Christiano 'Tuka' Rocha | |
Birth Name: | Christiano Chiaradia Alcoba Rocha[1] |
Nationality: | Brazilian |
Birth Date: | 13 December 1982 |
Birth Place: | São Paulo, São Paulo State |
Death Place: | Salvador, Bahia |
Current Series: | Superleague Formula |
First Year: | 2008 |
Current Team: | Flamengo |
Car Number: | 7 |
Starts: | 12 |
Wins: | 0 |
Poles: | 0 |
Fastest Laps: | 0 |
Best Finish: | 15th |
Year: | 2008 |
Christiano "Tuka" Chiaradia Alcoba Rocha (December 13, 1982 – November 17, 2019) was a Brazilian race car driver. He won numerous karting championships in Brazil from 1996 to 2000. Then moved up to South American Formula 3 Lights. In 2002 he moved to Europe to compete in the World Series by Nissan where he was Ricardo Zonta's teammate. In 2004 he competed in Superfund Euro 3000. In 2005 he was a test driver for A1 Team Brazil in the A1 Grand Prix Series and was named one of the team's race drivers for the 2006-2007 season. In 2008 Tuka was chosen to drive the Flamengo's car in Formula Superleague.[2]
Rocha died on November 17, 2019, three days after being involved in a small airplane crash near Bahia, Brazil.[3] On a private flight from Jundiaí Airport to Maraú-Barra Grande Airport near Maraú the aircraft crashed on landing. The Cessna Citation II burst into flames fatally injuring Tuka Rocha and two others.[4] [5]