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Emerson Fittipaldi: Senna was serious about racing '93 Indy 500

Emerson Fittipaldi: Senna was serious about racing '93 Indy 500

21-11-2018 19:10

Former two time Formula 1 World Champion, Emerson Fittipaldi has revealed that his close friend Ayrton Senna, was serious about racing at the ’93 Indy 500.

The Brazilian, who was close friends with Senna spoke to the ‘Beyond the Grid’ F1 podcast about he convinced his compatriot to enter the unfamiliar part of the Triple Crown.

Fittipaldi said: “There is a little story because I told Ayrton you have to try my car, you have to race Indianapolis next year,” said Fittipaldi.

“Because Nigel was looking to go to Indianapolis, I said ‘Can you imagine they start the Indy 500 with Nigel Mansell and Ayrton Senna?’, I mean it would be incredible and then Ayrton said ‘Okay, I accept the test!’

“I was testing for three days on the road circuit at Phoenix and then on the oval. Actually It was a very small road circuit, very short, dirty, a lot of dust, not many people used it.

“I stayed the whole week with Ayrton and it was a fantastic experience, I was a very good friend of Ayrton’s since he started racing cars.”

Fittipaldi went on to confirm that every time he won in Indianapolis Senna was there: “He wanted to drive Indianapolis because he knew my story. Every time I won Indianapolis he came.”