Team story
Origins
Wilson Fittipaldi brought a Brazilian team backed by Copersucar into the 1975 championship. The FD01 debuted in Argentina and was followed by the FD02 and FD03. In 1976 Emerson left McLaren to join his brother's project as a driver: a world champion was giving up a winning car to race for the family organisation.
The Formula 1 journey
The best result came in Brazil in 1978, when Emerson was second at Jacarepaguá. In 1980 the team absorbed Wolf's equipment and also fielded Keke Rosberg. Rosberg's podium in Argentina and Emerson's at Long Beach completed the constructor's three podiums.
Chico Serra raced in its final years, without the programme managing to win a Grand Prix.
Historical timeline
Three chapters in the story of Fittipaldi
Three episodes to revisit the people, cars and races that shaped this journey.
First appearance · Argentine Grand Prix
Wilson Fittipaldi · Argentine Grand Prix 1975. The recorded outcome is DNF. This is the first recorded race start, or the first entry if the team never started a race.
Sporting landmark · Brazilian Grand Prix
Emerson Fittipaldi · Brazilian Grand Prix 1978. The recorded position is P2; this number alone does not show whether the driver completed the race distance. This marks the first win or podium where one exists, otherwise the highest recorded placing for this constructor.
Latest recorded appearance · Italian Grand Prix
Chico Serra · Italian Grand Prix 1982. The recorded position is P11; this number alone does not show whether the driver completed the race distance. This is the last race start attributed to this constructor in the archive, not necessarily the end of the organisation behind it.
A distinctive way of racing
The project changed considerably from the first FDs built for Wilson. The Wolf WR7, WR8 and WR9 were updated and renamed F7 before the new F8 arrived. Expertise from the previous team also came across, including Harvey Postlethwaite.
The Copersucar name represented the major Brazilian commercial backing, while Fittipaldi remained the constructor's identity through the different phases.
What remains
Emerson stopped driving in Formula 1 at the end of 1980; the team continued until 1982. Rosberg then moved to Williams and became champion, but that title does not belong to Fittipaldi. The story preserves above all the brothers' Brazilian effort, the home podium and a reorganisation using Wolf equipment that was not enough to make it financially sustainable.
