Interview
WEC
A conversation with Emerson Fittipaldi
Motorsport.com has a conversation with Emerson Fittipaldi ahead of the second FIA WEC event in Sao Paulo.
Covy Moore
Edited: Aug 29, 2013, 12:25 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
For several months Emerson Fittipaldi has been a very busy man preparing for the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo. Getting ahold of "Emmo" is not easy these days. The two time Formula One World Champion, and two time Indy 500 Champion wrapped up his racing career in 1996, but continues work in Motorsport, promoting races and being a part of his families racing activies.
We talk about the FIA WEC, Brazilian drivers in the WEC, the ALMS/Grand Am merger and his recent test in a Formula One car.
What are you expecting this year at the Sao Paulo round of FIA WEC?
"We are very very pleased. We are expecting a larger crowd than last year. We made a big change on the concept of the race, it’s going to be a festival for families.
We are going to have a cinema movie for the kids inside the racetrack, we are going to have a lot of entertainment for children and teenagers. We are going to have classes for teenagers age 14 for road safety. We have an exhibition of collector trucks and collector cars. We are going to have a race for Superbike race, Porsche cup.
My new partner on the race is a company called Playcorp. They do big events in Sao Paulo. They have over 30 years of experience putting on events. The big events they do are the New Year’s Eve party, held in one of the main streets in Sao Paulo with over 2 million people. They do big events in Sao Paulo. Our main focus is to build up the festival.
Start: #7 Toyota Racing Toyota TS030 Hybrid: Alexander Wurz, Nicolas Lapierre leads
Photo by: DPPI
We are going to sell memorabilia, hats, anything that relates to racing. That’s what we have been working to achieve. To motivate the young kids, the young teenagers to get involved in motorsport. We are going to have a very inexpensive tickets for families. Low costs to be able to come and see these cars very close. We want to popularize motor racing."
Why are Brazilian driver so competitive in the WEC?
"Bruno has all that experience in Formula One and is a very fast driver. We are very excited to have Bruno in the race. He can do well, he can win, and can win a championship. For us in Brazil, that would be great.
Fernando Ress is driving the Corvette.
The Brazilian people still don’t know the Le Mans cars. We have had grand prix for 41 years, but this is all still new to the public. It will get very popular over the next couple years."
Next generation of drivers? Pietro at Le Mans or in WEC?
"I was in England at Goodwood in June, and we were discussing the Formula One drivers, the new drivers coming into the World Endurance Championship. Its going to grow over the next five years. It’s going to open possibilities for drivers. Its so difficult to get into Formula One now, and this will give an option to drivers to go to WEC and be established endurance drivers.
Emerson Fittipaldi, with his grandson Pietro Fittipaldi
Photo by: XPB Images
There are a lot of ex-grand prix drivers driving WEC. Mark Webber has confirmed for next year, and I think these opportunities will open for young drivers in the next few years."
Do you think FIA WEC is a good platform?
"I think it’s getting very strong and that more and more manufacturers are getting involved, next year they have a new challenge in the rules of P1. It will be an unlimited engine, whatever type of fuel, but you can only use a certain amount of kilojoules of energy per lap to burn. That will be a challenge.
It can have 5 litre, you can have 1.5 litre, but you can only have one amount of kilojoules per lap to burn. Whoever designed the most efficient engine is going to be the fastest and the less pollution as well."
ALMS/GRANDAM Merger, how do you like the idea?
"I like it very much. The category is going to popularize, the cars are beautiful looking they are as sophisticated as a Formula One car."
Did your recent test in the Formula One car bring back emotions?
Emerson Fittipaldi, local promoter for the 6 Hours of Sao Paulo with Gerard Neveu, FIA WEC CEO
Photo by: DPPI
"I was very excited to test the car, excited to run a modern GP car. The car has tremendous downforce, tremendous grip, the car is very balanced, its very good to drive.
Every lap on I got quicker, in 18 laps. It’s a beautiful machine to drive. It was different left foot braking, changing 7 gears. I only used 80 per cent of the capability of the car. Every lap I was getting deeper into the braking, the car has tremendous braking power. As I got deeper and deeper the car accepts more and more. It was a fantastic feeling. It was emotional to be back in a modern grand prix car cockpit. I enjoyed every second, it was great."
With files from Endurance.Info
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Increased TV coverage for the 2013 6 Hours of Sao Paulo
Next article Rebounding Krohn Racing team sets sights on podium at Sao Paulo
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Covy Moore
Track limits at Austin: where is the line?
IMSA
IMSA
Austin
Track limits at Austin: where is the line?
Guy Martin still wants to race after huge shunt at Ulster
Other bike
Other bike
Ulster GP
Guy Martin still wants to race after huge shunt at Ulster
Beyond the limit: Experiencing the Ulster Grand Prix
Other bike
Other bike
Ulster GP
Beyond the limit: Experiencing the Ulster Grand Prix
More from
Emerson Fittipaldi
Team Penske and Chevrolet announce multi-year extension of IndyCar partnership
IndyCar
IndyCar
Team Penske and Chevrolet announce multi-year extension of IndyCar partnership
Emerson Fittipaldi on Jochen Rindt’s death and how he became Team Lotus’ F1 leader
Formula 1
Formula 1
Emerson Fittipaldi on Jochen Rindt’s death and how he became Team Lotus’ F1 leader
More from
Toyota Racing
Toyota answers critics who doubted it could win in WEC’s competitive Hypercar era
WEC
WEC
Barcelona
Toyota answers critics who doubted it could win in WEC’s competitive Hypercar era
Latest news
MotoGP can’t simply copy F1’s Drive to Survive success – Chase Carey
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
34 min
MotoGP can’t simply copy F1’s Drive to Survive success – Chase Carey
Marc Marquez's mind games with Jorge Martin: "If you're fast, you don't need team orders"
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Australian GP
1 h
Marc Marquez's mind games with Jorge Martin: "If you're fast, you don't need team orders"
Red Bull called Christian Horner to thank him for F1 engine project after maiden win
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
Red Bull called Christian Horner to thank him for F1 engine project after maiden win
Jon Armstrong announces WRC co-driver split for 2027
WRC
WRC WRC 1 h
Jon Armstrong announces WRC co-driver split for 2027
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe