Fittipaldi: Reserve driver must always be in shape

Pietro Fittipaldi, reserve driver for Haas F1 Team, answered several questions from fans (not just fans, as it turned out), and he has something to say, as the grandson of the legendary Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi already has quite a bit of experience in several racing series.

Question: Of the numbers you were allowed to speak on, which number do you find most difficult?

Pietro Fittipaldi: The toughest track I’ve ever raced is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the oval track. You’re driving at an average speed of about 230 miles per hour – I can’t even imagine how much it will be in mph (over 230 mph), slamming into the bumpers, while there are 33 cars on the track at the same time, and all the drivers are trying to win the Indy 500.

It is a very difficult race, you are under enormous pressure and the adrenaline is pumping like crazy.

Question: Do you like the job of the backup pilot? What tasks do you do during race weekends?

Pietro Fittipaldi: I’ll start by saying that working in a Formula 1 team is awesome in itself. If you think about it, there are only 20 riders at the start, but there are probably 8 or 9 backup pilots, so it’s a very small group of riders compared to any other sport.

That is why I am honored to have been associated with Haas F1 for so many years (since 2018). The reserve pilot’s main job is that I have to be ready to drive at all times, because it is not known when your services will be needed, at what stage of the season, if anything happens.

That’s why you should always be in shape. And when I’m not working on the track, I help the team analyze telemetry, recordings from onboard video cameras and try to give the main team riders as much useful information as possible.

Q: How much bench press weight do you lift during the workout?

Pietro Fittipaldi: (laughs) Oh, I even know who is asking this question! It’s Nico Hulkenberg! In the bench press, I lift 30 kg in each hand, for a total of 60 kg. I do 10-12 reps, but you, Niko, laugh at me! He claims that my shoulder girdle muscles are pumped up because I train them alone. It’s not true! I also do other exercises!

It’s just that Niko accidentally walked into the gym when I was working on the muscles of the shoulder girdle that day, so he decided!

Question: How big is the difference in driving style in endurance races and in Formula 1?

Pietro Fittipaldi: The difference is really big! It is clear that the Formula 1 car generates huge downforce, it has a very powerful power plant, you have to slow down very late and attack fast corners confidently.

Everyone also knows that qualifying in Formula 1 is very important and you have to drive very aggressively. In endurance racing you have to work differently behind the wheel. There, aggressiveness should only be shown if it is really important. At the same time, especially in 24-hour races, the WEC must be patient and wait for the right moment to attack.

In these races you are constantly running in traffic, as there can be up to 60 cars of different classes on the track – from sports prototypes to GTs, so you have to make six to ten overtakes in one lap. In general, this is a very different kind of racing, where qualifying is not so important, but the most important thing is to be able to keep the right race pace and to be able to handle the traffic.

In fact, Formula 1 is a sprint, and what endurance races are is evident from their name.

Q: Do you have hobbies that you spend your free time on?

Pietro Fittipaldi: In my spare time I like to play computer games, actively use the streaming platforms Twitch and Kick, and also play basketball. I also like to watch TV shows on Netflix – in short, I have the most common hobbies.

Q: Which of the racers did you want to be equal to in your youth?

Pietro Fittipaldi: I’ve watched a lot of racers, but first of all I took a good look at Max Papis and Christian Fittipaldi – they’re my own uncles. When I was young, I often went to the races they competed in, both the 24 Hour Marathon and the Indy 500, and seeing them made me want to be a racer too.