Fittipaldi drew on family experience before F1 debut

Having a double world champion grandfather Formula 1, it helps when approaching your debut in the premier category. Pietro Fittipaldi, who replaces this weekend at Haas Romain Grosjean, who was involved in an accident last Sunday, confided that he had spoken with his family to obtain some valuable advice. 

The 24-year-old will on Sunday become the 4th Fittipaldi to start an F1 race after Emerson, twice titled in 1972 and 1974, his great-uncle Wilson, who drove with Brabham then his Copersucar team in the 1970s, and his uncle Christian, seen in F1 in the early 1990s with Minardi and Footwork. The family list can also extend to Max Papis (7 starts with Footwork in 1995), stepson of Emerson.

« Everyone told me to make the most of it because starting in F1 is a unique experience., confided Pietro. They also advised me to take the steps one after the other, to go step by step, then all the way through. 

I don't drive for the best team but in my eyes it's an extraordinary group of people. I have known the mechanics and engineers for 2 years and they helped me a lot. 

Kevin (Magnussen) and Romain (Grosjean) helped me a lot too. They know it's my first race and it will be difficult with all the procedures to assimilate but the team was great.

It's an amazing feeling, that's for sure. I have dreamed of racing in Formula 1 since I started in karting at the age of 4. It's quite surreal ». 

Fittipaldi has already had the opportunity to drive a car Grand Prix races with Haas in 2018 and 2019 as a test driver. The boy from Miami (Florida), however, expects to suffer physically.

« It's been a year since I drove the carhe recalled. But I did everything to stay in shape and spent time in the simulator. It's complicated to recreate the G forces you experience behind the wheel of an F1 car. The best training is still the track ». 

Fittipaldi will be the first Brazilian to start a GP since the retirement of Felipe Massa at the end of 1.