Emerson Fittipaldi misses out in Italian elections

Jamie Woodhouse
Emerson Fittipaldi in the paddock, wearing sunglasses. Italy, September 2022.

Two-time F1 champ Emerson Fittipaldi in the paddock, wearing sunglasses. Italy, September 2022.

Two-time World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi hit a roadblock in his political career at the Italian elections.

When a driver calls time on their Formula 1 career, thoughts must turn to what they do next once the gloves and helmet have been hung up on the series.

Going into the world of politics is an option, a route which Fittipaldi looked to follow 42 years after his last Formula 1 race when he was nominated for Italian parliamentary elections by the Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy) party, which is a conservative and right-wing populist political party established in 2012.

“I am very pleased to be able to run for the Senate,” the 14-time race winner had said. “I have already written several proposals to support Italians living in South America who still have powerful ties to their homeland.”

 

 

It appears though that Fittipaldi has been unsuccessful in his efforts.

The Italian branch of Motorsport.com report that Fittipaldi ‘had been a candidate for the Senate in the South American foreign constituency, but was not elected’.

Fittipaldi was eligible for a seat despite his Brazilian heritage as Italy reserves seats for expatriate citizens. Despite being born in Sao Paulo, Fittipaldi has an Italian passport through his grandfather Pasquale, who emigrated from Southern Italy to Brazil, and his father Wilson.

MAIE (Movimento Associativo Italiani all’Estero/Associative Movement of Italians Abroad) exponent Mario Alejandro Borghese would though win out over Fittipaldi, with Motorsport.com concluding by stating that Fittipaldi is now “leaving the political arena”.

Although his days of driving in Formula 1 are in the past, Fittipaldi still has been no stranger to casting his opinions on the sport, recently suggesting that Fernando Alonso still could become a three-time World Champion, as he prepares to move from Alpine to Aston Martin for 2023.

“Sure, he has a chance. He is the most experienced driver, he is motivated and very talented. He has shown it this year,” Fittipaldi told Spanish news agency Efe, quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

“He knows what he is doing. A driver’s decision to change teams is a personal decision that involves circumstances that we don’t know about. It’s difficult to judge from the outside.

“I don’t know how Aston Martin will be or where it will be next year, it’s a complex thing to comment on.”

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