Jump to content

Felipe Giaffone

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Felipe Giaffone
Giaffone in 2007
Nationality Brazil
Born (1975-01-22) 22 January 1975 (age 50)
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

Felipe Giaffone (Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation: [feˈlipi ʒaˈfoni, fiˈ-]; born 22 January 1975) is a Brazilian racing driver. Giaffone competed in the Indy Racing League between 2001 and 2006, with a best season finish of fourth in the 2002 season with a single win at Kentucky. Later he switched to truck racing, claiming a total eight titles between Fórmula Truck and Copa Truck.[1]

From 2008 to 2018, Giaffone worked as part-time 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.[2] In 2026 he switched back to Globo to continue in Formula One broadcasts but in pay television channel SporTV.[3]

His father, "Zeca" Giaffone is the 1987 Stock Car Brasil champion and a Mil Milhas Brasil five-time winner in the 1980s.

Racing career

[edit]

Giaffone 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, Giaffonewas one of the IRL's representatives in the IROC series, but he only competed in two races due to injury and finished tenth in series standings. In 2005, Giaffone 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 fifteenth. 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".

In 2007, Giaffone returned to Brazil to race in the Fórmula Truck. He won the championship four times in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2016, and was runner-up in 2010, 2012 and 2014. In 2017 he switched to the Copa Truck, where he claimed four titles in 2017, 2023, 2024 and 2025, and two runner-ups in 2018 and 2022.

Racing record

[edit]

American Open Wheel racing results

[edit]

(key)

Indy Lights

[edit]
Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Rank Points Ref
1996 Leading Edge Motorsport MIA
14 		LBH
24 		NAZ
13 		MIS
10 		MIL
9 		DET
18 		POR
16 		CLE
6 		TOR TRO 17th 20 [4]
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 [5]
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 [6]
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 [7]

IndyCar Series

[edit]
Year Team No. Chassis 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 21 G-Force GF05B 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 [8]
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 [9]
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 [10]
2004 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing 24 Dallara IR-04 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 [11]
2005 A. J. Foyt Enterprises 48 Panoz GF09C Toyota Indy V8 HMS PHX STP MOT INDY
15 		TXS RIR KAN NSH MIL MIS KTY PPIR SNM CHI WGL FON 31st 15 [12]
2006 14 Dallara IR-05 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 [13]

IndyCar Series career summary

[edit]
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

[edit]
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

[edit]
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 		1º 156
2008 RMC-Volkswagen GUA
6 		GOI
4 		CAR
1 		FOR
Ret 		SAO
7 		LON
3 		CAM
3 		CUR
Ret 		TAR
2 		BSB
Ret 		4º 120
2009 RMC-Volkswagen GUA
1 		FOR
4 		CAR
1 		GOI
Ret 		SAO
Ret 		LON
1 		ARG
1 		SCZ
4 		CUR
Ret 		BSB
4 		1º 169
2010 RMC-Volkswagen GUA
1 		RIO
5 		CAR
2 		CAM
3 		SAO
4 		LON
3 		ARG
2 		VEL
Ret 		CUR
2 		BSB
4 		2º 176
2011 RMC-Volkswagen SCZ
1 		RIO
Ret 		CAR
1 		GOI
19 		SAO
1 		LON
1 		ARG
10 		GUA
2 		CUR
11 		BSB
1 		1º 188
2012 RMC-Volkswagen VEL
2 		RIO
7 		CAR
Ret 		GOI
Ret 		SAO
8 		CAS
2 		ARG
1 		GUA
3 		CUR
3 		BSB
4 		2º 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 		4º 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 		2º 184

Family

[edit]

The Giaffone family has had great involvement in motorsport.

  • José "Zeca" Giaffone - Felipe's father; 1987 Stock Car Brasil champion and five-time 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

[edit]
  1. ^ "Felipe Giaffone é tetracampeão da Copa Truck em Interlagos". Racing online. 7 December 2025.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "Christian Fittipaldi e Felipe Giaffone reforçam transmissões do sportv na volta da Fórmula 1 à Globo". Globo Esporte (in Portuguese). 8 January 2026.
  4. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 1996 Firestone / Dayton Indy Lights Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
  5. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 1998 Firestone / Dayton Indy Lights Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
  6. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 1999 Firestone / Dayton Indy Lights Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
  7. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 2000 Firestone / Dayton Indy Lights Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
  8. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 2001 Indy Racing Northern Lights Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  9. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 2002 Indy Racing League Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  10. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 2003 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  11. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 2004 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  12. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 2005 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  13. ^ "Felipe Giaffone – 2006 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Felipe_Giaffone&oldid=1333239871"