Fittipaldi Brothers Relishing “Very Special” Rolex 24 Tie-Up

Pietro and Enzo Fittipaldi described the opportunity to team up together at Pratt Miller Motorsports for the Rolex 24 at Daytona as “very special” in writing a new chapter in the family’s illustrious history at the Florida endurance classic.

The brothers are sharing the No. 73 Pratt Miller Oreca 07 Gibson with Chris Cumming and Manuel Espirito Santo for the event, marking the first time they have competed aboard the same car.

The younger of the two Fittipaldi brothers makes his IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship debut, while Pietro is set for his fourth Rolex 24 a part of a career that also includes stints in the FIA World Endurance Championship and NTT IndyCar Series.

Pietro told Sportscar365 that both he and FIA Bronze-rated driver Cumming encouraged Pratt Miller to select Enzo to join the team off the back of his rookie season in the European Le Mans Series.

“I did one season with Pratt Miller last year, and they needed a fourth driver for Daytona,” he said. “My brother did his first season of ELMS last season with CLX [Motorsport], and they were doing really well together with Manuel.

“They were teammates last year and I shared the results of Enzo and how he’d been doing and he’d been doing very well in endurance racing if you look at the stats.

“He was a strong candidate and also with the synergy of having being my brother but also having raced together with Manuel, it would have been the perfect fit to bring that fourth driver in.”

“Everybody knows Enzo performs very well. He’s very fast and to have that synergy in the team I think is very important in a 24-hour race.”

Enzo, meanwhile, is set to potentially follow in the footsteps of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and grandfather Emerson, pivoting to a U.S. program in Indy NXT.

Ahead of that, he is relishing the opportunity to share a car with his older brother at Daytona.

“To be teammates with my brother for such an amazing race is very special,” he said. “It’s going to be my first time doing a 24-hour race and to be doing it here at Daytona is very cool because I grew up watching my uncles race here.

“It’s a track that I’ve always wanted to compete at and wanted to race and to have this opportunity to have the chance to fight for that Rolex is going to be amazing.

“To be doing it together with my brother, Manuel and Chris is also a great opportunity. They’re all very fast drivers and I think we have a strong lineup and I think we are a very strong candidate to win the race.”

The Fittipaldi family has an illustrious history at the Rolex 24, with multiple members of the family securing overall victories.

Christian Fittipaldi is a three-time winner, most recently taking victory in 2018, while Max Papis, uncle to both Pietro and Enzo, won in a Doran Lista Racing Dallara SP1 Judd in 2002.

“It’s a big privilege to be a part of a family that understands so much about racing,” said Pietro.

“Anytime we have any questions or doubts, we know who to call. My uncle Max Papis also was a winner here in Daytona and I grew up watching him race.

“I’d stay in the motorhome with him and my aunt Tatiana that’s what gave me the passion really for motorsport, watching the Daytona 24 Hours.

“So for me, I think it’s a big privilege because I understand the mentality you need to have to win 24-hour races.

“I grew up with that watching both him and Christian do it many times so I think for me it’s a it bonus, a big plus I would say.”