"He's going to be an F1 driver" - IndyCar legend Emerson Fittipaldi expresses hope for son's racing career

Two-time F1 World Champion and IndyCar champion Emerson Fittipaldi recently came out and shared his expectations of his son Emerson Fittipaldi Jr. becoming a future F1 driver. Fittipaldi Jr. uploaded a reel on his Instagram where Luuk Ornstein asked him and the former IndyCar champion questions about racing.

Fittipaldi and his son got the opportunity to race each other in the Tabac Classic GP Assen with Lee van Dam organizing the event. Fittipaldi Jr. drove his Eurocup 3 MP Motorsport car whereas his father drove the championship-winning Lotus.

Emerson Fittipaldi said:

“I had a great time in Assen with my iconic Lotus car, driving with my son on the racetrack together. What a special day.”

Ornstein asked whether racing his son was Fittipaldi Sr.’s proudest achievement. He replied:

“Out of my silly boys, he’s the only one who likes racing. He's going to be a Formula 1 driver.”

Fittipaldi Jr. is only 17-years-old and races in the Eurocup 3 series and FRECA with MP Motorsports. The Brazilian started his racing career in 2021 in the Danish F4 series. Within a couple of years, he made the move to FRECA. Fittipaldi took part in the F3 post-season test in 2022.

The son of the racing legend is still in his early years of racing. There is a long way to go before Fittipaldi Jr. becomes an F1 driver. However, he has a great mentor in the form of his father.

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“I'm still in the making”: Emerson Fittipaldi Jr. chooses the better driver between himself and his father

Formula 3 Testing in Jerez - Day 1 - Source: Getty

Emerson Fittipaldi is a two-time F1 champion, and former IndyCar champion, and won the Indy 500 twice. The Brazilian also clinched 14 wins in F1 and 35 podiums. And this is just the tip of the iceberg of the 77-year-old’s racing records. The 17-year-old understands this and humbly accepts that his father is a far greater driver than he currently is.

Ornstein asked Fittipaldi Jr. to choose the better racer between himself and his father.

The Brazilian replied, “I’m still in the making. So hopefully one day, we can compare with each other. But for sure it's him. He's the legend.”

When asked about the best advice he's received from his father, Fittipaldi Jr. replied:

“Being dedicated. It's a difficult sport. And just do your best, give your best. Be humble. He's sometimes my father, sometimes my racing coach and other times we're just driving together. It's just beautiful.”

Fittipaldi Jr. was part of the Sauber Academy in 2020 and was among the finalists to join the Ferrari Academy in 2022.