Enzo Fittipaldi is set to return to Charouz Racing System for the 2022 FIA Formula 2 season, the team announced today.
The Brazilian made the unexpected switch into Charouz’s F2 seat last season, from the Formula 3 Championship, replacing David Beckmann at Monza. The 20 year old hit the ground running after the surprise call-up, narrowly missing out on a top 10 spot in Monza’s Feature Race.
With a string of respectable results, his best being a seventh place in the second sprint race in Jeddah, Enzo’s season came to an abrupt halt that very weekend.
Théo Pourchaire stalled on the grid at the start of Sunday’s Feature Race, and an unsighted Fittipaldi hit the Frenchman’s ART car from behind, in a horrifying smash. Both drivers were extricated and thankfully sustained treatable injuries, though Fittipaldi was hospitalised after sustaining a right heal fracture, and a facial injury from the incident.
Despite the premature ending, Fittipaldi finished his debut Formula 2 season above nine championship contenders, in 20th place.
The promising talent has spent the off-season rehabilitating, working hard to re-establish a place within the Formula 2 Charouz team:
“The team and I are delighted to be able to work again with Enzo for this coming season. Last year, he proved that he deserved the chance to step up from Formula 3 to Formula 2, despite the bad luck that hit him at Jeddah. Now that he’s back in shape I’m sure this will only motivate him further to show what he’s capable of. Starting the season in an environment with which he is already familiar is certainly an advantage for both the team and the driver, and we will try in every way to take advantage of this condition to find the speed and be in the top 10 right away“ – Antonín Charouz.
A popular character in every paddock he’s frequented, the grandson of Formula 1 legend, Emerson Fittipaldi, is sure to be a favoured choice among feeder series fans.
In 2018, the young Brazilian won the Italian Formula 4 Championship with the PREMA team, and came second in the 2019 Formula Regional European Championship. He earned himself a P2 in the Hungarian Formula 3 Sprint Race 2 last season, thus being a natural selection when Beckmann’s seat became available.
Fittipaldi stated:
“For me, it’s a pleasure and an honor to be able to continue my adventure in Formula 2 with Charouz Racing System. Last season they gave me the opportunity to debut in this category after a good first part of the season in Formula 3 and this will allow me and the team to work immediately on the performance as from the first test sessions. It will be a long and demanding championship and the level of competitiveness has never been as high as this year, so it’s a great advantage not to have to spend the first testing days to get familiar with the car. We definitely aim to be a regular presence in the top 10 positions and we’ll certainly try to seize every opportunity to get some podium finishes and maybe some wins”.
Enzo will line up alongside eSports sensation, Cem Bölükbasi, in a bid to help Charouz finish this season around the mid-table of the Teams’ Championship.
Image Credit: Formula Motorsport Limited
