Campeonato Brasileiro Ford Fiesta Feminino (Brazilian Women’s Ford Fiesta Championship)

One-make spec Fiesta

The championship ran for one season, in 2001. It was promoted by Maria Helena Fittipaldi, former wife of Emerson Fittipaldi, in her role as head of the Brazilian women racing drivers’ club, AMPACOM. It was one of her most visible achievements, and the second championship she organised, after a similar series for the Vauxhall/Opel/GM Corsa in 1996. This time, tighter controls on preparation and tuning were exercised, in order to promote a level playing field.

The series consisted of nine races, spread across seven meetings, as a support to the Brazilian Pick-Up Championship. The cars were identically-prepared Ford Fiestas, with 1600cc, 16-valve Zetec engines, similar to those in use in Ford one-make series elsewhere.

Maria Helena Fittipaldi

There were initially 16 entrants, but problems with sponsorship meant that not all of them completed the season, and others were brought in to keep numbers up. A mix of experienced and novice drivers took part, and it appears that experience won the day - Maria Cristina Rosito, who had been competing in stock cars and endurance racing since the late ‘80s, seems to have been the champion. Danuza Moura, who would go on to race trucks, and Suzane Carvalho, who also raced extensively in Brazil, were race winners. Many of the drivers had also participated in the earlier Corsa championship, which Danuza Moura won. Several went on to race in mixed championships, with many ending up in stock cars and truck racing.

Entry List

Maria Cristina Rosito

Juliana Carreira

Patricia de Souza

Mara Feltre

Suzane Carvalho

Alexandra Silva

Andrea Borghesi

Patricia Vega

Maria Cristina Moreira

Peggy Ann Bauer

Laurimele Pagy

Luciana Sarkis

Renata Rabelo

Andrea Klotz

Anita Caldas

Danuza Moura

Delfina Frers

Helena Deyama

Carmen Fontes

Carolina Hanashiro

Anita Negrão

Soledad Derfler

Bia Crestani

Tatiana Bandeira

(Image from www.sonico.br)