Luca Filippi

Luca Filippi is an Italian racing driver who most recently spent a season in the Formula E Championship and currently drives Hyundai in the TCR Europe Series.

Earlier in a career, he raced four seasons on a part-time schedule in the IndyCar Series, two seasons in the Auto GP Series and seven seasons in the GP2 Series. His most successful season was 2011 when he was a vice-champion both in the GP2 Series and Auto GP Series.

Luca Filippi

Italian Formula 3000 champion at the beginning of a career

Born in August 1985 in Savigliano, Luca Filippi spent his teenage years in karting competitions. He switched to formula racing in 2003, entering the Italian edition of Formula Renault but also recording starts in Formula Renault Eurocup or British Formula Renault. In 2004, he was third in the Italian Formula Renault, behind Pastor Maldonado and Kohei Hirate.

In 2005, Filippi's main competition was the Italian Formula 3000 Championship. Driving for Fisichella Motorsport, he became a champion. He also had an opportunity to test F1 car with Minardi.

GP2 Series debut in 2006, the first victory in 2007

In 2006, Filippi made a debut in the GP2 Series with Fisichella Motorsport but moved to BCN Competition in the mid-season. His best result was the fourth place at Monza and he finished 19th in the points.

In 2007, he scored his maiden GP2 victory in the season-opening race at Bahrain International Circuit, driving for Super Nova Racing. He later added five podiums to finish fourth in the championship. At the end of the year, he tested F1 cars with Honda Racing and Super Aguri.

Luca Filippi in 2011

GP2 Series vice-champion in 2011

In 2008, Filippi raced with three teams, driving for Meritus in the GP2 Series Asia and for ART Grand Prix and Arden International in the GP2 Series. In 2009, he rejoined Super Nova Racing in GP2 Series and scored his second victory in the season's finale at Portimao, finishing fifth in the points. He also won one race with Meritus in the GP2 Series Asia, finishing second in the points of 2009-2010 season,

His biggest success in GP2 Series came in 2011 when he was a vice-champion, behind Romain Grosjean. Filippi raced with Super Nova Racing in five rounds and then switched to Scuderia Coloni for the last four rounds, scoring three wins in eight races.

Auto GP Series vice-champion in 2011

Parallel to his GP2 Series commitments, Filippi also raced in the Auto GP Series in 2010 and 2011. In the first season, he won two races and finished fifth in the points.

In 2011, he was driving for Super Nova Racing, winning just one race and adding five podiums. He finished second in the final standings, three points behind Kevin Ceccon.

Luca Filippi raced in the GP2 Series between 2006 and 2012

Record holder with 110 GP2 Series starts

In 2012, Filippi was out of the major junior open-wheel competitions, racing in the Italian Green Scout Cup with Kia Venga and recording a victory at Aston Martin Le Mans Festival in Villois Racing's Aston Martin Vantage GT2.

After almost a year away from GP2, Filippi rejoined Coloni for the last two rounds. He won the Feature race at Monza and secured a pole position in the next round at Singapore. There he crashed out in the Feature race and didn't start in the Sprint Race.

It was Filippi's last appearance in the GP2 Series. He left the series after 110 starts, the most of all drivers in the history of the series.

Luca Filippi in 2013

Starting an IndyCar career in 2013

The next step in Filippi's career was the IndyCar Series. It was announced that he would join Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for the 2012 Indianapolis 500 but that deal has never been materialized.

He made an IndyCar debut a year later, in the 14th round of the 2013 season at Mid-Ohio, driving the #98 Honda for Bryan Herta Autosport/Barracuda Racing. He finished 16th. After that, he raced with the same car at Baltimore and Houston double-header event. He set the fastest lap and finished tenth in the first race at Houston.

Four wins in the International GT Open

In 2013, Filippi also raced with Scuderia Villorba Corse in five rounds of the International GT Open, sharing the #3 Ferrari 458 Italia GTC with Andrea Montermini.

In ten races, they scored ten podiums in Super GT class, including four wins. Filippi finished fourth in the final standings while Montermini became a champion.

Luca Filippi and Josef Newgarden at Toronto podium

Maiden IndyCar podium with CFH Racing at Toronto

For the 2014 IndyCar Series season, Filippi made a part-time deal with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. He was driving the #16 Honda in four races, in two doubleheader events at Houston and Toronto.

Filippi expanded his IndyCar schedule in 2015, signing for CFH Racing to drive the #20 Chevrolet in the road races and street circuits. He started in ten races, sensationally finishing best in the second place at Toronto, behind teammate Josef Newgarden.

The plans have been changed for 2016 IndyCar season

For the 2016 IndyCar season, Filippi signed with Dale Coyne Racing to drive the #19 Honda in the whole season, ovals included.

However, after four rounds he was replaced by Gabby Chaves and returned to just one more race at Toronto. After those five IndyCar starts in 2016, Filippi's North American career came to an end.

Luca Filippi raced with NIO in the 2017-2018 Formula E season

A season with NIO in the Formula E Championship

In 2017, Filippi made two starts in the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, driving the #27 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 for Orange 1 Team Lazarus at Paul Ricard 1000 and Spa 24 Hours. After that, he joined NIO for the 2017-2018 FIA Formula E Championship.

Filippi was driving the #68 car alongside Oliver Turvey as a teammate in the #16 car. While Turvey was in the points six times, including one podium, Filippi picked up one single point in the season-opening race at Hong Kong ePrix, finishing the championship 21st in the final classification, the last among full-time drivers.

Touring car racing as a new challenge in 2019

In 2019, Luca accepted a new challenge, switching to touring car racing. He entered the TCR Europe Series with the Italian team BRC Racing, driving a Hyundai i30 N TCR.

Photos: Luca Filippi Official,