Luminox 1140 Series - Manual (Page 3)

RACING CAREER
Tony Kanaan built a solid reputation on the Brazilian karting circuit, earning six
championship titles: the Sao Paulo city Junior Karting Championship three times
(1986 – 88); the Brazilian Junior Karting Championship (1988); the Sao Paulo City
B Category Karting Championship (1989), and the Sao Paulo City Graduated A
Category Karting Championship (1990).
After two successful years in the Brazilian Formula Ford and Formula Chevrolet
Championships, Tony followed a familiar path and went to Europe to build
his career.
After a partial season in the Formula Opel Euroseries, Tony competed in the
Italian Formula Alfa Boxer Championship and won the title. He graduated
to Italian Formula 3 competition and posted nine podium finishes prior to joining
Tasman Motorsports in 1996 at age twenty one.
PERSONAL
Tony started racing in karts, building them as well as driving – earning the use
of a kart instead of a paycheck. An accomplished tri-athlete, he competed in the
2011 Kona Ironman World Championship. He also enjoys bicycling, go-karting
and water sports, and is a former rollerblade instructor. He speaks English,
Portuguese, Italian and Spanish. Tony lists Ayrton Senna, Mario Andretti, and
Alex Zanardi as his racing idols. Kanaan is a good friend of Brazilian Formula
One driver Rubens Barrichello, and they exchanged helmets for the events on
May 28, 2006. Barrichello wore Kanaan‘s helmet livery during the Monaco GP
and Kanaan wore Rubens‘s one during the Indy 500. The two of them created
a charity offering financial and technical aid to institutions within the voluntary
sector, the Barrichello Kanaan Institute.