By Dick Mittman
indianapolismotorspeedway.com
Friday, May 19, 2006
Well, Max Papis, hoping to qualify for this second Indianapolis 500 start on The Run for the WorldPoints Visa Card Pole on Coca-Cola Throwback Day on Saturday, May 20, has such a situation with his father-in-law. He is married to Tatiana Fittipaldi.
Her father, of course, is Emerson Fittipaldi. All he did in his illustrious auto racing career was win two Indy 500s and two Formula One World Championships. Pretty intimidating credentials for a son-in-law whose resume shows a 23rd-place finish in his single Indy 500 start, in 2002, and one top-10 finish in seven Formula One starts.
But Papis, a 36-year-old native of Como, Italy, doesn’t cower at the thought of now being related to such a racing legend. In fact, Papis said he couldn’t have a better father-in-law.
“Personally, he is one of my best friends,” said Papis, who will attempt to qualify the No. 52 Dallara/Honda/Firestone owned by 1998 Indy 500 winner Eddie Cheever Jr.
“When I knew I was going to drive in Indy, I called him. He told me, ‘Work on the car, you know, work on every corner, think about the race … all those things that are important to know.’
“It’s just so cool to know that you can share these things with someone who is a racing legend.
“We share a lot of things of racing and non-racing. He’s amazing, and it is a great opportunity for me to listen to the advice of someone who won here, won in Europe. He’s a legend. And plus he cares a lot about me.”
Besides, Tatiana will present Emmo with a grandson in July. Max and Tatiana plan to name him Marco.
Papis met Tatiana at – where else? – a racetrack.
“She didn’t like me in the beginning at all,” he said. “I don’t know if she thought I was one of those race car drivers who just wanted to chase girls.
“But now she is my best friend, and I can’t live without her.”
Papis then told about how when Tatiana was a child she would be hidden in a carton so she could be brought into the garages and pits although she was underage.
“She’s definitely a character,” Papis said.
Papis never has won a major race in auto racing, but he has good career statistics. Last year he finished second in both the 12 Hours of Sebring and Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, and won both at Road Atlanta and Laguna Seca driving in the Speed World Challenge. He drove in 112 Champ Car races over eight years and scored three victories.
“He had raced with us before in 2002,” Cheever said. “We had some mechanical problems with his car in the race.
“He’s very enthusiastic about the ‘500.’ As all Europeans, he understands the importance of history. And obviously he’d like to play a part in the history of the 90th running of the Indianapolis 500. He has all the skill sets to do well here.”
Although he’s American, Cheever was reared in Rome and, he said, Italians consider him one of theirs.
“Italian race drivers hang out together,” he said about first meeting with Papis.
“He is incredibly enthusiastic with everything he does in life. He’s a pleasure to be around. Everybody likes being around Max. And he can drive the wheels off a race car.”
It seemed that Papis’ coming to Cheever Racing was a “last-minute” thing, but he doesn’t look at it that way. Papis saw it as returning to a family.
“I know my engineer, Iain Watt, for years,” he said. “I know my crew chief (Bharat Naran) for like seven years.
“My engineer is the person basically who has been helping me from the beginning of my career in ’96, ’97, ’98. My chief has been with me since the beginning of my career. I think this is some of the reason Eddie wanted to put me in the car.”
Papis emphasized that returning to Indy for a second shot was extremely important to him.
“We didn’t want to leave with 2002 as my only experience,” he said. “Both me and Eddie thought that was not what the Cheever entry deserved. Now with this Sport Clip (sponsor) 52 car, we have a great opportunity.”
Papis said the goal in qualifying is a top-15 starting position and then to work from there toward a good run in the race.
“I’m here not to just take a checkered flag,” he said. “I’m here to work and leave a mark.”
And make his father-in-law proud.
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