NOVEMBER 10, 2003

Rubens and Juan Pablo outshone in Brazil

Christian Fittipaldi, Mario Haberfeld and Costa Rican kart racer Charlie Fonseca won the 500 Miles of Granja Viana in Brazil at the weekend, completing the 500 mile kart race in 10 hours and 43 minutes. It was Fittipaldi's third victory in the event, having won in 1998 and 2000.

Christian Fittipaldi, Mario Haberfeld and Costa Rican kart racer Charlie Fonseca won the 500 Miles of Granja Viana in Brazil at the weekend, completing the 500 mile kart race in 10 hours and 43 minutes. It was Fittipaldi's third victory in the event, having won in 1998 and 2000.

The Granja Viana 500 has been held annually since 1997 at the Kartodromo Internacional Granja Viana, near Sao Paulo. This year it attracted nearly 70 teams which included amongst the drivers Formula 1 stars Rubens Barrichello and Juan Pablo Montoya. Antonio Pizzonia and Alex Zanardi were also racing as were a large number of CART and IRL racers including Oriol Servia, Jimmy Vasser, Michel Jourdain Jr, Tony Kanaan and Roberto Moreno. Other entries of interest were Marco Andretti, son of Michael Andretti.

The winning team was run by Mike Wilson, five-time World Karting Champion and the man who designed the winning Fittipaldi chassis.

Barrichello and Montoya had problems and finished 13th and 17th respectively.