Bia Figueiredo

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Ana Beatriz Caselato Gomes de Figueiredo
Nationality Flag of Brazil Brazilian
Date of Birth March 18, 1985 (1985-03-18) (age 23)
Place of Birth São Paulo
2008 Firestone Indy Lights Series
Debut season 2008
Current team Sam Schmidt Motorsports
Car No. 20
Starts 16
Wins 1
Poles 0
Best finish 3rd in 2008
Previous series
2006
2003-2005		 Formula Three Sudamericana
Brazilian Formula Renault
Awards
2003 Brazilian Formula Renault Rookie of the Year
Bia Figueiredo (left) with her F3 car in 2006

Ana "Bia" Beatriz Caselato Gomes de Figueiredo (born on March 18, 1985, in São Paulo) is a Brazilian female racing driver currently competing in the Firestone Indy Lights series. Figueiredo won her first Indy Lights race at Nashville Superspeedway on 12 July 2008, becoming the first woman to win a race in the Indy Lights series.[1]

Contents

Career

Figueiredo started her career in karting races. Initially funded by her family, "Bianinha" ("Little Bia") began kart racing at age eight.[2]

At the age of 12, Afro-Brazilian racing coach Nailor "Nô" Campos, former coach of racers Tony Kanaan, Rubens Barrichello, Enrique Bernoldi and Andre Ribeiro, became her coach and chief mechanic. When Figueiredo's family could no longer fund her racing endeavors at the age of 15, Campos helped her attain sponsorship from the Medley pharmaceutical company, owned by former racer Xandy (Pollini) Negrão, father of racer Alexandre Sarnes Negrão.[2]

With formal sponsorship, Figueiredo finished as runner-up in a variety of karting championships and won the Sorriso Petrobrás Kart Cup championship in 2003.

After three seasons in the Brazilian Formula Renault championship, Figueiredo started competing in Formula Three Sudamericana in 2006, driving for the well-established Cesario Formula team. In 2006, she also drove a Red Bull Volkswagen Touareg for PPD Sports, owned by Pedro Diniz.

In 2008, Figueiredo began racing in the American Firestone Indy Lights Series for defending championship-winning team Sam Schmidt Motorsports under the name Ana Beatriz.[3] Prior to racing in the United States, Figueiredo was referred to as "Bia", not "Ana", and many people, including Figueiredo herself, continue to call her "Bia". Several American reporters have begun to use the name Ana "Bia" Beatriz in their written articles.

Figueiredo placed fifth in the Firestone Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on 23 May 2008, the highest finishing position by a female driver in that race.[4] On 12 July 2008, she led the most laps and won her first Indy Lights race at Nashville Superspeedway.[1]

With the excitement surrounding Figueiredo's victory a reporter asked if she was the next Danica Patrick. She responded, using her Brazilian nickname Bia, "Everybody is making that comparison... But I always say that I'm always going to be Bia. I'm never going to be Danica... I hope there is a place for a Bia now."[5]

2008 Awards

The results she demonstrated on and off the track gained the attention of many, and as a result, she was awarded the Tony Renna Rising Star Award. Named after the late driver, the award was given to Beatriz for demonstrating qualities as Renna - teamwork, physical fitness, and resourcefulness.

Also, her third-place result in the final championship standings earned her "Rookie of the Year" honors and places her in a position to be a championship contender in 2009.

Summary career results

Year Category Result Awards
Win, PP, FL Overall
Karting
2000 São Paulo Championship (Category B) Runner-up Price Racing of 2000 - Kart
2001 Brazilian Championship (Category A) 3rd place Capacete de Ouro - Kart
São Paulo Championship (Category A) Runner-up
Brazil Kart Cup Runner-up
2002 Brazilian Championship (Category A) Runner-up Capacete de Ouro - Kart
São Paulo Championship (Category A) 3rd place
2003 Sorriso Petrobrás Kart Cup Champion
Petrobrás Karting Selective Runner-up
Open wheel
2003 Brazilian Formula Renault 2 FL Rookie of the year - Brazilian Formula Renault
2004 Brazilian Formula Renault 5th place
2005 Brazilian Formula Renault 3 win, 3 PP 3rd place Capacete de Ouro - Fórmula
2006 Formula Three Sudamericana 5th place Capacete de Ouro - São Paulo Citizen Driver
2008 Firestone Indy Lights 1 win 3rd place

References

  1. ^ a b IndyCar.com. (12 July 2008) History -- Again IndyCar. Accessed 12 July 2008.
  2. ^ a b Wagner, Phillip. (30 July 2008) Is Bia Brazil's Danica Patrick (Part 1) Motorsport.com. Accessed 31 July 2008.
  3. ^ Knapp Schilke, Nancy. (1 January 2008) Schmidt gives opportunity to Beatriz-Figueiredo Motorsport.com. Accessed 1 January 2008.
  4. ^ Lewandowski, Dave. (1 January 2008) Battistini holds off Antinucci at the Yard of Bricks IndyCar. Accessed 24 May 2008.
  5. ^ Braun, Travis. (16 July 2008) Beatriz looks to carve out own image among women racers USA Today. Accessed 3 August 2008.

External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bia_Figueiredo"

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