Max Wilson

For the baseball player, see Max Wilson (baseball).
Max Wilson
Nationality Brazilian
Born (1972-08-22) 22 August 1972
Hamburg, Germany
Stock Car Brasil
Teams Eufarma RC
Starts 48
Wins 4
Best finish 1st in 2010
Previous series
1994
1995
1995–96
1996
1997–99
2001
2002–08
Formula Chevrolet
Formula Three Sudamericana
German Formula 3
DTM
International Formula 3000
Champ Car
V8 Supercar

Max Wilson (born August 22, 1972 in Hamburg, Germany) is a racing driver of Brazilian parentage.

Racing career

Junior formulae

He started his motor racing career in 1985 in go-karts. His tenacious racing style led him to move into single-seaters in 1993, when he was offered a ride in the Brazilian Formula Ford Championship.

In 1994 he moved to the Brazilian Formula Chevrolet Championship and finished 2nd overall, behind Felipe Giaffone.

Formula 3

Again, Wilson graduated up a level into Formula Three Sudamericana for the 1995 season. Again he finished 2nd in the championship, this time behind Ricardo Zonta.

After testing successfully for the WTS-F3-Team, owned by Michael Schumacher's personal manager Willi Weber, Max was snatched up by the BSR squad to compete at Magny-Cours for the penultimate round of the German Formula Three Championship that year. A 5th and a 6th place in double header generated further interest in the unknown youngster.

Wilson moved to Munich at the beginning of 1996 as his personal friend Mario-Alberto Bauér managed to find a seat for Max in the German Formula Three Championship. Willi Weber had sold his WTS-F3-Team to aspiring team owner Georgis Tokmakidis and Max was signed to race with Dutchman Tom Coronel as a team-mate. But the team dwindled due to persistent personnel problems. Coronel ended up never racing for the team and a variety of drivers walked in and out. After winning a pre-season non-championship the results were disappointing and led to Max, aside Jarno Trulli, Nick Heidfeld and Arnd Meier one of the championship favorites, leaving the team after a couple of races.

Against all warnings he then decided to join the Italian Prema Power F3 Team as a team mate to André Couto from mid-season on and managed to win one championship round in wet conditions at Diepholz, despite the notoriously underpowered Fiat-engine. In those days almost every car on the grid was powered by the superior Opel Spiess engine. Restrained by the power disadvantage the initial title favourite ended up in 10th in the championship.

Formula 3000 / Formula 1 / Indycars

In 1997, Edenbridge Racing chose him to drive one of their Formula 3000 cars, alongside Werner Lupberger. He finished 5th in the championship, albeit only 19 points behind champion Ricardo Zonta after 10 rounds.

He stayed on at Edenbridge for the 1998 season, and also became a test driver for the Williams F1 team.

At the end of 1999, Wilson was offered a drive with the ailing Minardi team but a lack of financial backing saw him lose the ride at the last minute to Gastón Mazzacane, a less experienced but more financially solvent driver. But all was not lost: after an impressive stint at Williams, Wilson spent 2000 as an F1 test driver for Michelin as the tyre manufacturer prepared to re-enter Formula One competition.

Unable to secure a full-time Formula One ride for the 2001 season, Wilson returned to the United States and joined the Arciero-Blair Racing Team to contest the Champ Car World Series. In his rookie year, he posted some inspiring results against the likes of Michael Andretti, Christian Fittipaldi and Kenny Bräck.

Touring cars

At the end of 1996, he drove one race in ITC at Interlagos for Alfa Romeo, as all manufacturers had one local driver to improve interest among local spectators. He led the second race for a while, eventually finishing in 2nd.

Failing to raise a full Champ Car budget for 2002, Wilson packed his bags and headed for Australia where he joined the Ford V8 Supercars team Briggs Motor Sport. Keeping in mind he had never driven anything but an open-wheeler, the extra weight, right hand drive and sheer size of a V8 Supercar seemed a significant challenge for the young Brazilian. Wilson, however, had other ideas.

In just his second outing in a V8 Supercar, Wilson managed to snare fifth position on the grid at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide. His trend for setting the pace during qualifying continued throughout the year, qualifying inside the top 15 starters in 11 of the 14 events during his debut year in the championship.

Wilson continued his impressive qualifying form with Dick Johnson Racing in 2003 where he capped off the year with his first podium finish in the championship at the final round of the year.

2004 was a tough year for Wilson when he failed to finish five of the rounds due to a variety of reasons while in a position for some solid results whilst driving for Triple 8 Racing.

A last-minute arrangement saw Wilson compete in the championship with Team Dynamik after his former Briggs Motor Sport team mate, Tony Longhurst became the entrant for one of the team's Holden Commodore VZs. During his 2005 campaign he again showed glimpses of his true potential which included a fifth place in the final race in China and a top ten finish at the Oran Park round.

For 2006, Wilson moved to the WPS Racing team however immediately prior to the 2008 season the team folded, leaving Wilson without a drive. Wilson returned to his native Brazil but did drive the Australian enduro season with Brad Jones Racing, finishing an excellent fifth with Brad Jones at the Bathurst 1000 having led the race in parts.

In 2009 he returned to racing in Brazil competing in the Stock Car Brasil winning the title in 2010.

Racing record

Career summary

Season Series Position Car Team
1995 Formula Three Sudamericana 2nd Dallara 394 Mugen Honda
Dallara 394 Opel
Amir Nasr Racing
Prop Car
1995 German Formula Three Championship 19th Dallara 395 Opel Opel Team BSR
1996 German Formula Three Championship 10th Dallara 395 Fiat Tokmakidis Motorsport
Prema Powerteam
1996 International Touring Car Championship 19th Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI JAS Engineering
1997 International Formula 3000 Championship 5th Lola T96/50 - Zytek Edenbridge Racing
1998 International Formula 3000 Championship 9th Lola T96/50 - Zytek Edenbridge Racing
1999 International Formula 3000 Championship 8th Lola B99/50 - Zytek Super Nova Racing
2001 CART Championship Series 25th Lola B2K/00 - Ford Cosworth Arciero-Blair Racing
2002 V8Supercar Championship Series 32nd Ford AU Falcon Briggs Motor Sport
2003 V8Supercar Championship Series 17th Ford BA Falcon Dick Johnson Racing
2004 V8Supercar Championship Series 28th Ford BA Falcon Triple Eight Race Engineering
2005 V8Supercar Championship Series 24th Holden VZ Commodore Team Dynamik
2006 V8Supercar Championship Series 15th Ford BA Falcon WPS Racing
2007 V8Supercar Championship Series 17th Ford BF Falcon WPS Racing
2008 V8Supercar Championship Series 33rd Holden VE Commodore Brad Jones Racing
2009 Stock Car Brasil 9th Chevrolet Vectra Eurofarma RC
2010 Stock Car Brasil 1st Chevrolet Vectra Eurofarma RC
2011 Stock Car Brasil 4th Chevrolet Vectra Eurofarma RC
2012 Stock Car Brasil 6th Chevrolet Sonic Eurofarma RC

International Touring Car Championship results

(key)

Year Team 1
Germany
2
Germany
3
Portugal
4
Finland
5
Germany
6
Germany
7
Germany
8
United Kingdom
9
Germany
10
France
11
Italy
12
Brazil
13
Japan
Final Pos Points
1996 Alfa Romeo HOC1
HOC2
NUR1
NUR2
EST1
EST2
HEL1
HEL2
NOR1
NOR2
DIE1
DIE2
SIL1
SIL2
NUR1
NUR2
MAG1
MAG2
MUG1
MUG2
HOC1
HOC2
SAO1
9
SAO2
2
SUK1
SUK2
19th 17

Complete International Formula 3000 results

(key)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 DC Points
1997 Edenbridge Racing SIL
Ret
PAU
7
HEL
Ret
NÜR
5
PER
3
HOC
2
A1R
8
SPA
2
MUG
4
JER
10
5th 21
1998 Edenbridge Racing OSC
Ret
IMO
Ret
CAT
6
SIL
5
MON
DNPQ
PAU
2
A1R
Ret
HOC
Ret
HUN
Ret
SPA
13
PER
Ret
NÜR
Ret
9th 9
1999 Den Blå Avis
Petrobras Junior Team
IMO
Ret
MON
3
CAT
Ret
MAG
Ret
SIL
Ret
A1R
Ret
HOC
2
HUN
Ret
SPA NÜR
3
8th 14

American open wheel racing results

(key)

CART

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Rank Points
2001 Arciero-Brooke Racing Lola B2K/00 Phoenix IC108F MTY
28
LBH
21
TXS
NH
NZR
17
MOT 25th 12
Arciero-Blair Racing Ford XD MIL
23
DET
23
POR
4
CLE
19
TOR
25
MIS
DNS
CHI MDO
15
ROA
25
VAN
25
LAU
18
ROC
21
HOU
16
LS
24
SRF FON

Complete V8 Supercar results

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Pos. Points
2002 Team Betta Electrical Ford AU Falcon ADE
DNS
PHI
25
EAS
26
HID
13
CAN
32
BAR
17
ORA
31
WIN
21
QLD
Ret
BAT
Ret
SUR
18
PUK
12
SAN
20
32nd 319
2003 Dick Johnson Racing Ford BA Falcon ADE
Ret
PHI
16
EAS
16
WIN
9
BAR
18
HID
22
QLD
24
ORA
Ret
SAN
19
BAT
12
SUR
13
PUK
22
EAS
3
17th 1244
2004 Team Betta Electrical Ford BA Falcon ADE
Ret
EAS
10
PUK
16
HID
22
BAR
18
QLD
14
WIN
Ret
ORA
Ret
SAN
Ret
BAT
Ret
SUR
6
SYM
19
EAS
11
28th 865
2005 Team Dynamik Holden VZ Commodore ADE
21
PUK
19
BAR
21
EAS
20
SHA
17
HID
21
QLD
14
ORA
10
SAN
Ret
BAT
Ret
SUR
22
SYM
15
EAS
16
24th 931
2006 WPS Racing Ford BA Falcon ADE
8
PUK
22
BAR
23
WIN
10
HID
17
QLD
12
ORA
29
SAN
11
BAT
14
SUR
17
SYM
13
BAH
16
PHI
17
15th 2038
2007 WPS Racing Ford BA Falcon ADE
26
BAR
18
PUK
15
WIN
18
EAS
23
HID
13
QLD
19
ORA
13
SAN
Ret
BAT
7
SUR
10
BAH
25
SYM
24
PHI
19
17th 110
2008 Brad Jones Racing Holden VE Commodore ADE
EAS HAM BAR SAN HID QLD WIN PHI Q
7
PHI R
15
BAT
5
SUR BAH SYM ORA 33rd 343

† Non Championship

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
2009 Eurofarma RC Chevrolet Vectra INT
Ret
CTB
5
BSB
4
SCZ
1
SAO
16
SAL
14
RIO
9
CGD
25
CTB
13
BSB
18
TAR
10
INT
3
9th 234
2010 Eurofarma RC Chevrolet Vectra INT
1
CTB
4
VEL
Ret
RIO
8
RBP
5
SAL
5
INT
20
CGD
Ret
LON
1
SCS
8
BSB
2
CTB
8
1st 265
2011 Eurofarma RC Chevrolet Vectra CTB
2
INT
5
RBP
2
VEL
Ret
CGD
9
RIO
5
INT
3
SAL
2
SCZ
5
LON
3
BSB
16
VEL
17
4th 248
2012 Eurofarma RC Chevrolet Sonic INT
24
CTB
2
VEL
3
RBP
20
LON
9
RIO
5
SAL
9
CGD
6
TAR
7
CTB
13
BSB
1
INT
29
6th 138
2013 Eurofarma RC Chevrolet Sonic INT
6
CUR
7
TAR
13
SAL
5
BRA
13
CAS
18
RBP
2
CAS
3
VEL
6
CUR
23
BRA
7
INT
5
5th 163
2014 Eurofarma RC Chevrolet Sonic INT
1

SCZ
1

SCZ
2

BRA
1

BRA
2

GOI
1

GOI
2

GOI
1

CAS
1

CAS
2

CUR
1

CUR
2

VEL
1

VEL
2

SAL
1

SAL
2

TAR
1

TAR
2

RBP
1

RBP
2

CUR
1

NC N/A

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Cacá Bueno
Stock Car Brasil
Champion

2010
Succeeded by
Cacá Bueno
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