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
Helena Deyama
Carmen Fontes
Carolina Hanashiro
Anita Negrão
Soledad Derfler
Bia Crestani
Tatiana Bandeira
