In the sprawling world of motorsport, few surnames carry the gravity of Fittipaldi. From the golden era of Formula 1 to the unforgiving ovals of IndyCar, the endurance trenches of Le Mans, and even NASCAR’s asphalt battlegrounds, the name has been synonymous with speed and success. Pietro Fittipaldi — grandson of two-time F1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi and nephew to racing stalwart Max Papis — has lived that legacy not as a shadow, but as a force in his own right.
His journey began, as many great ones do, in karting. But the path quickly diverged. While most drivers in karting chase Formula seats from the start, Fittipaldi embraced the raw, thunderous world of American stock car racing, cutting his teeth in the NASCAR Weekly Series at the historic Hickory Motor Speedway.
“It was amazing. Honestly, I was very young. I was 14 or 15 at the time. It was probably one of my happiest times. I had so much fun racing at Hickory. We had around 23 or 24 races a year. We were racing every Saturday night, basically. That’s why my family decided to move here [North Carolina].”
The relocation wasn’t merely symbolic — it was a complete commitment.
“So we moved to Davidson, and then after school on Fridays, we would sometimes go out and test with Lee Faulk and then race Saturday nights. The racing was just amazing. Doing 150 or 200 laps at Hickory, racing side by side, sometimes you get up to 30 car fields. It was really kind of old-school, raw type of racing. And for me, it was a very fun time.”
That “raw type of racing” shaped him. The short track grind gave way to open-wheel ambitions, and by 2018, Fittipaldi was competing in both IndyCar and the FIA World Endurance Championship in the same season. But fate intervened in brutal fashion. Just before his anticipated debut at the Indianapolis 500, a violent crash during qualifying for the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps shattered both of his legs and sidelined his dreams.
It could have ended there. For many, it would have. But not for Pietro.
After being told he wouldn’t race for at least a year, Fittipaldi didn’t just recover — he returned. Two months after the crash, against all odds, he was back behind the wheel.
In 2021, the long-delayed dream finally came full circle. Fittipaldi qualified for his first Indianapolis 500 — the same race his grandfather won twice, his name etched into the Borg-Warner Trophy forever.
“I remember my heart rate was at like 160 before I even got in the car, and I wasn’t even doing anything physically that would get my heart rate racing before qualifying, but just standing there and, like, getting ready to go. My heart rate was at the max already. Then I went out, did my four laps, and had a really good time with the Dale Coyne car. And then we qualified 13th, and there was an extremely satisfying moment. So I could just imagine winning the Indy 500 because it’s so stressful all the weeks there, so mentally taxing. Then if you win it, it’s like, it must be like the most amazing feeling in the world.”
That moment was more than redemption — it was affirmation.
Fittipaldi’s career has continued to evolve. He has been a reserve driver for the Haas F1 Team since 2019, competing in two Formula 1 races, and ran full-time in IndyCar before shifting focus back to endurance racing. Today, he’s competing in IMSA and the European Le Mans Series, where he currently sits second in the championship standings — once again proving his adaptability and hunger.
“I think what I like about it the most is the teamwork involved in it. And especially the very long races. Like, I like the 12 and 24-hour races because it almost feels like a big adventure that everybody is embarking on together. There are many different stories about that race. There’s the beginning, there’s the middle, and then there’s the end, but there are so many hours and so many things that can happen.”
In 2025, Fittipaldi is taking on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship full-time with Pratt Miller Motorsports — all with an eye toward the future: a full-time seat in a GTP or Hypercar program.
“My goal is definitely to be in a GTP, LMDH, or Hypercar program as early as possible. I was ready in 2023; I had a great season. Obviously, some of the opportunities that were there went away. The other drivers got them. So I needed to kind of rebuild again in endurance. That’s why I’m doing a full LMP2 program racing here in the States, in Europe, and doing Le Mans. So I’m basically doing a full endurance program with the goal of getting the best results possible to put myself in a strong position to get a GTP or Hypercar ride.”
The story of Pietro Fittipaldi is one of resilience, range, and relentless pursuit. He may carry a name steeped in motorsport royalty, but it’s the path he’s carved for himself, through pure hunger and determination, that proves he belongs on racing’s biggest stages.
