Cristiano da Matta
A Brazilian driver who conquered America's premier open-wheel series, then took on the ultimate challenge of Formula One.
Born 1973 (age 53)·Brazilian racing driver·Birthday: September 19·Generation X
Biography
Cristiano da Matta emerged from the competitive Brazilian racing scene with a smooth, intelligent driving style that belied his aggression on track. His career trajectory was a classic ladder climb: after success in British Formula 3, he moved to the United States and the CART series. Driving for the Newman/Haas team in 2002, da Matta wasn't just fast; he was consistently brilliant, stringing together wins and podium finishes to clinch the championship title. That crown earned him a coveted seat with Toyota's Formula One team, a leap into the sport's most demanding arena. While his F1 stint from 2003 to 2004 yielded points but no podiums, it was a testament to his skill that he reached that pinnacle. His career was later interrupted by a serious testing accident in 2006, but his legacy as the last CART champion before the series' major transition remains secure.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Cristiano was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Cristiano Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Cristiano's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 2002 CART Championship Series, securing seven victories that season.
- Earned a Formula One drive with the Toyota team for the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
- Scored championship points in his debut F1 season, with a best finish of sixth at the 2003 British Grand Prix.
- Won the 1998 British Formula 3 Championship, a key step in his path to top-tier racing.
Did You Know?
His father, Toninho da Matta, was also a successful Brazilian racing driver.
He is an accomplished triathlete and competed in the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.
After his racing career, he worked as a driver coach and a television commentator in Brazil.
He famously drove a bright red McDonald's-sponsored car during his championship-winning CART season.
“A driver must be smooth with the car, like a rider is with a horse.”
