Chico Serra

Chico Serra

Serra in 2007
Born	(1957-02-03) 3 February 1957 São Paulo, Brazil
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	Brazilian
Active years	1981–1983
Teams	Fittipaldi, Arrows
Entries	33 (18 starts)
Championships	0
Wins	0
Podiums	0
Career points	1
Pole positions	0
Fastest laps	0
First entry	1981 United States Grand Prix West
Last entry	1983 Monaco Grand Prix

Francisco Adolpho "Chico" Serra (born 3 February 1957) is a Brazilian racing driver.

Biography

Serra made his mark in International motorsport when he won the 1979 British Formula 3 Championship, one season after his compatriot Nelson Piquet had won the title. His performance caught the eye of Emerson Fittipaldi, he himself a British Formula 3 Championship winner in 1969, who signed him for his Formula One team Fittipaldi.

Serra debuted alongside Keke Rosberg on 15 March 1981 in Long Beach, finishing seventh. Serra's result would turn out to be the best one for the team over the rest of the season. In 1982, with Rosberg moving to Williams, Fittipaldi resized the operation, fielding only one car for Serra. Serra scored his first championship point for finishing sixth in the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix. At the 1982 Canadian Grand Prix, Serra and countryman Raul Boesel made headlines for having a short scuffle after the qualifying session. Serra was furious at Boesel for blocking his last flying lap after waving Rosberg by. Boesel denied that this was intentional. Fittipaldi's lack of pace meant that Serra occasionally failed to qualify. As the best of the non-qualified drivers, he was in contention for starting the 1982 Swiss Grand Prix after Ferrari withdrew Patrick Tambay's entry but FIA rejected Serra's request on the ground that Ferrari announced Tambay's retirement, who on Sunday morning did not feel well enough to race, too late.

In 1983 Serra raced for Arrows. Despite scoring three top-ten finishes in his first four outings with the team, he was released after the 1983 Monaco Grand Prix and replaced with Thierry Boutsen. Overall Serra participated in 33 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix.

Following the end of his Formula One career, Serra made one CART Champ Car start in 1985 at the Portland International Raceway for Ensign Racing but suffered an engine failure.

Serra has participated in Brazilian stock car racing since the 1980s and was series champion in 1999, 2000 and 2001.

Serra was a good friend of Ayrton Senna as they both climbed the motorsport ladder at the same time. In 1981 Serra recommend Senna to Ralph Firman, who had his team in the Formula Ford 1600. In 1994 Serra refused to attend Senna's funeral. In an interview with the Brazilian magazine Grid he said that he disliked the hypocrisy surrounding the event. "There was too much pretence, which made me sick. Some people came a long way just to use the situation for their own good. These people never helped him, and they wanted to make us believe that they were great friends who were suffering so much. Going to the funeral was more beneficial to them than winning at Indianapolis".

Serra is the father of racing driver Daniel Serra.

Racing record

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	Pos.	Pts
1980	Project 4 Racing	March 802	BMW	THR 4	HOC 4	NÜR Ret	VAL Ret	PAU Ret	SIL 8	ZOL Ret	MUG Ret	ZAN 4	PER Ret	MIS Ret	HOC Ret	11th	9

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Year	Team	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	WDC	Points
1981	Fittipaldi Automotive	Fittipaldi F8C	Cosworth V8	USW 7	BRA Ret	ARG Ret	SMR DNQ	BEL Ret	MON DNQ	ESP 11	FRA DNS	GBR DNQ	GER DNQ	AUT	NED DNQ	ITA DNQ	CAN DNQ	CPL DNQ		NC	0
1982	Fittipaldi Automotive	Fittipaldi F8D	Cosworth V8	RSA 17	BRA Ret	USW DNQ	SMR	BEL 6	MON DNPQ	DET 11	CAN DNQ	NED Ret	GBR Ret							26th	1
		Fittipaldi F9												FRA DNQ	GER 11	AUT 7	SUI DNQ	ITA 11	CPL DNQ
1983	Arrows Racing Team	Arrows A6	Cosworth V8	BRA 9	USW	FRA Ret	SMR 8	MON 7	BEL	DET	CAN	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	EUR	RSA		NC	0

Indy Car World Series

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

Year	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Rank	Points	Ref
1985	Theodore Racing	LBH	INDY	MIL	POR 25	MEA	CLE	MCH	ROA	POC	MDO	SAN	MCH	LAG	PHX	MIA	57th	0

Complete European Le Mans Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Entrant	Class	Chassis	Engine	1	2	3	4	5	6	Pos.	Pts
2007	JMB Racing	GT2	Ferrari F430 GT	Ferrari 4.0 L V8	MNZ	VAL	NÜR	SPA	SIL	INT 6	44th	3