Fittipaldi hails the Russell-Verstappen rivalry, highlighting its role in revealing driver personalities and adding excitement to Formula 1.
Emerson Fittipaldi believes that the war of words brewing between George Russell and Max Verstappen is a good thing for Formula 1. The 1972 and 1974 world champion sees it as a way to showcase the drivers’ personalities.
“I really like it because it shows the personality of each athlete,” said Fittipaldi. “No matter the sport, the public wants to see your personality. It’s great to witness that.”
“I enjoy it, and I think there should be fewer PR people around the drivers and more raw racing. When the lights go out, the nonsense stops. That’s it. That’s what we need in motorsport.”
Fittipaldi is pleased to see a Brazilian driver returning to Formula 1, with Gabriel Bortoleto set to join Sauber in 2025 and Audi the following year.
“In recent years, there has only been one Latin American driver, Checo Pérez, and we’ve been very disappointed in Latin America. But I tell all the European drivers to watch out because young Brazilians are coming and taking good spots. We need to reclaim our place.”
As the Brazilian heads to Audi, Fittipaldi is confident about the German team’s prospects: “They know how to race. With Germany’s history—Auto Union before the war, and now Audi—Audi’s return to Formula 1 will be incredible. They are going to be very strong.”
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Fittipaldi Praises Russell-Verstappen Feud as Positive for F1 Fittipaldi Praises Russell-Verstappen Feud as Positive for F1
