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Famous Racers through the Years

Professional race car drivers are worshipped by those who love to watch automobiles chasing each other to reach the finish line first. These athletes have trained for hundreds of hours on the tracks and have burned tons of pairs of wheels in order to perfect the art of feeding one's need for speed.

How did these sportsmen become true champions? Let us look into the careers of several of the most well-known racers in the past years to find out how they were able to rise in the game and win the hearts of the followers of the sport.

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Emerson Fittipaldi

With both his parents having raced production cars, this Brazilian became passionate about motorsports at a young age. He enjoyed a fruitful career as a professional driver from the 1970s to 1980s and became the youngest winner of the F1 world championships at the age of 25 in 1971. After experiencing several downturns in European racing in the late 70s, he set his sights on American challenges. He drove to success twice at the Indianapolis 500 in 1989 and 1993, and once at the CART Indy-car series in 1989. He was also famous for campaigning for safer conditions of race vehicles and on the tracks, and for his meticulous and precise driving style.

Gil De Ferran

This athlete was inspired by the success of his fellow countryman Fittipaldi and is known for his politeness, integrity, and analytical approach as a sportsman. This earned him the respect of fans on and off the race courses. He won at the 1992 British Formula Championship, at the 2000 and 2001 Champ Car competition, and at the 2003 Indianapolis 500. On October 28, 2000, at 241.426 mph, he set the track record for fastest lap during the CART qualifying at the Auto Club Speedway.

Michael Scumacher

Also known as the "rain king" because of his incredible performance in wet races, he has proven his skill in racing automobiles since he was a child. He has come a long way from driving the pedal kart that his father modified when he was four. He has won the F1 title seven times and is the record holder for most wins in a season, most podium finishes, most fastest laps, and more. The German racer has been involved in several humanitarian efforts and is a UNESCO spokesperson for driver safety.

Lewis Hamilton

Known for his interesting and aggressive driving style, he attained 4 wins during his debut season and became the 2008 Formula One winner. Despite experiencing racism during his career because of his mixed race, the champion was able to prove that with passion and determination, you can reach the finish line with flying colours.