Brothers Pietro and Enzo Fittipaldi shared the observe for the very first time throttling Indy automobiles across the 1.7-mile brief course at Sebring Worldwide Raceway.
Pietro, 27, who will drive Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s #30 Honda for the 2024 season within the IndyCar Collection, managed to push out over 115 laps. Though he hadn’t pushed an Indy automobile for the reason that 2021 Indianapolis 500, it wasn’t a troublesome adjustment.
“The steering may be very heavy and that is one thing that at all times shocks you initially, however then you definately get used to it,” Pietro instructed Motorsport.com “The automobiles are only a beast to drive.
“You bought to love to hustle the automobile with the pedals, with the wheel. It is the kind of driving I get pleasure from, to be sincere. And my brother does, too.”
All through the day, although, he couldn’t assist however look over and see his youthful brother Enzo on the timing standing for Dale Coyne Racing, the identical crew he made his IndyCar debut with in 2018.
“I noticed him over there,” Pietro stated. “He likes placing the automobile sideways. He did a tremendous job with Dale Coyne.
“I am simply tremendous comfortable. It was the primary time we shared a observe along with the identical automobile and every part. We have by no means finished that in our lives, not even karting. That is why it was a brilliant big day for each me and him. …
“It is a type of issues, you by no means know when it’s going to occur once more; to be on the observe along with your brother on the similar time, the identical automobile and every part. It was a really special day for each Fittipaldi brothers to be on observe collectively and pushing one another to the restrict.
“Clearly, I am at all times talking to him after the runs and stuff and it is like, ‘Oh, how’s it going? How’s the automobile feeling?’ With out giving me an excessive amount of data or me giving him an excessive amount of data as a result of it is two completely different groups.
“However you understand, you at all times attempt to get a little bit bit out of your brother and him pushing the boundaries on observe and me as nicely. I might say we carried out very nicely and really, very equally after we had been on observe with comparable run plans and stuff.”
Enzo, 22, pounded the pavement for over 100 laps in an outing that additionally marked the primary time he ever pushed an Indy automobile.
The check got here within the midst of a good season in System 2, the place he has one win and 4 podiums whereas sitting seventh within the championship with one spherical remaining in Abu Dhabi.
“Yeah, it was an excellent,” Enzo instructed Motorsport.com. “I began the day with simply feeling how the automobile is, however I believe I obtained in control in a short time. It was a good time driving the #18 automobile for Dale Coyne Racing.
“We had a really busy day, a whole lot of runs. We did many lengthy runs. We had 5 units of tires to make use of. It was my first day in an Indy automobile, and I can say it was successful and I had a extremely good time. The velocity was there instantly. So yeah, I used to be very comfortable about that.”
One of many extra distinctive variations Enzo discovered was how the Indy automobiles Firestone tires behaved in comparison with the Pirellis on his F2 challenger.
“The best way you construct the tire power, the warmup procedures are fully completely different,” Enzo stated.
“With IndyCar, it is simply flat-out proper out of the field actually. No guidelines in any way. In System 2, you may simply injury a tire as quickly as you over slip You must be tremendous delicate within the warmup and principally solely heat up the tires with the brakes in System 2. In IndyCar, it is the alternative. I imply, you do every part in IndyCar that you simply’re not speculated to do in System 2 by way of a tire process and every part.
“By way of power-wise, I really feel prefer it’s fairly just like the System 2 automobile. I really feel just like the IndyCar is barely extra highly effective on throttle, however then as quickly as you are going via fourth, fifth, sixth, I really feel just like the F2 automobile possibly pulls a little bit bit extra due to the DRS.
“Automotive feeling-wise, I simply really feel just like the type may be very completely different to an F2 automobile. , throughout the automobile you may slide rather a lot and extract the lap time, actually extract it out of the tires, despite the fact that sliding round appears like a really messy lap, however nonetheless, it is good. In F2, you may’t actually slide an excessive amount of. As quickly as you slide with the rears, it is not nice. So yeah, very completely different strategy, very completely different kinds.”
Photograph by: Pietro Fittipaldi
Pietro Fittipaldi, Enzo Fittipaldi
Contemplating all of Pietro’s 9 begins in North America’s premier open-wheel championship thus far occurred for Dale Coyne, Enzo shared how the crew proprietor in contrast the 2.
“He stated I am a bit extra aggressive and wilder in comparison with my brother,” stated Enzo, the 2018 Italian F4 champion. “My brother’s a bit smoother; these had been Dale’s phrases.”
The grandsons of two-time System champion, double Indy 500 winner and 1989 IndyCar champion Emerson Fittipaldi, additionally exchanged some on-track cohesion.
“It was cool really driving on the observe and passing my brother as he is on cooldown lap and giving him a wave,” Enzo stated.
“We had a good time. I did possibly flip him off a pair instances, however that is all a part of it now. We’ve an excellent relationship and simply very comfortable to have been capable of expertise at the present time with him.”
After all, that additionally had Pietro, additionally the check and reserve driver for Haas F1 Staff, longing for a correct one-on-one contest.
“I used to be nearly like tempted to inform the crew like, ‘Pay attention, let’s do some race stints collectively and simply put each automobiles out on the similar time,” stated Pietro, who has a career-best IndyCar end of ninth (Portland, 2018).
“Clearly that does not make sense for our run plans and stuff, in order that wasn’t attainable to do. However in my head, I believe that might’ve been cool to race him. Simply to see our completely different kinds of driving as nicely. The best way he will get lap trip of the automobile may be very completely different than the best way I get lap trip of the automobile. So, to lastly be capable to really see it in actual life and in the identical automobile was one thing tremendous attention-grabbing.”
Pietro pushed the thought even additional, too.
“I used to be simply imagining if we’re really racing collectively at some point in the identical collection and I am competing in opposition to him and picture if it is completely different groups,” stated Pietro, the 2017 System V8 3.5 champion.
“We have at all times been tremendous shut, each me and him, so it is bizarre if we might be racing for various groups as a result of at a sure level you may’t give an excessive amount of data, however I do not understand how it might be with him.”
At one level after lunch, the 2 discovered themselves on observe and buying and selling fast laps, with each pushing within the 52.3s vary. Whereas the last word fast lap by day’s finish wasn’t shared, Enzo provided up that he ran 0.03s sooner throughout that early afternoon run, serving up a lap at 52.32s to his older brother’s 52.35s.
“Yeah, so it was very, very aggressive,” Enzo stated. “We had been tremendous shut. We’re very aggressive with one another.”
Though it was pure coincidence the check delivered a uncommon alternative for the brothers, it’s one thing that will probably be without end treasured.
“There was no different crew there, it was simply me and my brother,” Enzo stated.
“It is going to be a day I’ll bear in mind for the remainder of my life.”
