately, the Copersucar team, later renamed Fittipaldi Automotive, struggled to compete, and Emerson’s career suffered. The team folded in 1982, and Emerson returned to Brazil to manage family businesses. However, his racing career wasn’t over. Moving to the USA, he became a star in IndyCar racing, winning the 1989 championship and the Indianapolis 500 twice. A severe crash in 1996 ended his racing career, but he recovered, found a new purpose as a born-again Christian, and remained a respected figure in motorsport.
Emerson Fittipaldi Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 1970–1980 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Lotus, McLaren, Fittipaldi |
| Entries | 149 (144 starts) |
| Championships | 2 (1972, 1974) |
| Wins | 14 |
| Podiums | 35 |
| Career points | 281 |
| Pole positions | 6 |
| Fastest laps | 6 |
| First entry | 1970 British Grand Prix |
| First win | 1970 United States Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1975 British Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1980 United States Grand Prix |
