Christian Fittipaldi

Christian Fittipaldi was an accomplished young racing driver in the early 1990s, driving 43 Grand Prix for Minardi and Footwork from 1992 to 1994, rather than the originally stated 40. Fittipaldi transitioned to Formula One after a winning season in the International Formula 3000 championship in 1991. Though the opportunities at Minardi were limited, he managed to score points in several competitions in 1993. Despite some disagreements with the team management, he finished the 1994 season with Footwork, earning two 4th place finishes. Disenchanted with Grand Prix racing, Fittipaldi moved to America to continue his career.

Primarily competing in the Champ Car series, Fittipaldi was known for his consistency, making him a championship contender by the time he secured his first Champ Car victory at Road America in 1999. However, a couple of leg injuries while racing affected his consistent form. Fittipaldi also earned two more wins in the Champ Car series, finishing fifth in both 1996 and 2002.

Shifting his racing focus, Fittipaldi began to compete in NASCAR. After making three appearances in the Busch Series in 2001 and 2002, he was signed by Petty Enterprises in 2002, eventually making his Winston Cup debut at Phoenix. By 2003, Fittipaldi had made his first Daytona 500 start and completed a handful of races for Petty in the ARCA. Later in that summer, he took over driving the 43 car after John Andretti's departure, continuing with the team and driving the 44 car. Notably, Fittipaldi co-drove the winning car in the "24 Hours of Daytona" in 2004, and subsequently in 2014 and 2018.

Apart from NASCAR, Fittipaldi also showcased his skills in sports car racing, securing victories in the "24 Hours of Daytona" in 2004, 2014, and 2018, the "12 Hours of Sebring" in 2015, and the "6 Hours of Watkins Glen" in 2013, 2016, and 2017. In the IMSA SportsCar Championships with Action Express Racing, he won titles in 2014 and 2015. He also competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans multiple times, with his best finish in the GT1 class. As of now, Fittipaldi is part of the Action Express Racing team in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, driving a Chevrolet 5.5L V8 with co-drivers João Barbosa and Sébastien Bourdais.

Christian Fittipaldi, the son of Wilson Fittipaldi and the nephew of Formula 1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi, has had a storied career in multiple motorsports series worldwide. He announced his retirement from racing in 2019 after a successful stint with Action Express Racing, which started in 2011.