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Pedro Diniz

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In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Falleiros and the second or paternal family name is dos Santos Diniz.
Pedro Diniz
Diniz in 2016
Born (1970-05-22) 22 May 1970 (age 54)
São Paulo, Brazil
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityBrazil Brazilian
Active years1995–2000
TeamsForti, Ligier, Arrows, Sauber
Entries99 (98 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums0
Career points10
Pole positions0
Fastest laps0
First entry1995 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last entry2000 Malaysian Grand Prix

Pedro Paulo Falleiros dos Santos Diniz (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpedɾu dʒiˈnis]; born 22 May 1970) is a Brazilian businessman and former racing driver. Diniz began karting at the age of eighteen and achieved minor success, before progressing to car racing in the Brazilian Formula Ford Championship and the British Formula 3 Championship. He first drove in Formula One with Forti for the 1995 season. The following year he switched to Ligier and moved to Arrows for 1997. In 1998, he finished 14th in the Drivers' Championship, and subsequently moved to Sauber for 1999. He left Sauber after the 2000 season and bought a share in the Prost team, which folded a year later.

Since leaving motorsport, Diniz founded the Formula Renault 2.0 Brazil Championship which he ran from 2002 and 2006, later becoming a partner in Pão de Açúcar and operates an organic produce and dairy farm alongside his wife Tatiana Diniz. He is a board member of Food Tank, a non-profit organization that spotlights environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable ways of alleviating hunger, obesity, and poverty and works to create networks of people, organizations, and content to push for food system change.

Diniz was considered a pay driver during his career due to his family backing. He scored ten points during his six-year Formula One career in a period when only top-six finishes awarded points and other pay drivers did not score any points.

Early life and career

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Diniz was born in São Paulo, Brazil, on 22 May 1970. His father was Abílio dos Santos Diniz, a businessman who used to own the Brazilian distribution chain Companhia Brasileira de Distribuição and the supermarket chain Pão de Açúcar.[1] Diniz struggled to find a good education and went to several schools around the local area.[2]

Diniz began karting at the age of eighteen, and his career was funded by his father who supported his son's hobby.[2] He competed in several events around Brazil and his first racing success came when he won the Two Hours of São Paulo. Aged 19, Diniz moved up into car racing, competing in the Brazilian Formula Ford championship, where he finished ninth in the Drivers' Championship. In 1990, Diniz moved to the Reyanud Alfa team and finished ninth overall, with his best performances being a podium position at Interlagos.[3]

For 1991, Diniz moved to the British Formula 3 with the West Surrey Racing team, finishing 11th overall. He moved to the Edenbridge Racing team in 1992, driving a Reynard Mugen and took two podiums en route to eighth place overall.[3][4]

Formula One career

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Forti (1995)

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Diniz at the 1995 British Grand Prix

Diniz entered Formula One, the highest category of circuit racing defined by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), motorsport's world governing body, with the Forti team, as team-mate to Roberto Moreno in 1995.[5] In addition, this was the first of a three-year contract with Diniz and his backers.[6] Despite his lack of success in F3000, he was guaranteed a seat as his family and sponsors were paying a significant amount of the team's budget.[6] Furthermore, retired driver René Arnoux was employed as a consultant and driver coach for Diniz.[7] The season started with Diniz scoring three consecutive finishes, albeit outside of the points scoring positions—but was not classified for the races in Argentina and San Marino. He did not finish the next race in Spain due to a gearbox problem and finished tenth in Monaco. Diniz retired from the next five races he entered, primarily from car issues and spun off into retirement at Magny-Cours. He subsequently finished every remaining race of the season, apart from the Grand Prix held at Suzuka where he spun off. He finished the season scoring no points and was unclassified in the Drivers' Championship.[8] Diniz's good finishing record enabled him to establish himself as a steady, dependable driver.[6] In December, Diniz signed for the Ligier team for 1996, despite team owner Tom Walkinshaw initially refusing to hold talks with the Brazilian driver.[9] Ligier eventually signed Diniz after a shootout test session against other drivers in which Diniz was the fastest, also impressing the team with his approach and technical feedback. At the end of the season, Diniz and his sponsors were described as "throwing their money away" on the uncompetitive Forti.[10] But the more significant impact of his first year in F1 was that the Brazilian had done nothing to assuage critics who had said he was a "pay driver". It took him several years to prove that he was not just in the sport because of his funding.[11]

Ligier (1996)

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Diniz started the season by finishing outside of the points in the opening two races—tenth in Australia and eighth in Brazil. At the Argentine Grand Prix, his car burst into flames after a pit-stop due to its fuel valve sticking open; British newspaper The Sun famously printed the photo alongside the headline "Diniz in the Oven".[12] After failing to finish at Monaco, a race which his teammate Panis won, Diniz scored his first career point with a sixth-place finish at Catalunya. Six straight retirements followed before he scored another sixth-place finish at Monza. Following his poor season with Forti in 1995 little was expected of him for 1996, so there was mild surprise when he managed to out-qualify the better rated Panis at Hockenheim and establish himself as a driver capable of scoring points. He finished the season 15th in the Drivers' Championship with two points, six places and 11 points behind Panis.[13]

After the season concluded, it was announced that Diniz would leave Ligier for the Arrows team for 1997, partnering reigning World Champion Damon Hill. An important factor was the amount of sponsorship Diniz brought to Arrows, estimated to be worth $13 million.[14]

Arrows (1997–98)

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1997

For 1997, Diniz was confident heading into the season and his decision to join Arrows, saying: "The all-round strength of the package Tom [Walkinshaw] has put together for 1997 made the decision very easy for me".[3] Diniz started his season with a finish in Australia (although he was given dispensation to start despite falling outside the 107% qualifying time) and later suffered from consecutive retirements in the next five races. He managed to finish eighth in Canada, before picking up further consecutive retirements in the next four races. Diniz managed to secure a seventh-place finish in Belgium, however he had been running in an excellent third place before a problem at his first pit stop dropped him out of contention. Diniz suffering a further retirement in Italy, however he managed to secure finishes in the next three consecutive races, which included a points scoring finish at the Luxembourg Grand Prix and retired from the final race of the season at the European Grand Prix. Diniz's reputation grew throughout the season from a mere pay driver to a genuine racing driver, he managed to out-qualify teammate Hill in Belgium and Japan, two of the most technically challenging tracks on the calendar, also having a number of strong race performances. In October, Arrows announced that Diniz had signed a one-year extension to his contract, remaining with the team for 1998.[3] Diniz finished the season in sixteenth place in the Drivers' Championship, with two points, and finished four places behind team-mate Hill.[15]

1998

Diniz remained at Arrows for 1998, partnered by Mika Salo. Diniz endured a torrid start: his car suffered gearbox problems in the opening three rounds and endured engine failures in the races at San Marino and Spain. He scored his first point of the season with a sixth-place finish in Monaco and managed to finish the races in Canada and France. Diniz suffered three more consecutive retirements, and finished the races in Hungary and Belgium, in eleventh and fifth respectively. Diniz finished the season by retiring in the final three races. He finished 14th in the Drivers' Championship, and was tied on points with team-mate Salo.[16]

At the end of the season, Diniz became embroiled in a contract dispute. On 12 October, Diniz chose to leave Arrows and signed a contract to join Sauber,[17] having been previously linked to a seat at BAR.[18] Arrows, however, insisted that they had the right to exercise their option to keep Diniz. Diniz argued that the Arrows option contained a clause allowing him to leave if Arrows did not deliver performances required by the driver. The dispute went to Formula One's Contract Recognition Board, who ruled in favour of Diniz on 22 February.[19] Arrows later sued Diniz for £4 million, for breach of contract.[20] The case was later heard by the Commercial High Court in London in February 2001 and ruled that Arrows owner Tom Walkinshaw pay Diniz £500,000 in compensation.[21] Arrows later applied for an appeal against the decision, and the Court of Appeal ruled in Diniz's favour in February 2002.[22]

Sauber (1999–2000)

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1999

For 1999, Diniz partnered experienced driver Jean Alesi at Sauber. He endured a torrid start: He was forced into retirement in the first five races held in the season; and in the sixth race of the season held in Canada, he managed to score his first point of the season with a sixth-place finish. Diniz suffered a retirement at the next round in France, before clinching consecutive sixth-place finishes in the next two races and later suffered further consecutive retirements in the following six races. In late August, it was announced that Diniz would remain at Sauber for 2000.[23] At the European Grand Prix, Diniz was hit by Benetton driver Alexander Wurz who sent the Sauber driver into a barrel roll and suffered a bruised knee and shoulder, resulting from his car's roll hoop becoming damaged.[24] The season was somewhat of a disappointment for both the team and the driver, however although Diniz only finished four races all season he scored points in three of them. Diniz finished the season fourteenth in the Drivers' Championship and scored three points.[4]

2000
Diniz at the 2000 Canadian Grand Prix

For 2000, Diniz again competed with Sauber and was partnered with Mika Salo. Team principal Peter Sauber stated Diniz and Salo would have equal status and that the former would use his experience over the upcoming season.[25]

Diniz started off the season by retiring with transmission problems in Australia. He, along with Salo, were forced to withdraw from the Brazilian Grand Prix due to potentially dangerous wing failures during the weekend.[26] He managed to finish in the next two races—eighth in San Marino and eleventh at the British Grand Prix—which was followed by a retirement at the Spanish Grand Prix due to a spin on the first lap. He was involved in a collision with Giancarlo Fisichella's Benetton in Austria for which he received a stop-go penalty,[27] and in Germany, Diniz collided with Prost driver Jean Alesi forcing both drivers to retire.[28] Diniz finished the year scoring no points and was unclassified in the Drivers' Championship.[4]

Diniz became unhappy at Sauber over a test session shoot out at Mugello against fellow countryman Enrique Bernoldi.[29] He held talks with the Prost and Sauber teams during October,[30] and could not find a race seat with either team. Diniz decided to withdraw from active motorsport and his family purchased a 40 percent stake of the Prost team for $10 million and took a management role within the team.[31]

Post-Formula One

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In late 2001, the Diniz family sought to purchase the remaining stake in the Prost team, but negotiations with team principal Alain Prost resulted in no agreement.[32][33] Diniz formally left the team in November as his relationship with Prost had deteriorated.[34]

Diniz announced the creation of a new racing series, the Formula Renault 2.0 Brazil Championship in November 2001.[35] Diniz was a partner of the Wonder Inn, Fernando de Noronha between July 2003 and May 2009.[36] He subsequently became a partner in his father's supermarket chain and operates an organic produce and dairy farm. He married Tatiana who works alongside Diniz and has two children.[2]

Alongside his organic produce farm, Diniz founded Instituto Toca, a non-profit school and research initiative for sustainability. He is currently on the board of Peninsula Participações.[37]

Racing record

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Career summary

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Season Series Team Races Poles Wins F/Laps Podiums Points Position
1989 Brazilian Formula Ford 1600 ? 11 ? 0 ? ? 0 6th
1990 Formula 3 Sudamericana Daacar 12 0 0 1 1 4 15th
1991 British Formula 3 Championship West Surrey Racing 14 0 0 0 0 1 12th
1992 British Formula 3 Championship Edenbridge Racing 15 0 0 0 2 8 12th
Masters of Formula 3 Edenbridge Racing 1 0 0 0 0 0 20th
British Formula 3000 Edenbridge Racing 1 0 0 0 0 0 -
1993 International Formula 3000 Forti Corse 8 0 0 0 0 0 -
Formula 3 Sudamericana ? 1 0 0 0 0 0 -
1994 International Formula 3000 Forti Corse 8 0 0 0 0 3 12th
1995 Formula One Parmalat Forti Ford 17 0 0 0 0 0 NC
1996 Formula One Ligier Gauloises Blondes 16 0 0 0 0 2 15th
1997 Formula One Danka Arrows Yamaha 17 0 0 0 0 2 16th
1998 Formula One Danka Zepter Arrows 16 0 0 0 0 3 14th
1999 Formula One Red Bull Sauber Petronas 16 0 0 0 0 3 14th
2000 Formula One Red Bull Sauber Petronas 16 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Source:[38]

Complete International Formula 3000 results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DC Points
1993 Forti Corse DON
Ret 		SIL
Ret 		PAU
DNQ 		PER
7 		HOC
Ret 		NÜR
16 		SPA
14 		MAG
11 		NOG
14 		NC 0
1994 Forti Corse SIL
Ret 		PAU
Ret 		CAT
10 		PER
Ret 		HOC
Ret 		SPA
9 		EST
4 		MAG
Ret 		13th 3
Source:[4]

Complete Formula One results

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(key)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 WDC Points
1995 Parmalat Forti Ford Forti FG01 Ford EDB 3.0 V8 BRA
10 		ARG
NC 		SMR
NC 		ESP
Ret 		MON
10 		CAN
Ret 		FRA
Ret 		GBR
Ret 		GER
Ret 		HUN
Ret 		BEL
13 		ITA
9 		POR
16 		EUR
13 		PAC
17 		JPN
Ret 		AUS
7 		NC 0
1996 Équipe Ligier Gauloises Blondes Ligier JS43 Mugen Honda MF301HA 3.0 V10 AUS
10 		BRA
8 		ARG
Ret 		EUR
10 		SMR
7 		MON
Ret 		ESP
6 		CAN
Ret 		FRA
Ret 		GBR
Ret 		GER
Ret 		HUN
Ret 		BEL
Ret 		ITA
6 		POR
Ret 		JPN
Ret 		15th 2
1997 Danka Arrows Yamaha Arrows A18 Yamaha OX11A 3.0 V10 AUS
10 		BRA
Ret 		ARG
Ret 		SMR
Ret 		MON
Ret 		ESP
Ret 		CAN
8 		FRA
Ret 		GBR
Ret 		GER
Ret 		HUN
Ret 		BEL
7 		ITA
Ret 		AUT
13† 		LUX
5 		JPN
12 		EUR
Ret 		16th 2
1998 Danka Zepter Arrows Arrows A19 Arrows T2-F1 3.0 V10 AUS
Ret 		BRA
Ret 		ARG
Ret 		SMR
Ret 		ESP
Ret 		MON
6 		CAN
9 		FRA
14 		GBR
Ret 		AUT
Ret 		GER
Ret 		HUN
11 		BEL
5 		ITA
Ret 		LUX
Ret 		JPN
Ret 		14th 3
1999 Red Bull Sauber Petronas Sauber C18 Petronas SPE-03A 3.0 V10 AUS
Ret 		BRA
Ret 		SMR
Ret 		MON
Ret 		ESP
Ret 		CAN
6 		FRA
Ret 		GBR
6 		AUT
6 		GER
Ret 		HUN
Ret 		BEL
Ret 		ITA
Ret 		EUR
Ret 		MAL
Ret 		JPN
11 		14th 3
2000 Red Bull Sauber Petronas Sauber C19 Petronas SPE 04A 3.0 V10 AUS
Ret 		BRA
DNS 		SMR
8 		GBR
11 		ESP
Ret 		EUR
7 		MON
Ret 		CAN
10 		FRA
11 		AUT
9 		GER
Ret 		HUN
Ret 		BEL
11 		ITA
8 		USA
8 		JPN
11 		MAL
Ret 		NC 0
Sources:[39][40][41]

† Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance.

References

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  1. ^ "The Diniz Family buys into Prost". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1, Inc. 30 November 2000. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Lima, Paulo (21 May 2012). "Pedro Paulo Diniz". Trip Magazine (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d "Pedro Diniz - Profile". pedrodiniz.com. Archived from the original on 29 April 2001. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d "Pedro Diniz". Motor Sport. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Entry list -1995 FIA Formula One World Championship". FIA.com. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 24 March 1995. Archived from the original on 9 April 2000. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  6. ^ a b c Constanduros, Bob (1995). "Formula 1 Review: Forti". In Henry, Alan (ed.). AUTOCOURSE 1995-96. Hazleton Publishing Ltd. p. 71. ISBN 1-874557-36-5.
  7. ^ Dodgins, Tony (2009-03-30). "Brazilian GP: News In Brief". Autosport. 138 (13): 39.
  8. ^ "1995: All Drivers". Formula1.com. Formula One Management. Archived from the original on November 20, 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  9. ^ "Ligier out of luck in America". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1, Inc. 11 December 1995. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  10. ^ Saward, Joe (1996-01-01). "No news is big news!". grandprix.com. Inside F1. Retrieved 2007-08-23.
  11. ^ Jones, Bruce (1997). The Official ITV Formula One 1997 Grand Prix Guide. Carlton Books Limited. p. 91. ISBN 1-85868-319-X.
  12. ^ "Stan the Man signs off". ITV-F1.com. ITV plc. Archived from the original on 16 October 2006. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  13. ^ "1996: All Drivers". Formula1.com. Formula One Management. Archived from the original on July 23, 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  14. ^ "Tom takes Bridgestone, Yamaha and Diniz". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1, Inc. 14 October 1996. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  15. ^ "1997: All Drivers". Formula1.com. Formula One Management. Archived from the original on November 20, 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  16. ^ "1998: All Drivers". Formula1.com. Formula One Management. Archived from the original on November 20, 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  17. ^ "Diniz signs for Sauber". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1, Inc. 12 October 1998. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  18. ^ "Zonta or Diniz for BAR?". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1, Inc. 14 September 1998. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  19. ^ "Tom Loses to Diniz". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1, Inc. 22 February 1999. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  20. ^ "Diniz hit by a 4m pounds wit". The Free Library. The Mirror. 14 January 1999. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  21. ^ Atlas F1 (9 February 2001). "Diniz Wins Legal Battle Against Arrows". Autosport. Haymarket Publications. Retrieved 27 August 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ "Arrows lose Diniz appeal". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 5 February 2002. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  23. ^ "Salo and Diniz at Sauber". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1, Inc. 30 August 1999. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  24. ^ "Herbert races to shock GP triumph". BBC Sport. BBC. 27 September 1999. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  25. ^ "Sauber Launch: Salo and Diniz Start as Equals". Atlas F1. Haymarket Publications. Reuters. 2 February 2000. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  26. ^ "Sauber Pull Out of Brazilian Grand Prix". Atlas F1. Haymarket Publications. 25 March 2000. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  27. ^ "Benetton slams F1 rivals 'antics'". ESPN.com. ESPN. Reuters. 16 July 2000. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  28. ^ "Rain, shine and Barrichello at the German GP". Motorsport.com. 30 July 2000. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  29. ^ "Diniz unhappy with Sauber after Bernoldi contest". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1, Inc. 26 August 2000. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  30. ^ "Diniz's future with Prost or Sauber but not Minardi". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1, Inc. 17 October 2000. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  31. ^ "Diniz drops driving duties to become shareholder in Prost Grand Prix". GrandPrix.com. Inside F1, Inc. 30 November 2000. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  32. ^ Henry, Alan (29 January 2002). "Debts end Prost grand prix dream". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  33. ^ Stephen Mosley (13 June 2022). "What did F1 drivers do after racing? Zanardi, Alguersuari and more". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 15 March 2023.
  34. ^ "Pedro Diniz confirms split with Prost". motorsport.com. 3 November 2001. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  35. ^ State Agency (20 November 2001). "Brasil terá F-Renault por cinco anos" [Brazil will have F-Renault for five years]. Estadão Esportes (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  36. ^ "João Paulo Diniz e Luciano Huck vendem participação em pousada em Fernando de Noronha" [João Paulo Dinz and Luciano Huck sell stake in hotel in Fernando de Noronha]. Exame.com (in Portuguese). 18 May 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  37. ^ "Project Drawdown Pedro Diniz". drawdown.org. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  38. ^ "Pedro Diniz". DriverDB. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  39. ^ Small, Steve (2000). "Diniz, Pedro". Grand Prix Who's Who (Third ed.). Reading, Berkshire: Travel Publishing. pp. 124–125. ISBN 978-1-902007-46-5. Retrieved July 30, 2021 – via Internet Archive.
  40. ^ Domenjoz, Luc, ed. (2000). Formula 1 Yearbook 2000–2001. Bath, Somerset: Parragon. pp. 34, 35, 218. ISBN 0-75254-735-6 – via Internet Archive.
  41. ^ "Pedro Diniz – Formula One Series Results (Races)". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
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