Ricardo Zonta History Page

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Ricardo Zonta has signed as Jordan's third driver for 2001 the season.

FACT FILE Born March 23 1976, in Curitiba, PR .

Lives - Monaco.

Nationality - Brazilian.
Height - 1.72m.

Weight - 64kg.

Superstition - Getting in and out of the car, right leg first.

Career

1988 First kart race at 11 years old with victory in his first race.

1988 Runner-up in the Curitiba Karting Championship.

1991 Won the Parana Karting Championship.

1992 4th place in the Sao Paulo Karting Championship.

1993 6th place in the Brazilian Formula Chevrolet Championship.

1994 5th place in the Brazilian Formula 3 Championship.

1995 Brazilian Formula 3 Champion and South American Formula 3 Champion with all-time records of victories, fastest laps and pole positions.

1996 Ricardo’s first season in the European Formula 3000 Championship (with Italy’s Draco Engineering team) led to two race victories at Mugello and Estoril, a pair of fastest laps and a pole position. He was awarded ‘Best Rookie’ in the Formula 3000 class.

1997 He moved to Britain’s Super Nova team and with three race wins and two second places, was crowned European Formula 3000 Champion, edging out Colombia’s Juan Pablo Montoya, 39 points to 37.5. Following this triumph Ricardo earned the biggest award given to Brazilian drivers, the Golden Helmet for "Best International Driver Category", offered by the Brazilian magazine "Racing". Zonta got his 1st Formula one drive when he did a seven day test for Jordan Grand Prix, doing pre-season development work on the J198. He impressed many by being 2nd quickest, to Hakkinen, in that period. .

1998 Ricardo moved to the FIA GT1 Championship for the 1998 season and paired with Germany’s Klaus Ludwig in one of two AMG Mercedes-Benz teams the team won the championship at their 1st attempt. Zonta won the championship at Laguna Seca with a three straight race victory, and a four consecutive pole position. For the second year in a row Ricardo won a Golden Helmet award, this time in the "World Prominence Category‘. Zonta also spent a lot of 1998 as a test driver for the McLaren team..

1999 Ricardo had his first year as an official F1 driver for the British American Racing team. The whole team suffers badly with a bad chassis and bad reliability, a severely under-powered engine and a Managing Director with a big mouth who made all types of unrealistic commitments.

2000 Back at BAR for another season, the new Honda engine makes a big difference and gives the drivers a chance of points. Ricardo ends the season in 14th place with 3 points following 6th place finishes at Australia, Italy and USA. He isn’t happy with the way the team revolves around teammate Villeneuve, so is replaced. Seeing the possibility of a race seat in 2002, Ricardo signs with Jordan as third driver for the 2001 season.

Ricardo's Formula One Career

Starts
Wins
Poles
Podiums
Front Rows
Fastest Laps
Points
33
0
0
0
0
0
3

FACT FILE	Born March 23 1976, in Curitiba, PR .
	Lives - Monaco.
	Nationality - Brazilian.
	Height - 1.72m.
	Weight - 64kg.
	Superstition - Getting in and out of the car, right leg first.
Career
1988	First kart race at 11 years old with victory in his first race.
1988	Runner-up in the Curitiba Karting Championship.
1991	Won the Parana Karting Championship.
1992	4th place in the Sao Paulo Karting Championship.
1993	6th place in the Brazilian Formula Chevrolet Championship.
1994	5th place in the Brazilian Formula 3 Championship.
1995	Brazilian Formula 3 Champion and South American Formula 3 Champion with all-time records of victories, fastest laps and pole positions.
1996	Ricardo’s first season in the European Formula 3000 Championship (with Italy’s Draco Engineering team) led to two race victories at Mugello and Estoril, a pair of fastest laps and a pole position. He was awarded ‘Best Rookie’ in the Formula 3000 class.
1997	He moved to Britain’s Super Nova team and with three race wins and two second places, was crowned European Formula 3000 Champion, edging out Colombia’s Juan Pablo Montoya, 39 points to 37.5. Following this triumph Ricardo earned the biggest award given to Brazilian drivers, the Golden Helmet for "Best International Driver Category", offered by the Brazilian magazine "Racing". Zonta got his 1st Formula one drive when he did a seven day test for Jordan Grand Prix, doing pre-season development work on the J198. He impressed many by being 2nd quickest, to Hakkinen, in that period. .
1998	Ricardo moved to the FIA GT1 Championship for the 1998 season and paired with Germany’s Klaus Ludwig in one of two AMG Mercedes-Benz teams the team won the championship at their 1st attempt. Zonta won the championship at Laguna Seca with a three straight race victory, and a four consecutive pole position. For the second year in a row Ricardo won a Golden Helmet award, this time in the "World Prominence Category‘. Zonta also spent a lot of 1998 as a test driver for the McLaren team..
1999	Ricardo had his first year as an official F1 driver for the British American Racing team. The whole team suffers badly with a bad chassis and bad reliability, a severely under-powered engine and a Managing Director with a big mouth who made all types of unrealistic commitments.
2000	Back at BAR for another season, the new Honda engine makes a big difference and gives the drivers a chance of points. Ricardo ends the season in 14th place with 3 points following 6th place finishes at Australia, Italy and USA. He isn’t happy with the way the team revolves around teammate Villeneuve, so is replaced. Seeing the possibility of a race seat in 2002, Ricardo signs with Jordan as third driver for the 2001 season.