Jesus Saves Racing Team - On The Up

Jesus Saves Racing team have made a welcome return to world of motorsport after 33 years away.

In 2013 the team, which was first formed in 1967, are back on the grid in the Classic Formula Ford 1600 Championship with new Brazilian driver Adriano Medeiros at the wheel.

With two races remaining in the Championship, their first season back has been a huge success. Medeiros currently sits second in the Championship and still has a chance of clinching the title after an impressive drive at Croft circuit on Saturday afternoon.

New Driver New Era For Jesus Save Racing Team 

Medeiros made the perfect start to the day by qualifying on pole position, an impressive achievement considering the Brazilian hadn’t driven at the circuit since 2008.

In a close fought race lasting 20 minutes, Medeiros eventually finished 2^nd to Callum Grant but remained a contender for the title after Championship leader Mike Gardner failed to finish.

Medeiros said after the race “I enjoyed the race Callum (Grant) is a good driver to race who I am very respectful of.”

It’s a result that moves Medeiros on to 71 points after picking up 12 out of a possible 13 on the day due to his pole position and fastest lap, leaving him just 7 point behind Gardner.

 The team only made the decision to race in January, after not competing since the late 1970’s when Alex Ribeiro, a man who current driver Medeiros takes huge inspiration from, first displayed the Jesus Saves logo while driving for Hesketh, March and Fittipaldi in Formula 1.

Team manager Alvin Davis said he is happy that “the team have been so competitive in their first year revival” and hopes that they can do it all again next year.

After leaving Brazil in 2002 when he was 29 years old Medeiros admits it’s wasn’t easy, as he had to learn a new language and start off as a McDonald’s worker to earn a living.

However the Brazilian followed his dream to one day become a racing driver like other idols Emerson Fittipaldi and Ayrton Senna who Medeiros described as the “greatest driver of all time”

With just one month left until he had to return to Brazil, Medeiros got his lucky break attaining a job as a driving instructor at Palmersport, where he had the opportunity to improve his racing pedigree. 

That was when things started to fall into place for Medeiros, a talented driver who just lacked the funding to compete.

After securing sponsors with two Brazilian companies who had English connections in 2006, Medeiros took his opportunity to race in the RSCC Club Formula Ford Midland South Championship finishing 2^nd.

In 2007 Medeiros switched his attentions to the Britcar UK Championship before successful spells in the Porsche 996 GT Trophy and European Nascar.

Medeiros puts all his success down to God and says his main goal is to spread the word of Jesus through his racing career.  

Medeiros believes that “God made a lot of changes in my life, the best decision I made was to accept Jesus as my saviour.”

The Brazilian hopes to race a further season in the Classic Formula Ford Championship, but admits he would like to return to racing two seater cars at a national level, while still driving with the Jesus Saves logo to promote his faith.