Racing legend Emerson Fittipaldi is in mourning. This Friday it was reported the death of his older brother and former pilot Wilsonat the age of 80 in San Pablo, after a tragic episode that happened last Christmas. The information was confirmed by the Brazilian Automobile Confederation.
“At the age of 80, Wilsinho passed away peacefully and surrounded by all the love he deserved throughout his life”the organization said on Instagram.
Wilson Fittipaldi “has combined talent, vision of the future and audacity to take the name of Brazil to a level never imagined,” he added.
The former runner had been hospitalized in a San Pablo hospital since December 25, when He suffered cardiac arrest after getting stuck on a piece of meat he had eaten during a family lunchon the occasion of Christmas and his eightieth birthday.
Wilson Fittipaldi and Carlos Reutemann during a Formula 1 race. Instagram photo Christian FittipaldiOvershadowed by the image of his younger brother, two-time Formula 1 champion (1972 and 1974), Wilson Fittipaldi raced in various categories in Brazil and Europe.
Born in Sao Paulo on December 25, 1943, he went through Formula 2 and Formula 3 before reaching an agreement with Bernie Ecclestonethen director of the Brabham Ford team, to enter F1 in 1972.
He made his debut with a third place in the non-championship Brazilian Grand Prix, in a promising debut that faded as the season wore on.
He scored no points and saw his brother Emerson become, at the age of 25, the sport’s youngest world champion, a record he held until Spaniard Fernando Alonso (24) ousted him in 2005.
In 1973 he achieved better performances, reaching fifth place on the German Nürburgring circuit.
He added three championship points which allowed him to finish the year in 16th place, his best overall position in F1.
Emerson Fittipaldi won the Formula 1 title in 1974 in a championship decided at the final date.He was absent the following season, in which Emerson won his second title, to refine the details of the first in the highest automotive competition of a personal project: the Brazilian team Copersucar, later called Fittipaldi.
Wilson was behind the wheel of a car that disappointed. He retired in 1975 and dedicated himself to managing the team, which his brother Emerson joined as a driver from 1976 to 1980.
The team never reached the podium in the Formula 1 general classification and disappeared in 1982 amid financial difficulties.
Wilson occasionally returned to the track in smaller competitions and dedicated himself to following the career of his son Christian, who progressed through F1, Cart, NASCAR and Formula 3000, among others.
Source: Clarin
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