Wilson Fittipaldi, former F1 driver, has died

Hospitalized since last Christmas due to a cardiac arrest, Wilson Fittipalidi passed away on February 23rd. The Brazilian motor racing world loses a dear one.

He had taken his first steps in F1 as a private driver for Brabham in 1972. It was a significant year for the family as it was his younger brother, Emerson’s first world championship title.

The following season, he had a full year, still with Brabham. He then scored his first points in F1 at the first Grand Prix of the season in Argentina, in January 1973, where he finished in sixth place. During the summer, he scored 2 more points at the German Grand Prix. He finished his 1973 season in sixteenth place in the driver standings.

If his career as a driver was quickly overshadowed by that of his brother, he embarked on another adventure: that of founding his own racing team. In 1975, he created Copersucar-Fittipaldi, where he drove for one season. He gave up his place behind the wheel to fully dedicate himself to the development of his team. His brother then joined him, and scored the team’s first podium in 1978… in Brazil! But the adventure was short-lived, as the team ceased to exist at the end of the 1980 season.

Wilson Fittipaldi saw his son, Christian, also racing in Formula 1 in 1993. Brazilian fans will not fail to pay tribute to the older brother of a family entirely devoted to motor racing.