Vitor Meira

Vitor Meira ( born March 27, 1977 in Brasília, Brazil) is a Brazilian automobile racing driver. In 2000 he was South American Formula 3 champion. He rode from 2002 to 2011 in the IndyCar Series where he was standing at AJ Foyt Enterprises from 2009 under contract. His best overall placement he reached in 2006, when he finished fifth. He started 2012 in the Stock Car Brasil.

Career

Meira began his motorsport career in 1990 in karting, where he was active until 1995. In the further course of his career he took over again participate in kart racing. In 1995 he made ​​his debut in Formula racing and immediately became masters of British Formula Ford Winter Series. Subsequently, he was fourth in 1996 and sixth in the 1997 British Formula Ford regular 1998, he joined the British Formula Renault and finished the season in fourth place.

1999 Meira returned back to South America and was with two wins sixth in the South American Formula 3 Championship. 2000, he remained in this championship and secured with 8 wins from 18 races, the championship before João Paulo de Oliveira. After he had taken part in a race of the South American Formula 3 Championship, he focused in 2001 on its involvement in the Euro Formula 3000th During his compatriot Felipe Massa won the championship title, Meira was awarded second place as best result in fifth in the overall standings. In addition, Meira in 2001 was held to a race of South American Formula 3 Championship and was fifth in the Federal- rating the Italian Formula 3 2002, he participated in the first three races of the Euro Formula 3000 part, but scored no points.

After Meira had completed for Panther Racing in Fort Worth test drives in the Indy Racing League, he replaced for the last four races of the 2002 season, Marc Dismore in Team Menard. At the end of the season in Fort Worth Meira took the first pole position and finished the race in third place. In the overall standings he was 25th in 2003 remained Meira at Team Menard in the now renamed the IndyCar Series championship. He began at ten of the 16 races and achieved his best result, a fourth place, again in Fort Worth. At the end of the season, he finished 22nd overall.

After the team Menard was merged with Panther Racing, Meira moved to the third race of the 2004 season, Rahal Letterman Racing to. He finished a few races in the top ten pilots and achieved his best results at the races at Richmond and Kansas City, which he finished in second place. At the end of the season he finished in eighth place overall. 2005 Meira Rahal Letterman Racing stayed with. At the prestigious Indianapolis 500, he finished second behind Dan Wheldon. With another second place in Sparta, he finished the season in seventh place in the drivers' standings.

In 2006, Meira Panther Racing. He finished every race in which he finished among the top ten pilots and had a total of six times on the podium. A victory remained to him but again denied and three second places were his best results. In the overall standings, he improved to fifth overall and was beaten only the pilot Penske and Ganassi drivers. In addition, he took part in a race in the American Le Mans Series ( ALMS) and achieved a podium placement in the LMP1 category. 2007 no longer tied Meira on the success from the previous season and a fourth place in the season opener was his best result. At the end finished in twelfth place in the championship. He also completed two races in A1GP, as well as a race in the ALMS. In 2008, he played his third season for Panther Racing. A second place at the Indianapolis 500 was his only podium placing in the season, which he finished in 13th place overall. Already at the last race in Surfers Paradise, in which there were no points, Meira joined AJ Foyt Enterprises prematurely, where he replaced Darren Manning. In addition, Meira 2008 took part in a race in the Rolex Sports Car Series.

2009 should be the full season Meira AJ Foyt Enterprises for contest, but he was injured already in the fourth race at Indianapolis so heavy that he could not complete the remainder of the season. After Meira had initially survived a fire unhurt in the pit lane, he collided with his compatriot Raphael Matos and broke his lumbar vertebrae L1 and L2. Meira did not have to be operated on. At the end of the season, he finished 28th overall. 2010 Meira returned to the cockpit and Foyt scored directly from the kick-off race in São Paulo as a third podium placement. Without further podium finishes, he finished the season in twelfth place overall. 2011 remained at A. Meira J. Foyt Enterprises. He finished the season off with a fifth place as the best result on the 16th place in the drivers' standings. Foyt and Meira broke their contract to the end of season 2011.

2012 Meira left the IndyCar Series and returned to Brazil. It occurs there in the touring car series Stock Car Brasil in a Chevrolet for Officer ProGP to.

Personal

Vitor Meira is also active as a triathlete and he started in November 2010 in Florida at the Triathlon World Championships on the half Ironman distance ( Ironman 70.3: 1,9 km swimming, 90 km cycling and 21.1 km running) and finished the race after 4:47 hours. In 2011 he took part in the Ironman Hawaii and was 1486th of 1918 launched participants.

Since April 2011, Meira has one daughter.

Statistics

Career stations

• 2001: Italian Formula 3, Federal ( 5th place)
• 2002: Indy Racing League ( 25th place )
• 2002: Euro Formula 3000
• 2003: IndyCar Series (No. 22)
• 2004: IndyCar Series (8th place )
• 2005: IndyCar Series (No. 7)
• 2006: IndyCar Series ( 5th place)
• 2006: ALMS, LMP1 ( 16th place)
• 2007: A1GP

• 2007: IndyCar Series (No. 12)
• 2007: AMLS, LMP2
• 2008: IndyCar Series (No. 13)
• 2008: Rolex Sports Car Series, DP ( No. 54 )
• 2009: IndyCar Series ( No. 28 )
• 2010: IndyCar Series (No. 12)
• 2011: IndyCar Series (No. 16)
• 2012: Stock Car Brasil

Individual results in the IndyCar Series

( Legend)