BEYOND THE GRID: Christian Fittipaldi on racing in an F1 dynasty and the pressure of carrying his family name

Nephew of two-time Formula 1 World Champion Emerson and son of Brazilian F1 team owner Wilson, Christian Fittipaldi was destined to follow in his family’s footsteps and race in the pinnacle of motorsport.

Speaking to Tom Clarkson in his home city of Sao Paulo for the latest episode of Beyond The Grid, Christian reflects on his three seasons on the F1 grid with the Footwork and Minardi teams in the early 1990’s.

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He talks about what it was like growing up in such an iconic racing family, and the pressure he experienced carrying the Fittipaldi name, as well as how he recovered from two serious crashes at Magny Cours and Monza.

He also explains why he walked away from F1 at the end of 1994 despite having opportunities to stay in the sport.

Plus, Christian describes how Ayrton Senna’s death at Imola in 1994 affected him personally and whether he felt a weight of expectation to be the next Senna.

To listen to this week’s episode of Beyond The Grid, simply hit go on the audio player above or click here to listen via your preferred podcasting platform.

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