What better way to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Emerson Fittipaldi winning the Formula 1 drivers championship title than creating the limited edition Evija Fittipaldi. Icing on the cake is putting 2009 Formula 1 Champion Jenson Button behind the wheel of the Evija and Fittapaldi’s 1972 Type 72 F1 car.

Emerson Fittipaldi drove the iconic Type 72 to five victories of the 1972 season’s 11 races, winning the Drivers’ Championship for himself and the Constructors’ Championship for Team Lotus. All eight of the remaining Type 72’s were brought together to the Hethel test track, located about three hours north-east of London. Only eight Lotus Evija Fittapaldi’s will be built with delivery commencing in 2023. All eight cars are presold.

“It’s fantastic to be back at Hethel for such a special occasion,” said Emerson Fittipaldi. “I’ve really enjoyed being a part of this project and it’s been a wonderful experience revealing the car to some of the new owners. Having the opportunity to drive both the Evija Fittipaldi and my championship-winning Type 72 Formula 1 car on the test track at Hethel has been an incredible experience.”

A piece of racing history is being built into each of the Evija Fittipaldi’s. The rotary dial on the central instrument panel is hand-crafted from the original Type 72 aluminum. Each car comes with a Fittipaldi signature hand-stitched into the dashboard.

“Emerson Fittipaldi and my father enjoyed a very special relationship, and their spectacular success was a brilliant team effort by the dedicated designers and mechanics at Team Lotus’” said Clive Chapman, Managing Director and the son of Lotus founder Colin Chapman. “One of motorsport’s most admired drivers, it is always emotional whenever Emerson is reunited with the Lotus Type 72, which he describes as the greatest car he ever raced. Bringing together the Lotus Evija, the Lotus Type 72, the black and gold livery and Emerson Fittipaldi, all in celebration of his World Championship victory 50 years on – need I say more?”

The Lotus Evija Fittipaldi is the most powerful series production car in the world with 2,000 PS or 1972 hp and 1,700Nm or 1254 lb-ft of torque. Its quad motors drive all four wheels to acceleration runs of 0-100 km/h or 0-62 mph in under 3 seconds, and 0-300 km/h or 0-186 mph in under 9 seconds. Top speed is ‘limited’ to 350 km/h or 217 miles per hour.

“It sounds like a jet engine!” was Jenson Button’s reaction after driving the Evija. “You think of an EV as quiet but it’s not. The torque is astronomical. It’s amazing, it puts a big smile on your face. It feels like a spaceship, the drivability and direction in the steering certainly lets you know you are driving a Lotus; I am amazed by the agility of it. It is a Lotus of the future and I can’t wait to drive my own Evija.”