Felipe Giaffone (Portuguese pronunciation: [fiˈlipi ʒaˈfoni]; born 22 January 1975) is a Brazilian racing driver. He competes full-time in the Copa Truck, driving the No. 4 Iveco Hi-Way for Usual Racing.

Felipe Giaffone
Giaffone in 2007
Nationality Brazil
Born (1975-01-22) 22 January 1975 (age 49)
São Paulo, Brazil
Related toNicolas Giaffone (son)
Affonso Giaffone (cousin)
Indy Racing League IndyCar Series
Years active2001–2006
TeamsMo Nunn Racing
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
A. J. Foyt Enterprises
Starts61
Wins1
Poles0
Best finish4th in 2002
Previous series
1996–2000
1995
Indy Lights
Toyota Atlantic
Championship titles
2007, 2009, 2011, 2016
2017
Fórmula Truck Champion

Copa Truck Champion
Awards
2001Indy Racing League Rookie of the Year

From 2008 to 2018, Giaffone worked as commentator on IndyCar Series broadcasts on Rede Bandeirantes. In 2019 he joined Rede Globo to continue in that role on Formula One broadcasts. In 2021 he returned to Band as the network got the rights for F1 races.[1]

He competed in the Indy Racing League between 2001 and 2006. His father, "Zeca" Giaffone is the 1987 Stock Car Brasil champion and Mil Milhas Brasil five times winner in the 1980s.

Racing career

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He went to the United States to drive in the Indy Lights series in 1999 where he was coached by Formula One legend and countryman Nelson Piquet. He began racing in the IRL in 2001 and won one race at Kentucky Speedway in 2002. In 2003 Felipe was one of the IRL's representatives in the IROC 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 to qualify a third car for him in the Indianapolis 500. With minutes to spare, Giaffone bumped Arie Luyendyk Jr. 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 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, 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

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American Open Wheel racing results

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(key)

Indy Lights

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Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Rank Points
1996 Leading Edge Motorsport MIA
14
LBH
24
NAZ
13
MIS
10
MIL
9
DET
18
POR
16
CLE
6
TOR TRO 17th 20
Brian Stewart Racing VAN
22
LS
8
1998 Conquest Racing MIA
19
LBH
24
NAZ
8
STL
4
MIL
2
DET
9
POR
2
CLE
8
TOR
6
MIS
9
TRO
6
VAN
5
LS
18
FON
2
4th 104
1999 Conquest Racing MIA
17
LBH
10
NAZ
18
MIL
4
POR
10
CLE
3
TOR
4
MIS
3
DET
4
CHI
8
LS
18
FON
20
6th 78
2000 Conquest Racing LBH
3
MIL
12
DET
2
POR
14
MIS
1
CHI
4
MDO
13
VAN
2
LS
6
STL
7
HOU
3
FON
7
4th 118

IndyCar Series

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Year Team Chassis No. Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Rank Points Ref
2001 Treadway-Hubbard Racing G-Force GF05B 21 Oldsmobile Aurora V8 PHX
6
HMS
4
ATL
10
INDY
10
TXS
2
PPI
7
RIR
11
KAN
4
NSH
8
KTY
8
STL
20
CHI
10
TX2
21
6th 304 [2]
2002 Mo Nunn Racing G-Force GF05C Chevrolet Indy V8 HMS
7
PHX
19
FON
6
NZR
2
INDY
3
TXS
5
PPI
4
RIR
3
KAN
4
NSH
7
MIS
3
KTY
1
STL
21
CHI
6
TX2
17
4th 432 [3]
2003 G-Force GF09 Toyota Indy V8 HMS
9
PHX
3
MOT
3
INDY
33
TXS
17
PPI
13
RIR
6
KAN
22
NSH
Inj
MIS
Inj
STL
Inj
KTY
Inj
NZR
Inj
CHI
15
FON
16
TX2
19
20th 199 [4]
2004 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dallara IR-04 24 Chevrolet Indy V8 HMS PHX MOT INDY
15
TXS
9
RIR
10
KAN
16
NSH
15
MIL
13
MIS
16
KTY
16
PPI
16
NZR
16
CHI
8
FON
20
TX2
11
20th 214 [5]
2005 A. J. Foyt Enterprises Panoz GF09C 48 Toyota Indy V8 HMS PHX STP MOT INDY
15
TXS RIR KAN NSH MIL MIS KTY PPIR SNM CHI WGL FON 31st 15 [6]
2006 Dallara IR-05 14 Honda HI6R V8 HMS
8
STP
9
MOT
15
INDY
21
WGL
5
TXS
16
RIR
17
KAN
19
NSH MIL MIS KTY SNM CHI 17th 142 [7]

IndyCar Series career summary

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Year Team Starts Wins Points Championship Finish
2001 Treadway Racing 13 0 304 6th
2002 Mo Nunn Racing 15 1 432 4th
2003 Mo Nunn Racing 11 0 199 20th
2004 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing 13 0 214 20th
2005 Foyt Enterprises 1 0 15 30th
2006 Foyt Enterprises 8 0 142 17th

Indianapolis 500

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Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
2001 G-Force GF05B Oldsmobile Aurora V8 33 10 Treadway Racing
2002 G-Force GF05C Chevrolet Indy V8 4 3 Mo Nunn Racing
2003 G-Force GF09 Toyota Indy V8 16 33 Mo Nunn Racing
2004 Dallara IR-04 Chevrolet Indy V8 25 15 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
2005 Panoz GF09C Toyota Indy V8 33 15 A. J. Foyt Enterprises
2006 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI6R V8 21 21 A. J. Foyt Enterprises

Fórmula Truck

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Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rank Points
2005 RAM-Scania CAR
NP
GOI
5
SAO
Ret
GUA
NP
LON
7
CAM
C
CUR
2
TAR
8
BSB
Ret
14º 25
2007 RMC-Volkswagen CAS
7
TAR
5
SAO
1
FOR
1
CAR
1
GOI
Ret
CUR
1
CAM
2
BSB
5
156
2008 RMC-Volkswagen GUA
6
GOI
4
CAR
1
FOR
Ret
SAO
7
LON
3
CAM
3
CUR
Ret
TAR
2
BSB
Ret
120
2009 RMC-Volkswagen GUA
1
FOR
4
CAR
1
GOI
Ret
SAO
Ret
LON
1
ARG
1
SCZ
4
CUR
Ret
BSB
4
169
2010 RMC-Volkswagen GUA
1
RIO
5
CAR
2
CAM
3
SAO
4
LON
3
ARG
2
VEL
Ret
CUR
2
BSB
4
176
2011 RMC-Volkswagen SCZ
1
RIO
Ret
CAR
1
GOI
19
SAO
1
LON
1
ARG
10
GUA
2
CUR
11
BSB
1
188
2012 RMC-Volkswagen VEL
2
RIO
7
CAR
Ret
GOI
Ret
SAO
8
CAS
2
ARG
1
GUA
3
CUR
3
BSB
4
154
2013 RMC-MAN SE TAR
Ret
LON
18
CAR
Ret
GOI
Ret
SAO
13
CAS
1
ARG
2
GUA
2
CUR
1
BSB
Ret
114
2014 RMC-MAN SE CAR
11
CUR
3
SAO
2
BSB
2
CAS
5
SCZ
4
ARG
2
GUA
2
LON
1
GOI
Ret
184

Family

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The Giaffone family has had great involvement in motorsport.

  • José "Zeca" Giaffone - Felipe's father; 1987 Stock Car Brasil champion and five times winner of Mil Milhas Brasil: 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.
  • Nicolas Giaffone - son of Felipe, champion of 2023 USF Juniors.
  • 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 - 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. This makes Barrichello a cousin-in-law of Felipe.

References

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  1. ^ Silva, Fernando (2021-03-02). "Band acerta retorno de Felipe Giaffone e completa equipe de transmissão da Fórmula 1 - Notícia de Fórmula 1". Grande Prêmio (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  2. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 2001 Indy Racing Northern Lights Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  3. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 2002 Indy Racing League Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  4. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 2003 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  5. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 2004 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  6. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 2005 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  7. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 2006 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
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Sporting positions
Preceded by IndyCar Series
Rookie of the Year

2001
Succeeded by
Preceded by Fórmula Truck Champion
2007
2009
2011
2016
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Series inaugural season
Copa Truck Champion
2017
Succeeded by