This season, Rogério Grotta is among the many new faces in the Brazilian F4 paddock. Racing for Cavaleiro Sports, the 22-year-old currently sits fourth in the championship standings. Following the first race of round two at Interlagos last month, Feeder Series caught up with Grotta in the paddock to learn more about him and his journey to the world of Brazilian F4. 

By Laura Anequini

Although it is not his first season racing in single-seaters, Grotta’s career is relatively young. “I started racing a bit late,” Grotta said when asked to share more about his story.

In August 2020, at the age of 18, he made his debut in the Copa São Paulo Light de Kart, competing in the four-stroke category.

“The following year, I moved up to the novice category, where I finished third in the Copa do Brasil, which qualified me to advance to the graduates category in the following year, 2022,” he said.

Despite entering the racing scene later than most, Grotta wasted no time making an impression. “The competition was fierce,” he recounted, “but I started to move up a bit towards the end of the championship. … It was a very good exponential growth.”

In 2023, Grotta received the opportunity to race in Formula Delta, a Brazilian championship serving as the initial step from karting to single-seater racing. Grotta joined many others on the Brazilian F4 grid in embarking on this path, and competing in Formula Delta was a defining moment in Grotta’s journey.

“I won my debut race,” he recalls, “and fought for the championship until the end.” His performance culminated in a third-place finish in the Copa Brasil Zanoello of Formula Delta, capturing the attention of sponsors and opening the door to his next challenge: Formula 4.

While Grotta previously raced at Interlagos in Formula Delta, this marked his first time racing on the iconic track in Brazilian F4. Originally hailing from Mato Grosso – a state in the Center-West region of Brazil – Grotta has lived in São Paulo for a year now.

“Racing here at Interlagos feels really great,” he replied when asked about the circuit’s significance. “Interlagos feels like my backyard. It’s where I feel more at home.”

Interlagos hosts three of the eight rounds of Brazilian F4 this year. Velocitta, to the north of São Paulo, hosted the season opener in March and will also hold round three in June. Grotta explained that he struggled more at that circuit.

“Velocitta, where the championship opened, was a completely hostile environment for me. Despite knowing the track, I didn’t have good memories there in Formula Delta. My performances weren’t the best and I wasn’t familiar with the car, so it was a mix of difficult situations with new challenges.”

Ahead of the weekend’s second race, Grotta remained optimistic despite the setbacks he encountered previously. Because of problems in qualifying, he had to start the first race from the back of the grid. However, as he recounted, the recovery race “was incredible”, yielding a sixth-place finish.

Starting third for race two, Grotta aimed to further solidify his performance, expressing his determination to “keep building these good memories here at Interlagos”. He did just that by securing a podium finish for the first time in F4, marking a significant milestone in his racing career.

Header photo credit: Bruna Nishida