Bruno Correia
Bruno Correia | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 16, 1977 Portugal |
| Occupation(s) | Racing driver, Safety car driver |
| Years active | 1994–1998, 2005–present |
| Known for | Safety car driver in FIA Formula E and Formula One medical car driver |
Bruno Ricardo Sobreiro Correia (born 16 November 1977) is a retired Portuguese racing competitor who currently serves as a safety car driver in FIA Formula E. He shares responsibilities with Karl Reindler as the Medical Car driver within the Formula One series.
Correia commenced his motorsport journey in karting before advancing to the Portuguese Formula Ford 1600 championship in 1994, where he clinched the title during its concluding season. Subsequently, he participated in the Spanish Formula Renault Championship, capturing the Junior category in 1995 and the overall championship the following year. In 1997, he relocated to the United States to compete in both the Skip Barber Formula Dodge and the Barber Dodge Pro Series. After being unable to secure a racing seat for 1998, Correia transitioned into entrepreneurship by successfully establishing a hotel venture in Cumbuco, Brazil.
Making a comeback to competitive racing in 2005, he achieved second place in the Brazilian Supertouring Championship. After dedicating several years to driver coaching, Correia was appointed as the official safety car driver for the World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) when the FIA introduced permanent safety car drivers starting from 2009. His position was confirmed following evaluations at Brno Circuit.
In 2012, Correia took on the role of official safety car driver for the European Touring Car Cup. Two years later, in 2014, he was selected to pilot the safety car for the inaugural season of FIA Formula E, driving an electric BMW i8 at every race. On 7 October 2021, he temporarily assumed duties as the Formula One medical car driver during the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix, replacing Alan van der Merwe due to a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.