It has been a long time since I started my career as a racing driver. It was in 1997, when I was 13. Before that, I think a boy can’t evaluate what he really wants of life. I believe I started at the right time. My father, Vito, used to race Go-Kart in Itu, countryside of São Paulo, Brazil, where we have a small farm. One day he invited me to race. I was faster than my father and it was at this time that a curious moment happened: this was when my career started and his career ended…  Jokes aside, since the beginning we took my career seriously. I say us, since my father always oriented and accompanied me. So much so that my results showed right away: still in 1997, I won the Bandeirante Championship and the São Paulo Countryside Championship, which I won all the races. These results gave us full enthusiasm and, since then, I was sure about what I wanted for my life: to be a professional race driver.

Back and forth, I have won several other titles – see the complete curriculum by clicking here.

I really had several joyful moments in my career. Among them, I highlight the South America championship (1998) and Pan-American of Go-Kart (2000), the Brazilian Formula Renault vice-championship (2002) and F-3 South-American vice-championship (2003), and also the third places in Marlboro Masters (2004 and 2005) and in Macau GP (2004) – the two most difficult and coveted races of world F-3.
And, as we are talking about joys, I can’t neglect my selection for Renault Driver Development Program (RDD), the driver development program of Renault team of Formula 1, which aims to support talented people with potential to reach the top category in this sport. I have been chosen among hundreds of worldwide drivers. 
At RDD, I am being trained to, God willing, one day be able to race for the French team of F-1. Furthermore, since 2004, Renault started to manage my career, choosing the teams and championships in which I will race. And, also important, Renault started to sponsor the championship in which I took part with RDD. This last fact is very important for two reasons: first, because sponsorship is something extremely difficult to acquire and, with Renault as partner, I can focus only to develop my career. And, last, because one of the fundamental points for a driver to become a professional is to have exactly a full sponsorship and perspectives of future in this sport. I have partially already accomplished my dream. On my side, I think I am repaying the Renault support with good results. On May 2004, which was my first year in the program, I was the best Brazilian on Marlboro Masters and also the best with Renault motor, aside from the best among all participants of RDD. Exactly because of that, I was invited to compete the Macau GP, on which I also did well – deserving a contract renewal with RDD for 2005. 
By the 2005 season, RDD took me to the F-3 European Championship and I finished third, with one victory, two poles and four podiums. In that same year I had one of the most special moments in my career as I was invited for my first F-1 test, driving Fernando Alonso’s car. I was also required by Renault to take part on the development process of their new GP2 project and finished the year as the champion of Macau GP, the most prestigious international F-3 race.

The achievements resulted in a new contract with RDD and then I was able to experience my first season on GP2, which is considered the last step before F-1, once the races take place in the same weekends and tracks.  It was a hard task as I was competing for Durango, a team with many limitations, but even though I believe it was possible for both driver and team to make some improvement. Although the final result was not too expressive, my performance in the races caused a good impression and I was delighted with the feedback I had from teams and managers of GP2. I finished the season as 16th and had the best lap at the Monaco GP. I also took part in a shakedown with Alonso’s Renault and could once again experience the feeling of an F-1 car.

At the end of the season, there was an agreement for a move to ART Grand Prix, twice champion in GP2. I also renewed the contract with RDD for the fourth consecutive year, equaling Heikki Kovaleinen, who remained for the same period in the team and is an F-1 driver today. I was very happy once renew for the program are done early and the competition is very tough, with many drivers competing to be in the program.