“If I’d known what the reaction was going to be, I would have drunk the milk first,” says Emerson Fittipaldi, unable to prevent himself from chuckling as he recounts the incident that, even 23 years later, is recalled by many fans in the United States more clearly than his two Formula One world championships.
By reaching for orange juice after winning the Indy 500 in 1993 the Brazilian might have provoked rancour but he was always a singular driver and a singular character and he has no time, nor patience, for regrets after a remarkable career. Being himself was always more important to Fittipaldi and it is something he shares with and admires in Lewis Hamilton.
The winner drinking milk after the race at Indianapolis is one of motor sport’s oldest traditions, begun in 1933 after Louis Meyer celebrated his second victory with a glass. But Fittipaldi wanted to do his own thing (and doubtless help the business of the orange grove farm he owned) after taking the flag for the second of his two wins at the Brickyard.
He duly swigged orange juice and was still being booed years later when driving the pace car before the opening of the 2008 race. Mentioning it now provokes gentle amusement.
“I was promoting the Brazilian orange juice,” he says. “I won the race and I did drink the milk, but it was after I drank the orange. The media all said: ‘Emerson broke the tradition.’
“I had drunk the milk but there are no pictures of me drinking it,” he adds earnestly, with the tone of one who has had to defend this charge before. “I didn’t want to offend anybody, it was a mistake but it was not intentional.”
Diehards may still bristle but apologies are not really necessary; his career will ultimately stand testament. On top of those two 500s, there were 22 race victories driving Indycars in the Cart series, including the title in 1989, after twice winning the F1 world title, with Lotus in 1972 and McLaren in 1974.
He went head-to-head with Clay Regazzoni – “difficult to fight, I knew he was dangerous”, Sir Jackie Stewart – “a fantastic champion, I diced wheel-to-wheel with him, he was always on the limit but respected your space”, and Nigel Mansell – “in Cleveland, in three laps we changed position seven times, we were right on the edge of the track and nearly touching wheels – it was fantastic”. He was respected in turn and has been lifelong friends with Stewart.
Now 69, he looks back on his years behind the wheel with unsurprising fondness. “I was so happy to win the world championships, to win at Indianapolis twice,” he says. “I have no regrets. I had the best behind me, I drove for Lotus and McLaren and some of the best teams in America. How can I complain?”
Hamilton, the world champion, has received a lot of criticism for his jet-set lifestyle and interests outside F1 and their potential effect on his driving, as well attracting an aggressive media response after the Snapchat incident in Suzuka. But Fittipaldi is sympathetic. “From all the modern drivers, Lewis has a very strong personality, which is great for motor racing,” he says. “He is able to communicate with the fans and the fans like that. That’s part of the sport. I like his personality, doing what he wants to do.”
He has a valid point, the complaints about over-media-trained, bland drivers have been around for years but when one strays from the script, even only at the expense of journalists expecting stories, there is a furore. Fittipaldi insists you can’t have it both ways. “It’s important that someone can express themselves, we need that,” he says. “It’s very important to give our opinion the way we want to give it. It’s sometimes controversial but that’s part of life.”
Bernie Ecclestone has shared Fittipaldi’s admiration for Hamilton’s ability to promote the sport and the Briton is happy to engage with fans, unlike some of his peers.
“The drivers are too controlled by the teams, the sponsors, the PR guys,” Fittipaldi says. “We are missing their personalities, because of the system and it has to change. They have to have more freedom, to express their own opinion, not just what the team or sponsors want them to say.
“They have to express their feelings more, that’s what people want to know. Racing fans love that, they like controversy.
“Motor sport is all about pressure and adrenaline and sometimes the drivers want to express that but cannot.”
Fittipaldi, saw out his final years in F1 staying loyal to the team his brother had set up in 1976; they struggled from the off and were never really competitive with third their best result. Cart would follow, but since retiring in 1996 he has not left motor racing behind. Last week, alongside some other notable fathers and their sons including Riccardo Patrese, Juan Pablo Montoya and Jarno Trulli, he was at the South Garda karting track in Lonato, Italy, with his nine-year-old boy, known simply as Emmo.
Did the youngster have the makings of a future world champion? “He has the passion and talent but a long way to go,” was the reply, again with the same warm chuckle with which he had recalled causing horror at the Brickyard.
Hamilton, however, regardless of whether he can come back again at Nico Rosberg’s 26-point lead in another must-win race in Mexico on Sunday, was someone he was willing to back for the future. “Lewis is a fantastic talent,” Fittipaldi says. “His driving, his achievements show the talent that is there and the talent will deliver the result. He absolutely has more world championships in him.”