"You're Driving Like Fittipaldi": The Origin of the Expression Defining Speed Behind the Wheel

When we hear someone say "you're driving like Fittipaldi," the image it conjures is clear: extremely fast, daring, and sometimes even reckless driving. This popular colloquial expression originates from Emerson Fittipaldi, the iconic Brazilian racing driver born in São Paulo on December 12, 1946.

His name has become immortalised in common language as synonymous with speed and skill behind the wheel due to his exceptional sporting career.

Fittipaldi is a motorsport legend, renowned for his impressive achievements in both Formula 1 and the CART series (IndyCar). In Formula 1, he was crowned World Champion twice, first in 1972 with Lotus and then in 1974 with McLaren.

In 1972, he made history by becoming the youngest F1 champion at that time, a record he held for 33 years. In total, he secured 14 Grand Prix victories over his 11 seasons in the top category.

After his successful stint in Formula 1, Fittipaldi took his talent to the United States, where he also left an indelible mark in the CART series. There, he claimed the title in 1989 and notably won the prestigious Indianapolis 500 twice: in 1989 and 1993.

His driving style, characterised by smoothness, precision, and an innate ability to provide valuable technical feedback to engineers, distinguished him in every competition. Emerson Fittipaldi's career, filled with records and triumphs in the elite categories of world motorsport, cemented him as a benchmark of speed, talent, and enduring success. Therefore, the expression "you're driving like Fittipaldi" not only refers to speed but also evokes the mastery and skill of a true champion behind the wheel.

Other popular expressions for when someone drives very fast include "you're going full throttle" or "you're going like the clappers," which can sometimes have a double meaning; sometimes it's admiration for speed, other times a warning that the speed is excessive.

"You're driving like a bat out of hell" is used when someone drives very aggressively and fast, as if attacking the road, and "you're flooring it" refers to how the accelerator is pressed, not the speed itself, but often implies going very fast.

Conversely, the expression "you're driving like a snail" is colloquially used in the UK to indicate that someone is driving very slowly and with excessive caution. Although the image might suggest extreme care not to break something fragile (like eggs), the phrase is used critically or exasperatedly to point out that the driver is going considerably slower than normal or expected in that situation, slowing down traffic or showing excessive slowness.