Ana Beatriz

This article is about the Brazilian IndyCar series driver. For the Brazilian model, see Ana Beatriz Barros.
This article is about the Brazilian IndyCar series driver. For the Brazilian volleyball player, see Ana Beatriz Silva.
Ana Beatriz Caselato Gomes de Figueiredo

Beatriz at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May 2010.
Nationality Brazil Brazilian
Born (1985-03-18) March 18, 1985
São Paulo, Brazil
Awards 2008 Firestone Indy Lights Rookie of the Year
2003 Formula Renault 2.0 Brazil Rookie of the Year
IndyCar Series career
29 races run over 4 years
2013 position 29th
Best finish 21st (2011)
First race 2010 São Paulo Indy 300 (São Paulo)
Last race 2013 Iowa Corn Indy 250 (Iowa)
Wins Podiums Poles
0 0 0
Statistics current as of March 31, 2014.

Ana "Bia" Beatriz Caselato Gomes de Figueiredo (born March 18, 1985 in São Paulo) is a Brazilian racing driver currently competing in the IndyCar Series. Bia, as she is known by friends and fans, 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] On June 20, 2009 Bia won her second Indy Lights race and became the first woman to win a race car event at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa.[1]

Career

Early career

Ana 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, racing coach Nailor Campos, former coach of racers Tony Kanaan, Rubens Barrichello, Enrique Bernoldi and Andre Ribeiro, became her coach and chief mechanic. When Bia'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, Bia 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, Ana 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.

Ana driving in the Firestone Freedom 100 in 2008

2008

In 2008, Bia 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, she was referred to as "Bia", not "Ana", and many people, including Bia herself, continue to call her "Bia". Several American reporters have begun to use the name Ana "Bia" Beatriz in their written articles.

Bia 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 Bia's victory a reporter asked if she was the next Danica Patrick. She responded "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.

2009

Bia returned to the #20 Sam Schmidt car for 2009. She was forced to miss the Milwaukee Mile race due to a lack of funding caused by a hard crash in the Freedom 100 the prior week. However, a week later she won the race at the Iowa Speedway, her second series win.[6] She also skipped the final race of the season due to funding issues. She finished 8th in points despite missing the two races.

2010

Bia at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May 2010.

Bia's official Portuguese language site revealed on 23 February 2010 that she will drive a third car for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in the São Paulo Indy 300 in March 2010.[7] Further participation in the 2010 IndyCar Series season was confirmed and announced on May 12, 2010.[8] Bia qualified for the 2010 Indianapolis 500 on the outside of row seven with a four–lap average of 224.243 MPH and finished in 21st position after retiring on the final lap of the race, as she was involved in an accident with Ryan Hunter-Reay and teammate Mike Conway.

In December, she won the second race of the Brazilian karting event, Desafio Internacional das Estrelas. Bia became a fan favorite in the event as she went from her starting position of 11th to 1st, overtaking experienced drivers such as Tony Kanaan, Felipe Massa and Rubens Barrichello in the process. She ended 4th in the final standings despite scoring the same number of points as the winner, Lucas di Grassi (it was a four way tie).

2011

For the 2011 IndyCar Series season she competed full-time for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in the #24 car.[9] Bia broke her wrist in the opening laps of the first race at St. Petersburg causing her to miss the next race and requiring her to compete with a brace for the large part of the season.

2012

On March 8, 2012, Bia tested for Andretti Autosport, driving James Hinchcliffe's car #27 during a session of the open test at Sebring, with an eye to her running that team's fourth car at April's IndyCar Series event in her home town of São Paulo.[10] On April 5 it was announced that she would compete in the 2012 São Paulo and Indianapolis races for Andretti Autosport with assistance from Conquest Racing.

Motorsports 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 Series 1 win 3rd place Rookie of the Year, Tony Renna rising star award
2009 Firestone Indy Lights Series 1 win 8th place
2010 IndyCar Series 30th place

American open–wheel results

(key)

Indy Lights

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Rank Points
2008 Sam Schmidt Motorsports HMS
7		 STP1
3		 STP2
16		 KAN
14		 INDY
5		 MIL
19		 IOW
3		 WGL1
4		 WGL2
3		 NSH
1		 MDO1
14		 MDO2
5		 KTY
16		 SNM1
6		 SNM2
3		 CHI
2		 3rd 449
2009 Sam Schmidt Motorsports STP1
4		 STP2
23		 LBH
5		 KAN
4		 INDY
17		 MIL IOW
1		 WGL
9		 TOR
13		 EDM
12		 KTY
3		 MDO
12		 SNM
5		 CHI
14		 HMS 8th 320

IndyCar Series

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Rank Points
2010 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 SAO
13		 STP
 ALA
 LBH
 KAN
 INDY
21		 TXS
 IOW
 WGL
 TOR
 EDM
 MDO
 SNM
 CHI
24		 KTY
 MOT
 HMS
26		 30th 55
2011 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 STP
14		 ALA LBH
19		 SAO
24		 INDY
21		 TXS1
22		 TXS2
22		 MIL
17		 IOW
23		 TOR
11		 EDM
13		 MDO
17		 NHM
14		 SNM
13		 BAL
16		 MOT
19		 KTY
24		 LVS
C		 21st 212
2012 Andretti Autosport
Conquest Racing		 Dallara DW12 Chevrolet IndyCar V6t STP ALA LBH SAO
20		 INDY
23		 DET TXS MIL IOW TOR EDM MDO SNM BAL FON 29th 28
2013 Dale Coyne Racing Dallara DW12 Honda HI13TT V6t STP
22		 ALA
24		 LBH
14		 SAO
25		 INDY
15		 DET1
 DET2
 TXS
 MIL
19		 IOW
22		 POC
 TOR1
 TOR2
 MDO
 SNM
 BAL
 HOU1
 HOU2
 FON
 29th 72
Years Teams Races Poles Wins Podiums
(Non-win)		 Top 10s
(Non-podium)		 Indianapolis 500
Wins		 Championships
4 3 29 0 0 0 0 0 0

Indianapolis 500

Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
2010 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 21 21 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
2011 Dallara IR-05 Honda HI7R V8 32 21 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
2012 Dallara DW12 Chevrolet IndyCar V6t 13 23 Andretti Autosport/Conquest Racing
2013 Dallara DW12 Honda HI13TT V6t 29 15 Dale Coyne Racing

Complete Stock Car Brasil results

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Rank Points
2014 ProGP Chevrolet Sonic INT
1
15		 SCZ
1
22		 SCZ
2
18		 BRA
1
21		 BRA
2
16		 GOI
1
11		 GOI
2
23		 GOI
1
20		 CAS
1
Ret		 CAS
2
DNS		 CUR
1
30		 CUR
2
DNS		 VEL
1
18		 VEL
2
15		 SCZ
1
21		 SCZ
2
17		 TAR
1
27		 TAR
2
14		 SAL
1
21		 SAL
2
19		 CUR
1
Ret		 32nd 15
2015 União Química Racing Peugeot 408 GOI
1
19		 RBP
1
20		 RBP
2
DNS		 VEL
1
23		 VEL
2
17		 CUR
1
20		 CUR
2
10		 SCZ
1
24		 SCZ
2
DNS		 CUR
1
Ret		 CUR
2
DNS		 GOI
1
Ret		 CAS
1
24		 CAS
2
22		 MOU
1
Ret		 MOU
2
DNS		 CUR
1
Ret		 CUR
2
Ret		 TAR
1
23		 TAR
2
Ret		 INT
1
18		 32nd 13

References

  1. 1 2 3 IndyCar.com. (12 July 2008) History -- Again IndyCar. Accessed 12 July 2008.
  2. 1 2 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.
  6. ↑ Lewandowski, Dave. (June 20, 2009) SSM Sweep, IndyCar. Accessed 16 October 2009.
  7. ↑ BiaFigueiredo.com (23 February 2010) Fórmula Indy: Ana Beatriz fecha com a equipe Dreyer & Reinbold Racing BiaFigueiredo.com. Accessed 23 February 2010.
  8. ↑ GPUpdate.net (12th May 2010) Beatriz to compete in 500 with Dreyer & Reinbold GPUpdate.net. Accessed 30 January 2011.
  9. ↑ Dreyer & Reinbold Racing names Ana Beatriz as driver, AutoWeek, March 3, 2011, Retrieved 2011-03-03
  10. ↑ The Indianapolis Star, March 9, 2012 edition

External links

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