Felipe Giaffone (; born 22 January 1975) is a Brazilian racing driver. Giaffone competed in the Indy Racing League between 2001 and 2006, with a best season finish of fourth in the 2002 season with a single win at Kentucky. He later switched to truck racing, claiming a total eight titles between Fórmula Truck and Copa Truck.

From 2008 to 2018, Giaffone worked as part-time commentator on IndyCar Series broadcasts on Rede Bandeirantes. In 2019, he joined Rede Globo to continue in that role on Formula One broadcasts. In 2021, he returned to Band as the network got the rights for F1 races. In 2026, he switched back to Globo to continue in Formula One broadcasts but in pay television channel SporTV.

His father, "Zeca" Giaffone is the 1987 Stock Car Brasil champion and a Mil Milhas Brasil five-time winner in the 1980s.

Racing career Giaffone went to the United States to drive in the Indy Lights series in 1999 where he was coached by Formula One legend and countryman Nelson Piquet. He began racing in the IRL in 2001 and won one race at Kentucky Speedway in 2002. In 2003, Giaffone was one of the IRL's representatives in the IROC series, but he only competed in two races due to injury and finished tenth in series standings. In 2005, Giaffone made a last minute deal with A. J. Foyt to qualify a third car for him in the Indianapolis 500. With minutes to spare, Giaffone bumped Arie Luyendyk Jr. from the field. Starting in the final 33rd starting position, he avoided attrition and finished fifteenth. With A. J.'s grandson A. J. Foyt IV leaving the IRL for NASCAR in 2006, A. J. the elder chose Giaffone to be his full-time driver for the 2006 season but he was released after eight races due to what Foyt called "communication problems".

In 2007, Giaffone returned to Brazil to race in the Fórmula Truck. He won the championship four times in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2016, and was runner-up in 2010, 2012 and 2014. In 2017, he switched to the Copa Truck, where he claimed four titles in 2017, 2023, 2024 and 2025, and two runner-ups in 2018 and 2022.

Racing record

American Open Wheel racing results (key)

Indy Lights Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Rank Points Ref 1996 Leading Edge MotorsportMIA14LBH24NAZ13MIS10MIL9DET18POR16CLE6TORTRO17th20 Brian Stewart RacingVAN22LS8 1998 Conquest RacingMIA19LBH24NAZ8STL4MIL2DET9POR2CLE8TOR6MIS9TRO6VAN5LS18FON24th104 1999 Conquest RacingMIA17LBH10NAZ18MIL4POR10CLE3TOR4MIS3DET4CHI8LS18FON206th78 2000 Conquest RacingLBH3MIL12DET2POR14MIS1CHI4MDO13VAN2LS6STL7HOU3FON74th118

IndyCar Series Year Team No. Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Rank Points Ref 2001 Treadway-Hubbard Racing 21 G-Force GF05B Oldsmobile Aurora V8PHX6HMS4ATL10INDY10TXS2PPI7RIR11KAN4NSH8KTY8STL20CHI10TX221 6th 304 2002 Mo Nunn Racing G-Force GF05C Chevrolet Indy V8HMS7PHX19FON6NZR2INDY3TXS5PPI4RIR3KAN4NSH7MIS3KTY1STL21CHI6TX217 4th 432 2003 G-Force GF09 Toyota Indy V8HMS9PHX3MOT3INDY33TXS17PPI13RIR6KAN22NSHInjMISInjSTLInjKTYInjNZRInjCHI15FON16TX219 20th 199 2004 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing 24 Dallara IR-04 Chevrolet Indy V8HMSPHXMOTINDY15TXS9RIR10KAN16NSH15MIL13MIS16KTY16PPI16NZR16CHI8FON20TX211 20th 214 2005 A. J. Foyt Enterprises 48 Panoz GF09C Toyota Indy V8HMSPHXSTPMOTINDY15TXSRIRKANNSHMILMISKTYPPIRSNMCHIWGLFON 31st 15 2006 14 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI6R V8HMS8STP9MOT15INDY21WGL5TXS16RIR17KAN19NSHMILMISKTYSNMCHI 17th 142

IndyCar Series career summary Year Team Starts Wins Points Championship Finish 2001 Treadway Racing 13 0 304 6th 2002 Mo Nunn Racing 15 1 432 4th 2003 Mo Nunn Racing 11 0 199 20th 2004 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing 13 0 214 20th 2005 Foyt Enterprises 1 0 15 30th 2006 Foyt Enterprises 8 0 142 17th

Indianapolis 500 Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team 2001 G-Force GF05B Oldsmobile Aurora V8 33 10 Treadway Racing 2002 G-Force GF05C Chevrolet Indy V8 4 3 Mo Nunn Racing 2003 G-Force GF09 Toyota Indy V8 16 33 Mo Nunn Racing 2004 Dallara IR-04 Chevrolet Indy V8 25 15 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing 2005 Panoz GF09C Toyota Indy V8 33 15 A. J. Foyt Enterprises 2006 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI6R V8 21 21 A. J. Foyt Enterprises

Fórmula Truck

YearTeam12345678910RankPoints2005 RAM-Scania CARNP GOI5 SAORet GUANP LON7 CAMC CUR2 TAR8 BSBRet 14º 252007 RMC-Volkswagen CAS7 TAR5 SAO1 FOR1 CAR1 GOIRet CUR1 CAM2 BSB5 1º 1562008 RMC-Volkswagen GUA6 GOI4 CAR1 FORRet SAO7 LON3 CAM3 CURRet TAR2 BSBRet 4º 120 2009 RMC-Volkswagen GUA1 FOR4 CAR1 GOIRet SAORet LON1 ARG1 SCZ4 CURRet BSB4 1º 1692010 RMC-Volkswagen GUA1 RIO5 CAR2 CAM3 SAO4 LON3 ARG2 VELRet CUR2 BSB4 2º 1762011 RMC-Volkswagen SCZ1 RIORet CAR1 GOI19 SAO1 LON1 ARG10 GUA2 CUR11 BSB1 1º 1882012 RMC-Volkswagen VEL2 RIO7 CARRet GOIRet SAO8 CAS2 ARG1 GUA3 CUR3 BSB4 2º 1542013 RMC-MAN SE TARRet LON18 CARRet GOIRet SAO13 CAS1 ARG2 GUA2 CUR1 BSBRet 4º 1142014 RMC-MAN SE CAR11 CUR3 SAO2 BSB2 CAS5 SCZ4 ARG2 GUA2 LON1 GOIRet 2º 184

Family The Giaffone family has had great involvement in motorsport.

José "Zeca" Giaffone - Felipe's father; 1987 Stock Car Brasil champion and five-time winner of Mil Milhas Brasil: 1981, 1984, 1986, 1988 and 1989. The founder of JL Racing, the biggest racing engine supplier in Brazil and Stock Car Brasil chassis supplier, and the owner of Granja Viana international kart circuit in Cotia, near São Paulo city. Nicolas Giaffone - son of Felipe, champion of 2023 USF Juniors. José "Zequinha" Giaffone - Felipe's brother; He competed in some races in the 1996 Indy Lights. Affonso Giaffone Júnior - Felipe's uncle, Zeca's elder brother; The winner of the first ever race of Stock Car Brasil in 1979, the champion of the 1981 season and two times winner of Mil Milhas Brasil: 1981 and 1986. His four sons all competed in the Brazilian national kart championships. Affonso Giaffone - Felipe's cousin, Affonso Junior's son; He competed in the 1996-1997 Indy Racing League season. Silvana Giaffone - Felipe's cousin and later Ex wife of Rubens Barrichello. This makes Barrichello a cousin-in-law of Felipe.

References

External links History of the kart circuit - from Granja Viana kart circuit official website