Tuka Rocha

Christiano 'Tuka' Rocha
NationalityBrazil Brazilian
BornChristiano Chiaradia Alcoba Rocha[1]
(1982-12-13)December 13, 1982
São Paulo, São Paulo State
DiedNovember 17, 2019(2019-11-17) (aged 36)
Salvador, Bahia
Superleague Formula career
Debut season2008
Current teamFlamengo
Car number7
Starts12
Wins0
Poles0
Fastest laps0
Best finish15th in 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]

  1. ^ "Ex-piloto de Stock Car Tuka Rocha morre após acidente aéreo na Bahia". GaúchaZH (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2019-11-17. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
  2. ^ "Rocha confirmed for Flamengo". formulasuperliga.com.br. 20 August 2008. Archived from the original on 18 April 2009. Retrieved 20 August 2008.
  3. ^ Bradley, Charles (17 November 2019). "Tuka Rocha succumbs to plane crash injuries in Brazil". Motorsport Network. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  4. ^ "14-NOV-2019 Cessna 550 Citation II PT-LTJ". Aviation Safety Network. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  5. ^ Alves, Alan Tiago; Marques, Lílian (14 November 2019). "Aircraft crashes during landing on resort runway, catches fire and leaves 1 dead and 9 injured in Bahia; VIDEO". Globo.com (in Portuguese). Retrieved 18 November 2019.