microphone pict

©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc.

Extracts from
Teleconference
on June 17, 1997

Christian Fittipaldi: The wheel chair ... I parked it

redy to go again

Christian Fittipaldi will return to racing this weekend at the Budweiser/G.I. Joe's 200, following a 6 race absence due to his accident at Surfer's Paradise earlier this season. The interview mainly focuses on his rehabilitation and how he anticipates to perform on Sunday. Other questions focus on his recent tests at Mid Ohio in preparation for the comeback.

The moderator was once again CART's T.E. McHale.

T.E. McHale: "We are pleased you all could join us today. We would like to extend a special welcome to our guest this afternoon, driver Christian Fittipaldi of Newman/Haas Racing. Christian, thanks for being with us today.

Christian: "Thank you, it's a pleasure."

T.E. McHale: "Christian, driver of the Kmart/Budweiser Swift./Ford makes his return to the PPG CART World Series at this weekend's Budweiser GI Joe's 200 presented by Texaco Havoline, after missing seven events while recovering from a broken right leg sustained at the sunbelt Indycarnival Australia. He underwent three hours of surgery shortly after that, and a rod and four screws were inserted into his leg. the two lower screws have been removed, the remaining two screws will be removed at the end of the 1998 season, so he does not have to interrupt next season in order to have that procedure done.

He has undergone approximately ten hours of therapy daily in preparation for his return which comes well ahead of schedule. Christian returned to his car last Tuesday and Wednesday and completed 107 laps during a two day CART open test at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course. I am also told that he tested at Mid Ohio yesterday -- he can probably tell you more about that once we get underway here.

Christian finished fifth in the 1996 PPG Cup standings with 110 points. He made three podium appearances during the season, one of which came at Portland where he finished third. He finished 26th in his only PPG CART World Series appearance this season, the season opening Marlboro Grand Prix of Miami presented by Toyota, retiring due to an oil leak after completing 40 of 147 laps.

The Budweiser/GI Joe's 200 presented by Texaco Havoline will be broadcast live this Sunday on ESPN beginning at 5pm Eastern Time. With that we open it up to questions, beginning with Gary Long of the Miami Herald."

Gary Long: "Christian, are you a little surprised at the way you've bounced back, both psychologically and physically?"

"I am back again ; I feel very confident"
Christian Fittipaldi

Christian: "Yes and no. I am, because at the end of the day I think it went pretty quick, but at the same time I think there was a lot effort from a lot of people and a lot of hard work, also.

"Since the accident in Australia, as soon as I was operated [on], eight to ten days later I started already swimming and I did a lot of stuff for the legs. In that sense I think it went pretty good, and ... I am back again ; I feel very confident. Last week it was a little bit harder for me in the car; Tuesday and also Wednesday. But yesterday it went very good. I am very confident for Portland and I ma sure that everything is gonna go very well there."

Beth Tushak - USA Today: "I don't know if you have ever been injured to this extent, but have you gained a different appreciation, a different outlook at some of your colleagues who have been injured in the past, of what they have gone through -- talking about your uncle here, too?"

Christian: "Yes, there is no doubt about that. Not even only my racing colleagues, but I think everyone, like in general. Especially when I was in a wheelchair for about three weeks, because I broke my right leg and my left foot and hardly could walk in the beginning. It gives you a completely different view of life. I think everything becomes a lot harder than what you are normally used to. You appreciate it a lot more when you are sitting there and you know that everything is so difficult -- for you to move around, for you to do things that would normally take you ten fifteen seconds when you can do them. So, I think in that sense, it really showed me something completely different that I had not experienced before.

Jerry Boone - The Oregonian: "I am concerned about your level of stamina. You were quoted in a press release that you would have much preferred to have come back on an oval. Portland is a fairly quick course and with the Festival Curves there is an awful lot of breaking involved. Are you concerned about being able to go and to last the distance here?"

Christian: "Not really, to be quite honest. Because Mid Ohio, in my opinion is a much tougher track and testing went very good there. I was really happy with especially yesterday. So I think that when I go to Portland -- I am not gonna say that it's gonna be easy; by no means: I think it's gonna be very difficult -- but at least as soon as I arrive in Portland, I know that I am going to face a track that is a lot easier than for example Mid Ohio. That gives me a little bit more confidence and at the same time I couldn't move my leg - but I have been doing a lot. I think I am pretty fit at the moment and I think that I will be able to race and have a very nice weekend over there.

Dave Wolfahrt - Toledo Blade: "What was the discomfort that you felt at Mid Ohio the first Tuesday and Wednesday test, and how did that change yesterday?"

Christian: "What I felt the first two days - when I went over the bumps, my foot was hurting a lot, the lower part of my leg was also hurting a lot, probably because I had my screws taken off only three days before I sat in the car, so I think that could have caused all of the pain. After that, I went back home, stayed there for about four days, and went back testing yesterday. And yesterday it went pretty good - I hardly felt any pain. I managed to do what I did in two days testing [last week], I did in one day yesterday. We ran a lot of miles - I was pretty ok in the car; I honestly didn't feel anything. It really made a difference - the fact that I drove two days, went back home - I managed to do my swimming and the usual stuff I do for my leg, and then I came back up to test again. After four days, I think it was very, very good.

Rick Matsomudo - Toronto: "About the Formula One race at Toronto last weekend - I as just wondering what you thought -- if you did see it -- about the Olivier Panis accident. It was similar somewhat as opposed to what happened to you?"

"I have to say that if I had been in a Formula One car when I had my accident, probably I wouldn't even be talking to you guys."
Christian Fittipaldi

Christian: "Well, what I think is what I have been seeing lately: definitely the Indy cars are a lot stronger than the Formula One cars because they are bigger, heavier, and I am sure that if he had been in one of our cars, probably, that wouldn't have happened to him. At the same time I have to say that if I had been in a Formula One car when I had my accident, probably I wouldn't even be talking to you guys. The car was awesome, it really held very very good and I think that all of the crash tests we have and the way CART enforces everyone to build our cars in my opinion is very very good."

John Sturbin - Forth Worth: "Christian, could you add a little detail please to what ten hours of therapy is like each day?"

Christian: "It's boring and tiring! When I was back in Brazil, I was waking up at seven o'clock. I would arrive at the club at about eight o'clock, then I would start one type of physical in the morning from about eight to nine-thirty, moving the leg up and down and putting a little bit of weight on it so I could try to get the movements I lost back again. Then from about nine-thirty to about eleven, eleven-fifteen, I would swim. After that I would break for lunch. Then I would start at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon; I would have the second physical therapy from about three to four o'clock, then I would do a stuff on the bicycle and also weights for my arms. After that - we're talking about 6 o'clock already, it was time to go back home. Basically I was living the whole day because of the leg, and in my opinion it really paid off, because after only 65 days I was back in the car. I am very happy and even happier now after I drove the car yesterday, because honestly it went a lot better than last week."

John Sturbin: "What was the original timetable for you to return?"

Christian: "Originally, with the type of fracture I have, about three months to three months and a half. I guess for me, luckily, it went a little bit quicker."

Mark Amelio, Arizona Republic: "Do you see, Paul Tracy and Greg Moore have won the last five races as you know, and foreign drivers have won six of the eight this year -- do you see a drop off in the American talent, or is it just coincidence, or is it the number of American born drivers compared to foreign born drivers in this series?"

Christian: "No, I think, in a way it was just the way the races went. There is no doubt that they have a lot of talent. A lot of other drivers have a lot of talent, also, but in my opinion it's very competitive out there. there are a lot of guys who are knocking on the door every weekend, but they just can't make it, and I would like to add to that, at the moment like apart from being able to [win] you have to drive a very competitive car, you have to do almost a perfect race, but at the same time the races are so competitive that you have to be a little bit lucky. Lucky the way -- like when you come in for your stops if everything goes OK, if you don't lose two or three seconds. If you come in for a stop and for example you lose two or three seconds, that can change the whole race for you. I just think the series is very very competitive."

Mike Baley: "Last time we saw you in Detroit you were still on crutches. Will you still be on crutches, will you be able to walk? What are the doctors' recommendations about activities outside the car?"

Christian: "Well, actually I am gonna see the doctors today. I am probably gonna be on crutches still; I think I have to be on crutches another 15, 20 days or something like that. I am gonna use a big sort of 'cast' around my leg that helps me in case I have any other accidents. It's not really because it's gonna vibrate or not in the car. It's only if I eventually have another accident, I can in some way try to not break to break the leg again at exactly the same place."

Jim Hawkins - Oakland Press: "What percentage of your former self do you think you will be this week and then how long will it be before you will be back 100% physically and mentally?"

"We ran for three days, which was pretty good. I feel very very comfortable in the car."
Christian Fittipaldi

Christian: "I think that in life, no matter how bad your experiences, you're always learning some new things, so hopefully out of my I would say 'bad experience' I learned a lot of new things and I hope that I also may be have developed some other ways of thinking and approaches to motoracing to eventually come back as a much stronger driver than I was before. I am very confident. We ran for three days, which was pretty good. I feel very very comfortable in the car. I think it's gonna be harder for me in the race because races are very long and obviously both of my legs, because I can't walk a lot are not strong enough. My arms are very strong, but I think my legs are not strong enough. The race is gonna be very hard, but I don't expect qualifying and practice that difficult. It's gonna be a little bit harder than usual, but it's not gonna be that bad."

Paul Kaminski - Motorsports Radio Network: "Christian, how are you gonna spend your time between the Portland and Cleveland race? You're gonna have more time off -- more therapy, more testing? How are you gonna do that?"

Christian: "First week I am gonna go back home and stay in Miami for six days. The beginning of the following week again we are testing for two days and then right after I finish testing I am going back to Brazil. I am gonna spend another week or so in Brazil, continuing all the normal stuff I have been doing, like the stretching, moving the leg here and there, trying to get all of the movement back, and then I'll be back for the following race. I think that the fact that there is a long break between these races is going to be really good for me, because I can honestly notice a difference, every two or three days I notice a difference on my leg."

Paul Kaminski, Motorsports Radio Network: "About testing - did you find any differences in the car when you sat in it at Mid Ohio compared to pre-season testing?"

Christian: "Pre-season testing compared to Mid Ohio is a big difference. When we started running this year, we had a lot of problems. We basically hardly could run. Before Miami, I think I had done only about 350 miles, and then we went straight into the first race. At the moment, the car is a level a lot more advanced than it was at the beginning of the year. I think definitely it's gonna make my job a lot easier. I think both drivers have been doing a very good job, and I think that the car is very competitive, and I am really looking forward to the second half of the season."

Billy Edwards - Focus on Racing Radio: "I am interested in your emotions or maybe your frustration in watching your teammate sitting second in points and you wouldn't be worth your salt as a racecar driver if you didn't think you were at least as good or better than your teammate. How frustrating is it to be just taken out of those races and you don't even have the opportunity to be up there with the leaders? You could be big time in this fight."

Christian: "I think that's the way it goes. There's not a lot to say. To be quite honest with you, I am very happy that I am here and able to talk to you, and that everything went OK and that I will be back in the car racing this weekend. I think considering the accident I had down there in Surfers, things could have gone a lot worse."

Lynne Huntting - Press Snoop: "Is the team doing anything special to the car to make it easier for you to drive?"

Christian: "The team actually changed the way the three pedals are set up. My brake pedal is a little bit smaller than usual to give me more space in the car. It moved a little bit to the left. My throttle pedal, compared to what I usually run, is further down a little bit, o I can stretch my leg a little bit more. That won't make it had for me on the leg. We changed a couple of things, but honestly, we didn't have to change a lot. My sitting position, and the way my arms go on the steering wheel, I think everything is exactly the same as before."

Gary Long - Miami Herald: "You said you have to go to the doctor this afternoon. What kind of a prognosis have you been given in terms of time? And when will you be able to walk normally and start to feel normal?"

Christian: "Going back to normal life is going to be maybe the end of July or the beginning of August...as far as being able to run and jump and do whatever I want. Apart from that, while I don't have a normal life I just try to go around on my crutches and try to make sure that I have a life as normal as possible. Honestly, it has been very good. The only thing that I can say which has also been very good is that after the accident...after about the first week I didn't really feel any pain on my leg. If we stay talking for about two hours and then we go out to get something to eat, it only gets bigger or smaller depending on if I go to a place where it's too cold or if it's raining or not. Apart from that, it has really been fine."

Gary Long: "Last thing...have you retired that wheel chair?"

"The wheel chair ... I parked it"
Christian Fittipaldi

Christian: "Yes, I retired it a long time ago. The wheel chair helped me a lot but from the very beginning it was very difficult. Basically that's the first thing I did when I could walk on crutches. I parked it, and now I guess it's parked very well in the corner of my room and I will never have to see it again I hope."

Mike Bailey - Vancouver, Columbia Newspaper: "I'm wondering what the doctors have said to you. I guess racing with a metal shaft in your leg there's some danger if you were to have another accident. Did they sit down and talk to you about that and give you a worst case scenario or give you a warning that you might want to consider this before you get back in the car? Have they talked to you about that and what could happen if you had another accident?"

"If I do have another accident there is that extra risk factor"
Christian Fittipaldi

Christian: "Oh yeah, there's no doubt that they told me about that. I guess if I was going to wait until I was absolutely 100%, I basically would have to wait for one year before I was able to race. A lot of drivers do that. They actually race with pins and rods and everything inside them. With the problems I have, it's a pretty normal situation. I think the only thing you have to make sure of is that at one stage you have to really draw the line and see if you can hop back in the car and drive, and I think I can do that. So I honestly think that I am ready to go back into the car, but at the same time, I understand that there is a risk factor. If I do have another accident there is that extra risk factor and if I hit that exact same spot or in the same way, I could create a lot of damage in my leg."

Dick Mitchum - Indianapolis Star: "Have you reviewed your accident and looked at film of it? Second, have you talked to somebody like Zampedri that has kinda gone through the same thing as you have?"

Christian: "Yeah, I actually saw may accident a couple of times just to make sure what happened with everything you can see. I have talked to other drivers that come from say like down in Brazil that maybe had similar accidents. Actually [I have talked] to some other drivers that drive in the lower Formula classes. I've spoken to them and I have spoken to people that race bikes and everything just to make sure how it is when you have a rod inside. Obviously, based on their experience which they had before mine, they can always teach me something, and I can be ready a lot easier than if I had to learn everything by myself."

Billy Edwards - Focus on Racing Radio: "In the last forty minutes, I've kind of detected a theme here, which is that a lot of young race drivers live, eat, and breath racing. However, at a very young age you seem to have found a balance. Other things in life are very important to you. Where does that come from? Does that come from your Uncle, from your family?"

Christian: "I don't know. That's a good question. I think it may be from my family. That's the way they taught me when I was a kid, and, honestly, at the moment, I put all my effort into motor racing. I just try to get my job done the best way possible.

"At the same time, as I said before, there are some things in life which no matter how much money or how much influence you have can't buy you or can't eventually get you, and one of those things is health. As I said before, I'm really happy to be healthy and I'm really happy to be 100% back again because with the kind of accident I had things could have gone a lot worse with me and maybe I would never be able to drive a racing car again. As long as I can put all my effort into the program I will always do that. But at the same time, I think that family and being healthy is very important, and I would never trade that for racing."