Felipe Giaffone (, born 22 January 1975) is a Brazilian racing driver. He competes full-time in the

Copa Truck The Copa Truck is a Brazilian auto racing series, composed of trucks prepared for race. The category replaces the Fórmula Truck series in 2017. History The origin of the category came after nine teams left Formula Truck because of disagreement ...

, driving the No. 4 Iveco Hi-Way for Usual Racing. He also works as a commentator for

Rede Bandeirantes Rede Bandeirantes (, ''Bandeirantes Network''), or simply known as Band (), is a Brazilian free-to-air television network. It began broadcasting on May 13, 1967 on VHF channel 13 in São Paulo. Its founder was businessman João Saad with t ...

and

BandSports BandSports is a Brazilian cable television network that has its programming based on all sports, launched in 2002 by Grupo Bandeirantes de Comunicação. Sports Programming Athletics * Diamond League * European Athletics Championship Bask ...

. He competed in the

Indy Racing League The IndyCar Series, currently known as the NTT IndyCar Series under sponsorship, is the highest class of regional North American open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars in the United States, which has been conducted under the auspices of ...

between 2001 and 2006. His father, "Zeca" Giaffone is the 1987

Stock Car Brasil Stock Car Pro Series, formerly known as Stock Car Brasil, is a touring car auto racing series based in Brazil organized by Vicar. It is considered the major Brazilian and South American motorsports series. Starting in 1979 with Chevrolet as the ...

champion and

Mil Milhas Brasil The Mil Milhas Brasil (also known as the Mil Milhas Brasileiras or 1000 Miles of Brazil in Portuguese) is a sports car endurance race held annually in Brazil since 1956. The Mil Milhas has been held nearly every year since its inception and is ...

five times winner in the 1980s.

Racing career

He went to the United States to drive in the

Indy Lights Indy NXT, previously Indy Lights, is an American developmental automobile racing series sanctioned by IndyCar, currently known as Firestone Indy NXT Series for sponsorship reasons. Indy Lights is the highest step on the Road to Indy, a program ...

series in 1999 where he was coached by

Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...

legend and countryman

Nelson Piquet Nelson Piquet Souto Maior (, born 17 August 1952) is a Brazilian retired racing driver and businessman. Since his retirement, Piquet, a three-time World Champion, has been ranked among the greatest Formula One (F1) drivers in various motorspo ...

. He began racing in the IRL in 2001 and won one race at

Kentucky Speedway Kentucky Speedway is a tri-oval speedway in Sparta, Kentucky, which has hosted ARCA, NASCAR and Indy Racing League racing annually since it opened in 2000. The track is currently owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc. Before 2008 J ...

in 2002. In 2003 Felipe was one of the IRL's representatives in the

IROC International Race of Champions (IROC) was a North American auto racing competition, created by Les Richter, Roger Penske and Mike Phelps, promoted as an equivalent of an American motorsports All-Star Game. Despite its name, the IROC was primar ...

series, but he only competed in two races due to injury and finished 10th in series standings. In 2005 Felipe made a last minute deal with

A. J. Foyt Anthony Joseph Foyt Jr. (born January 16, 1935) is an American retired auto racing driver who has raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes United States Automobile Club Champ cars, sprint cars, and midget cars. H ...

to qualify a third car for him in the

Indianapolis 500 The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...

. With minutes to spare, Giaffone bumped

Arie Luyendyk Jr. Arie Luyendyk Jr. (; ; born September 18, 1981) is a Dutch-American auto racing driver, television personality, and son of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk. He has competed mostly in North America where his father lives and made ...

from the field. Starting in the final 33rd starting position, he avoided attrition and finished 15th. With A. J.'s grandson A. J. Foyt IV leaving the IRL for

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...

in 2006, A. J. the elder chose Giaffone to be his full-time driver for the 2006 season but he was released after eight races due to what Foyt called "communication problems". Since 2007, Giaffone has raced in the

Fórmula Truck Fórmula Truck is a Brazilian Truck racing series. It ran from 1996 to 2017, when it folded and was reorganized into the Copa Truck. However, the series returned to its original name and format in 2021. History The idea for the racing series ...

, the Brazilian racing truck series. He won the championship four times in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2016, and was runner-up in 2010, 2012 and 2014.

Racing record

American Open Wheel racing results

(

key Key or The Key may refer to: Common meanings * Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm * Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock * Key (map ...

)

Indy Lights

IndyCar Series

IndyCar Series career summary

Indianapolis 500

Fórmula Truck

Family

The Giaffone family has had great involvement in motorsport. * José "Zeca" Giaffone - Felipe's father; 1987

champion and five times winner of

: 1981, 1984, 1986, 1988 and 1989. The founder of JL Racing, the biggest racing engine supplier in Brazil and Stock Car Brasil chassis supplier, and the owner of Granja Viana international kart circuit in Cotia, near São Paulo city. * José "Zequinha" Giaffone - Felipe's brother; He competed in some races in the 1996 Indy Lights. * Affonso Giaffone Júnior - Felipe's uncle, Zeca's elder brother; The winner of the first ever race of Stock Car Brasil in 1979, the champion of the 1981 season and two times winner of Mil Milhas Brasil: 1981 and 1986. His four sons all competed in the Brazilian national kart championships. *

Affonso Giaffone Affonso Giaffone Neto (born April 6, 1968 in Santos, São Paulo, Brazil) is a Brazilian former racing driver. He is one of several racing drivers in his family; he is a cousin of Felipe Giaffone, and a cousin-in-law of Rubens Barrichello. His fath ...

- Felipe's cousin, Affonso Junior's son; He competed in the 1996-1997 Indy Racing League season. * Silvana Giaffone - Felipe's cousin and later Ex wife of

Rubens Barrichello Rubens "Rubinho" Gonçalves Barrichello (, ; born 23 May 1972) is a Brazilian professional racing driver who competed in Formula One between and . He currently competes full-time in the Brazilian Stock Car Pro Series, driving the No. 111 Toy ...

. This makes Barrichello a cousin-in-law of Felipe.

References

External links

History of the kart circuit
- fro
Granja Viana kart circuit official website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Giaffone, Felipe 1975 births Living people Brazilian people of Italian descent Racing drivers from São Paulo Brazilian racing drivers IndyCar Series drivers Brazilian IndyCar Series drivers Indianapolis 500 drivers Indy Lights drivers Atlantic Championship drivers International Race of Champions drivers TC 2000 Championship drivers 24 Hours of Daytona drivers Rolex Sports Car Series drivers Stock Car Brasil drivers Mo Nunn Racing drivers A. J. Foyt Enterprises drivers Dreyer & Reinbold Racing drivers Conquest Racing drivers