Pietro Fittipaldi, currently serving as a reserve driver for Haas Formula LLC in Formula One, has shown a keen interest in breaking into NASCAR under Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91 program.
Following in the footsteps of Shane van Gisbergen and Helio Castroneves, Fittipaldi believes he could create a place for himself in the series.
His enthusiasm stems from the fact that stock car racing isn’t new territory for him; it’s where his racing journey began.
At 26, Fittipaldi is competing full-time in the 2025 IMSA SportsCar Championship in the LMP2 category with Pratt Miller Motorsports, while also participating in the 2025 European Le Mans Series, running both programs side by side.
Regarding his past, despite being the grandson of two-time Formula One World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi and the older brother of driver Enzo Fittipaldi, Pietro’s roots trace back to NASCAR’s grassroots level.
He started his racing career in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series, winning the track championship at Hickory Motor Speedway in 2011.
The following year, he secured one race win and finished P5 in the standings, laying a solid foundation in stock car racing.
Reflecting on that background, Fittipaldi recently shared with Frontstretch his desire to get behind the wheel in the NASCAR Cup Series with Trackhouse.
“Of course, it would be amazing. It would be really, really cool. There was a time when I did my first Indy 500 in 2021. It was a Dale coin, but with Rick Ware Racing…” he recalled.
“And there was a small chance of me running [in the NASCAR Cup car of Rick Ware Racing], they needed a driver for like one of the road course races, and he was almost gonna put me. At the end, it didn’t happen, but I was super excited to do it.”
“Because I feel like my roots are in NASCAR racing. I learned so much from car racing through NASCAR. And I’ve always loved not only just doing it in road course, but oval racing too, I absolutely love it,” he added.
Recalling his 2011 track championship, Fittipaldi shared that he was only 14 or 15 at the time. Balancing school during the week, he would hit the track every Saturday.
That commitment led his family to relocate to Davison to support his racing ambitions. He described racing 150 to 200 laps in fields of up to 30 cars, calling it a raw and formative experience that he truly cherished.
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