F1 vs. IndyCar: Having Won Both Championships, Emerson Fittipaldi Picks One Over the Other

F1 and IndyCar are two extremely prestigious Championships in motorsports, and Emerson Fittipaldi is one of the few drivers to have won both titles. While comparing the two would be difficult because of the differences in their cars and format, Fittipaldi has a preference.

Fittipaldi, who won the F1 World Championship with Lotus (1972) and McLaren (1974), left F1 at the end of the 1980 season. After a four-year hiatus, he joined Indy – known as CART Championship back then – and won the 1989 Title with Penske-Chevrolet by a margin of 10 points over Rick Mears.

On the most recent episode of The MotorMouth podcast, Fittipaldi was asked to choose between two categories he became a Champion in. The 77-year-old pointed out that there were stark differences between both disciplines. From a racer’s perspective, however, his choice was clear. He said,

“I would say, outside of the cockpit, I [love] IndyCar. But you know my life is inside the cockpit – that’s been the most enjoyable part of my life. I have had many miles in both, F1 and IndyCar!”

Fittipaldi is one of four drivers to have won both the F1 and IndyCar Championships. The other three who accompany him in this list are — Mario Andretti, Jacques Villeneuve, and Nigel Mansell.

American racing icon Andretti won four Indy Titles in 1965, 1966, 1969, and 1984, and also won the F1 Championship in 1978.

Villeneuve won IndyCar in 1995 before joining Williams in F1 and winning the Championship there just two years later. Mansell meanwhile, won the F1 Championship in 1992, and the very next year, went on to earn the IndyCar crown.