Haas F1 Team reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi returns to the NTT IndyCar Series with Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing to pilot the No. 51 car on the oval events for 2021.
Fittipaldi, the grandson of two-time Formula 1 Champion and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner, Emerson Fittipaldi, will also be reuniting with Romain Grosjean, who is driving the car on the road and street courses in 2021.
Fittipaldi raced in the last two Grands Prix of the 2020 Formula 1 season, following Grosjean’s fiery crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix. Coincidentally, Fittipaldi’s number in Formula 1 also happened to be 51.
The American-born Brazilian driver drove for Dale Coyne Racing in 2018, running six races. He made his debut at the 2018 Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at the Phoenix International Raceway, but then had his season sidelined due to a crash while qualifying for the FIA World Endurance Championship‘s 2018 Total 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in early May. Fittipaldi would return at the 2018 Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio for the last five races of the season, and finish a career best ninth place at the 2018 Grand Prix of Portland.
Having missed his opportunity in 2018, Fittipaldi is very excited for his chance at the Indianapolis 500.
“It’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid to race in the Indy 500,” Fittipaldi said.
“All of Dale’s cars were competitive there last year and the last few years, and we’re looking to do the same this year.”
Team Owner Dale Coyne also stated how excited he is to help Fittipaldi achieve that dream.
“It’s unfortunate that his season was shorter than planned, so it’s great to be able to give him another chance to do some races in the NTT IndyCar Series and that he has another chance to participate in the Indy 500 and fulfill one of his childhood dreams,” Coyne said.
“We look forward to seeing him share our #51 entry alongside his former Haas F1 teammate Romain Grosjean, it gives us a strong line up for our full-time entry.”
In addition to the four races he will run for Dale Coyne Racing with RWR, Fittipaldi will continue to be the reserve driver for Haas.
Since leaving IndyCar in 2018, Fittipaldi has also spent time racing in the DTM Series and F3 Asian Championship.
Fittipaldi’s IndyCar season will begin at the Texas Motor Speedway doubleheader on 01 and 02 May, before heading to Indianapolis for the Indianapolis 500 on 30 May. His final race of the season will be at World Wide Technology Raceway on 21 August.