Emmo

[Pelican Joe]

Has any driver ever had a better second act?

I was listening to the excellent Bring Back V10s podcast this morning, and their latest episode was Nigel Mansell's 1993 IndyCar season. Emerson Fittipaldi was a big part of that season as Mansell's chief rival, and it got me thinking about how good Emmo was in IndyCar.

His rise to the top in F1 had been meteoric: starting the 1970 season as the third driver at Lotus but finishing as their capable number one following Jochen Rindt's death and John Miles's exit. Starting in 1972, he took 2 World Driving Championships in 3 years, with 2nd place in 1973 and 1975. That's one heckuva run that could have been extended in 1976 had he not left McLaren.

He then had five seasons of diminishing returns with the family team before stepping away from racing for something like four years before making his first IndyCar start in 1984. He ended up with Patrick Racing by the end of the year (partially due to Chip Ganassi's bad luck) and, in 1985, established himself as one of the better drivers in the series. It all came together in 1989 with his first Indy 500 win and a championship, and while that would be his only IndyCar championship, he was consistently great through 1994 before the drop-off began.

It's a truly compelling story. If his IndyCar career had been his only career, he would be a legend, but he also had a legendary F1 career.

[Openracer]

Absolutely. It also showed how good the CART Indycar series talent was then. He had to beat a lot of A-listers including his teammates during his Indycar years and did well, but did not dominate. Mansell, Michael, Mario, Al Sr. and Al Jr., Mears, Tracy, etc.

One would have wondered what his F1 career would have looked like had he stayed with McLaren and/or went to another top team. He raced against some greats back then as well in F1. Stewart, Mario, Lauda, Hunt, Reutemann, Scheckter, Regazzoni, Peterson, etc.

[brundle]

He's an amazing guy. From the heights of F1 to the depths...then to re-invent himself over here and do what he did was a lot of fun to watch. Couldn't wait to hear him wax poetic with "I love-a my Marlboro car" after a win. Fun times.

[Martyj]

Lauda is the only one who comes close, I suppose....but Emmo's might be better.

[Openracer]

Niki Lauda was interesting in his return with McLaren. He wasn't as on the edge quick as before, but was a whole level better in tactical strategy.

His win at Long Beach 1982 was masterful in his 3rd race back.

[Doctorindy]

https://youtu.be/wSSU3hCt9yk?si=DZcDGvf7VQppwabS&t=4085

This 1985 interview with Fittipaldi (1:08:05 mark) he seems much happier being in Indy cars versus Formula One. He said the fellow competitors were much more "honest" and there seemed to be more "respect" amongst the drivers...namely due to the high speeds on the superspeedways.

He also from time to time praised the safety attitudes of IMS and CART, including rolling starts being much safer than the standing starts.

[Pelican Joe]

Quality isn't great, but this battle between Fittipaldi and Mansell was about as good as it got: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKuY9Nb9LU0

[Pelican Joe]

Absolutely. It also showed how good the CART Indycar series talent was then. He had to beat a lot of A-listers including his teammates during his Indycar years and did well, but did not dominate. Mansell, Michael, Mario, Al Sr. and Al Jr., Mears, Tracy, etc.

One would have wondered what his F1 career would have looked like had he stayed with McLaren and/or went to another top team. He raced against some greats back then as well in F1. Stewart, Mario, Lauda, Hunt, Reutemann, Scheckter, Regazzoni, Peterson, etc.

Interesting question about F1. If he doesn't leave McLaren, James Hunt doesn't get the ride in 1976. I would assume Emmo would have battled Lauda for the title, but it's hard to say if he would have bested Niki. After that, he'd like have fallen victim to the same McLaren decline that bit Hunt, but my guess is that other doors would have been opened if he had wanted to leave McLaren.

[DaveL]

It didn't take Emmo long to figure out the ovals

I respect that he broke into CART with a low buck team that had a pink car. He didn't just buy his way on to a top team. Then he signs with Patrick and proved he still knew how to win.

Between what he did in F1 and CART/Indycar (whatever you want to call it) he has to be in the conversation as being one of the best of all time.

[Doctorindy]

One funny thing about Fittipaldi. Helio Castroneves told the story (I think it was on "Dinner with Racers") about how he used to idolize Fittipaldi when he was coming up through the ranks, him being perhaps the best-known and most successful Brazilian driver of the time. Back in the early 90s, Fittipaldi used to say how he was on this special diet, and was much into physical fitness, etc. I remember Sam Posey on ABC mentioning that more than once. Helio said that one time he was out to dinner with Emmo, and was shocked by what he was eating. 'I thought you were on a special diet'. He said Emmo responded something to the effect of.... naaa, that's just all talk. Trying to get into people's heads.

Fittipaldi was Helio's manger for a time, but I believe that ended in a rather yucky divorce when Fittipaldi failed to deliver on promised sponsorship.


Fittipaldi I believe was integral in helping Patrick Racing sign the lucrative Marlboro as a sponsor. Fittipaldi had carried Marlboro for a time in F1. In late 1985, they put together a deal to bring Marlboro back to Indy cars...they had left abruptly and angrily after 1971 when USAC refused to grant them tobacco sponsorship exclusivity on the Championship Trail. It took almost 15 years, but Marlboro was back for the 1986 season and beyond. There's no telling how many millions they poured into the sport over the next 25 years (and how many millions they missed out on from '72-'85). Emmo would have a Marlboro logo on the side of his car for the remainder of his career...whether at Patrick, Penske, or Hogan.

[dalz]

Does anyone know how in 1989 the Patrick team ended up with the current Penske chassis? Did Marlboro have something to do with it?

[JSJLW]

One funny thing about Fittipaldi. Helio Castroneves told the story (I think it was on "Dinner with Racers") about how he used to idolize Fittipaldi when he was coming up through the ranks, him being perhaps the best-known and most successful Brazilian driver of the time. Back in the early 90s, Fittipaldi used to say how he was on this special diet, and was much into physical fitness, etc. I remember Sam Posey on ABC mentioning that more than once. Helio said that one time he was out to dinner with Emmo, and was shocked by what he was eating. 'I thought you were on a special diet'. He said Emmo responded something to the effect of.... naaa, that's just all talk. Trying to get into people's heads.

Fittipaldi was Helio's manger for a time, but I believe that ended in a rather yucky divorce when Fittipaldi failed to deliver on promised sponsorship.


Fittipaldi I believe was integral in helping Patrick Racing sign the lucrative Marlboro as a sponsor. Fittipaldi had carried Marlboro for a time in F1. In late 1985, they put together a deal to bring Marlboro back to Indy cars...they had left abruptly and angrily after 1971 when USAC refused to grant them tobacco sponsorship exclusivity on the Championship Trail. It took almost 15 years, but Marlboro was back for the 1986 season and beyond. There's no telling how many millions they poured into the sport over the next 25 years (and how many millions they missed out on from '72-'85). Emmo would have a Marlboro logo on the side of his car for the remainder of his career...whether at Patrick, Penske, or Hogan.

Yeah, but Helio landed on his feet, with his Sister's Help, he actually almost signed with Walker or Rahal, who knows what would have happened to Penske if Helio signed somewhere else. Would it have been too late to resign Little Al?

[DaveL]

Yeah, but Helio landed on his feet, with his Sister's Help, he actually almost signed with Walker or Rahal, who knows what would have happened to Penske if Helio signed somewhere else. Would it have been too late to resign Little Al?

Little Al was finished by then. Penske would have been just fine. If Helio wasn't available he could have lured someone from F1, or maybe hired someone away from another CART team.

[senorsoupe]

Little Al was finished by then. Penske would have been just fine. If Helio wasn't available he could have lured someone from F1, or maybe hired someone away from another CART team.

One wonders if Bryan Herta would be the guy? Looking at who was available at the end of the 1999 CART season, after Helio, Herta was probably the best option

[DaveL]

One wonders if Bryan Herta would be the guy? Looking at who was available at the end of the 1999 CART season, after Helio, Herta was probably the best option

A perfectly valid assumption. Herta was available due to underwhelming performance at Rahal (Herta was a good, not great driver) so Penske could have used him for a one year stopgap until he found someone better.