What’s in a Name?

Fittipaldi brothers use impressive racing lineage to fuel budding careers of their own

Lake Norman Currents | February 2019

By Aaron Garcia

Although they're just 22 and 17, respectively, Pietro and Enzo Fittipaldi have been asked the question often enough to know it's coming: Does having the last name Fittipaldi bring any extra pressure?

For the brothers, it just goes along with being part of one of the world's famed racing families, sort of like a cramped cockpit or, as both brothers learned in 2018, the reality that dreams and goals can abruptly slam into a wall at 200 mph.

"A lot of people ask me if it brings pressure, my name," says Pietro. "It doesn't. It's a bigger help than anything else."

In the blood

The brothers' great-grandfather, Wilson, was a Brazilian racing journalist and founder of the endurance race, Mil Milhas Brasil. His sons, Emerson and Wilson Jr., each had successful careers, with the former being a two-time Formula 1 world champ, including the youngest-ever at age 25. Wilson Jr.'s son, Christian, has made appearances in Formula 1 and NASCAR.

So it was natural, says Pietro and Enzo's father, Gugu De Cruz, that his oldest son wanted to give go-kart racing a shot "when he was four or five" and quickly showed promise.

"It was something fun over the weekends," says De Cruz. "All of a sudden he started racing around the world."

The family moved to Davidson in 2011 after Pietro, just 16, earned a spot in the NASCAR Whelen Series LTD Late Models, one of the sub-series that serves as a stepping stone for eventual NASCAR drivers. After successful campaigns in 2011 and 2012, he moved to open-wheel racing in 2013 with the goal of earning a spot in Formula 1, the same series that made his grandfather famous.

Enzo had a similar successful start in go-karts. In 2016, at the age of 14, he graduated up to car racing and was one of five drivers invited to join the Ferrari Driving Academy. In 2018, Enzo broke through as a name to watch; in 41 Formula 4 races split between the Italian and German series, he won eight times, stood on 21 podiums (top-three finishes), finished third in the German series and won his first title, the Italian Formula 4 championship.

Back then, explains Enzo, being Pietro's brother was as motivating as being Emerson's grandson.

"I'd always go watch my brother race in the grandstands," says Enzo. "I really felt a need to go and drive fast, and I really wanted to get that adrenaline and do the same thing my brother was doing."

Building their own names

The year 2018 was supposed to be as pivotal for Pietro as it was for Enzo — he had committed to racing in three major series: Super Formula, the World Endurance Championships and IndyCar, including the Indianapolis 500. In May, however, during a World Endurance Race in Belgium, his car lost power steering and he slammed into the wall.

Pietro broke both legs in the crash, and for two months his career stalled as he worked to get back on his feet. Although Pietro was able to climb back into a car and race by July, many of his opportunities had dried up, as all three series continued without him. He placed in the top-10 in four of his final six races, which earned him a spot as a tester for the Haas F1 team in 2019, where he'll also be the third driver.

"It was a roller coaster year, but it ended on a high," says Pietro. "Now I'm just focused on my new challenges."

Restarting their engines

For Enzo, having the Fittipaldi last name now carries greater meaning after watching his brother work his way back from such a gruesome accident.

"That really motivated me," says Enzo, who also broke his hand while racing in 2018. "That was like a boost for me. I think a lot of people would think that was a down time for me, but I was impressed by the amount of work he was putting in to come back as fast as possible."

As the two work to take the next step in their careers — Enzo looking to build on a promising start and Pietro aiming to reclaim the momentum that he began 2018 with — they'll be able to do so together; the two currently are sharing an apartment in Maranello, Italy, where both of their employers are located.

And, as it always has, sharing the name Fittipaldi is only going to help, says Pietro.

"He pushes me, and I push him. It's a family effort," explains Pietro. "I'll do as much as I can to help him, and I'm sure he'll do the same for me."