Emerson Fittipaldi Jr. took the leap from Eurocup-3 to F2 this season. The rookie entered his maiden F2 season hoping to impress with AIX Racing. During a virtual media conference ahead of the season, attended by Pit Debrief, Fittipaldi spoke about his progress and what he had learnt from other drivers.
Lessons from Dürksen and AIX Racing in F2
After completing simulator work with AIX Racing, as well as the pre-season testing, the Brazilian headed into the season confident. In Australia, the rookie finished outside the points. However, he still climbed his way through the pack and managed to finish P14 and P15 in the races. The Miami Feature Race saw him finish P12, which already shows progress for the young driver.
Similar to Joshua Dürksen, Fittipaldi Jr. did not race in Formula 3 before entering Formula 2. Dürksen spent two years with AIX before moving to Invicta for the 2026 Formula 2 season. When asked if it would be useful to look at Dürksen’s experience in F2 to progress his career, Fittipaldi Jr. responded:
“Well, for sure. Joshua has been helping me a lot these last couple of months and a year. You know, he he’s always been with me, supporting me. We’ve been going to the simulator together and learning a lot of I learned a lot of things from him. And he really himself as a driver progressed a lot from when he joined in ’24 with AIX Racing.
“Made this big jump from like me, similar like me from Eurocup. He really progressed a lot with the team and the team really gives you a nice help. They really want you to learn as much as they can teach you, you know, and you need to learn as much as possible.”
“And it’s quick. Joshua is an example of this, of the result of the team working with him and himself working really hard to get the results he got. I’m fortunate to have him as a past team member. So all his data and all his knowledge that he learned from AIX can pass on to me. So myself can learn step by step with his stuff.”
Fittipaldi Jr. on working together with Shields in F2
While Fittipaldi Jr. is in his maiden F2 season, his teammate, Cian Shields, has already completed one full F2 season. Shields’ first F2 season came with difficulties, as he finished 24th in the Drivers’ Standings. Still, the Brit took last year’s lessons and can only hope to improve this season. In Australia, both drivers left without points. Miami was similar, with Shields retiring from the Miami Feature Race after finishing P18 in the Sprint.
When asked what he hopes to learn from his teammate, the Brazilian reflected:“Well, definitely from from Cian, we’ve been working together these last couple of tests we had and also in the same days and, you know, just progressing with each other, helping each other. He’s helping me a lot with his knowledge from a year’s worth of experience.”
“And myself as a rookie have to learn from him and also from the past and all the data from Joshua and all his and all his learning. So I learned a lot from both. But now with Cian, we’re, you know, building our relationship as teammates more and more. And like this, we can work together for the for the future.”
Learning from his father, a two-time Formula 1 World Champion
Fittipaldi Jr. is the son of the former racing driver, Emerson Fittipaldi. The former Formula 1 World Champion still travels with his son when he can and tries to help him as much as possible.
When asked about his father giving him old school tips, and being surprised by the new technology in the feeder series, the Brazilian reflected:“Well, obviously, you know, my dad is all the time with me. He’s always travelling with me. I was going to every race with me as much as he can. He still loves being in the paddock and all this new technology for him is a bit new, bit too new. But of course, the good old tricks always work. There’s a certain base in motor racing that is still the same as it was when it first started.
“Of course, nowadays, it’s much more like a science sport with a lot more technology. And, you know, we’re looking at thousands of a second when his time they weren’t looking at thousands of a second. But it’s just, you know, the evolution of the sport is very big.
“For him, he’s quite sometimes surprised with how much it has changed from when he used to race. So he still gives me tips. He still helps me. He’s trying to learn as much as he can with this new technology.”
With the lessons learned from his father, teammates, and former team members, the youngster will hope to have a fruitful maiden F2 season.
