Pietro Fittipaldi isn’t certain if he’ll be again for one more 12 months of NTT IndyCar Sequence competitors with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, however that hasn’t stopped him from trying to find different alternatives within the IndyCar paddock to proceed his profession. And the 28-year-old isn’t the one Fittipaldi with IndyCar ambitions.
Youthful brother Enzo, a three-year veteran of the FIA Method 2 improvement collection, can be hoping to discover a house in IndyCar and proceed the bloodline that began again in 1984 with their grandfather Emerson Fittipaldi.
With 23-year-old Enzo’s upcoming take a look at with Arrow McLaren, albeit with a staff the place no vacancies exist, efforts are afoot to realize extra IndyCar mileage and hunt for a brand new house that, in an ideal world, would come with Pietro beneath the identical tent.
“I’ve positively been engaged on it with Rahal, which have their state of affairs with (dropping major sponsor) Hy-Vee after which as properly (attempting to carry onto) 5 Hour Vitality, which they’re nonetheless engaged on, means we’re ready on that to see what’s going to occur for subsequent 12 months,” Fittipaldi advised RACER.
“However my purpose, for certain, is to proceed in IndyCar. My brother’s purpose, as properly, is to race in IndyCar subsequent 12 months. So by (Arrow McLaren’s) Tony Kanaan and Zak Brown, they gave a fantastic alternative for my brother to do the take a look at at Thermal in two weeks, which could be very thrilling for Enzo. And the purpose is to have each me and him racing in IndyCar collectively. That will be the last word dream.”
The elder Fittipaldi brother made his IndyCar debut in 2018 with a six-race program with Dale Coyne Racing, returned to Coyne in 2021 for 3 extra races, and obtained his first full-time shot in 2024 with RLL, the place he positioned nineteenth within the championship, one place behind staff veteran Graham Rahal.
Whereas Pietro Fittipaldi (maim picture) is trying to proceed his profession in IndyCar, brother Enzo (above) is hoping his upcoming take a look at can function a step towards one thing extra everlasting. Simon Galloway/Motorsport Pictures
With RLL’s must bolster its finances by sponsors or well-funded drivers, the No. 30 Honda that Fittipaldi drove final season has been the topic of nice curiosity by others because it serves as one of many few seats left that may be acquired on the proper value – solely 5 of the 27 full-time entries for 2025 are doubtlessly up for grabs. Former Andretti International driver Devlin DeFrancesco is tipped to step into RLL’s third and closing seat — the one occupied by Pietro final season — which has led to Fittipaldi opening talks with different groups.
Coyne has two seats out there, Juncos Hollinger Racing has but to substantiate drivers for both of its automobiles, and having been conscious of the open market for the RLL seat, Pietro is exploring a well-recognized possibility on the grid.
“For certain we’re trying elsewhere, even for my brother as properly,” he mentioned. “I’ve raced for Dale Coyne previously. Dale is an effective buddy of ours. Enzo examined with them final 12 months, the identical day that I examined at Sebring. So there’s an individual that we’re all the time in contact with. Positively alternatives there. And I do know Dale is dedicated to creating this system way more strong for subsequent season. This 12 months, it was troublesome for him altering drivers each few races. So if it doesn’t work at Rahal, then we’re additionally speaking to Dale.”
Regardless of the frequent assumption that Fittipaldi’s grandfather Emerson, the three-time Method 1 world champion and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, makes use of his wealth to pay for Pietro and Enzo to race, the brothers have needed to hustle to help their respective profession arcs.
“It’s troublesome with all of the rides and stuff as a result of it’s funding-dependent for us,” Pietro mentioned. “It’s extraordinarily troublesome with sponsors and having to boost the finances right here for us from Brazil for the U.S., however we work actually exhausting. A part of what’s been capable of assist us safe sponsorship is we began the Fittipaldi Brothers channels, and thru that, the views we get on the digital channels is what’s actually been serving to us increase sponsorships.
“So we’ve needed to attempt to suppose exterior the field to have the ability to safe funding to have us pursue IndyCar and different racing that requires some funding, at the least, to get began initially. So it’s by no means simple, however we maintain working.”
