Mário Haberfeld


Mario Haberfeld is a Brazilian former racing driver.

Racing career

After winning the British [Formula 3 Championship] in 1998 [British Formula 3 season|1998], Haberfeld drove in Formula 3000 from 1999 until 2002. He posted some decent results but struggled his first season driving for the McLaren junior team failing to score a single point while teammate Nick Heidfeld won the series championship.
Haberfeld also tested for a number of Formula One teams, including Stewart Grand Prix in 1998, McLaren in 1999, and Jordan in 2001.
In 2003, Haberfeld moved to the Champ Car World Series driving for Mi-Jack Conquest Racing. His team shared information with a fellow rookie team driving a Reynard chassis, Emerson Fittipaldi's team with future F1 driver Tiago Monteiro. He scored a best finish of fourth on his first start in St. Petersburg. In 2004, he was a field-filler driving the lone Reynard in the series for Derrick Walker, but proved his worth with another pair of top-five finishes No one picked Haberfeld up for 2005, but he drove a few Grand-Am races for Tuttle Team Racing at the end of the year. He then drove in the Rolex Grand Am series for Adrian Fernández who was also his teammate.
In 2019, Haberfeld raced in the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy, for Jaguar Brazil Racing, temporarily replacing Cacá Bueno.

Personal life

Haberfeld is a conservationist and the founder of Onçafari, an organization dedicated to wildlife conservation and habitat protection in Brazil. Since 2011, he has been at the forefront of jaguar conservation, rewilding programs, ecotourism activities, and scientific research, working to preserve Brazil’s natural ecosystems. Under his leadership, Onçafari has expanded from its origins in the Pantanal to multiple biomes, including the Cerrado, Atlantic Forest and Amazon, implementing fire prevention programs, community engagement projects, and biodiversity monitoring. His efforts have promoted sustainable ecotourism, contributed to the expansion of protected areas, and led to the successful reintroduction of jaguars and many other species into the wild.
Haberfeld collaborates with government agencies, private landowners, and global conservation organizations, advocating for wildlife-friendly economic models that integrate conservation with local community development. His work has positioned Onçafari as a leading conservation initiative in Brazil, influencing policy discussions on biodiversity, habitat restoration, and fire mitigation.

Racing record

Career summary

Complete International Formula 3000 results

Complete Champ Car World Series results

YearTeamCarClass12345678910Points
2019–20ZEG iCarros Jaguar BrazilJaguar I-PACE eTROPHYPADR
8		ADR
7		2020 [Mexico City ePrix|MEX]BERBERBERBERBERBERBER8th16

Recognitions and Awards
  • 2024: Onçafari was recognized as one of
  • 2024: Onçafari was recognized by
Books
  • ' – A book by Mario Haberfeld featuring stunning wildlife photography and insights into Brazil’s biodiversity and conservation efforts. Written by Mario Haberfeld  and Laís Duarte.
  • – A book exploring the cultural significance of the jaguar in the Pantanal region, written by Mario Haberfeld, Adriano Gambarini and Laís Duarte.
  • Panthera Onca: À Sombra das Florestas / In the shadow of the forests - This book aims to gather information of all kinds about the jaguar in the interior of Brazil. Written by Mario Haberfeld, Adriano Gambarini and Laís Duarte.
Documentaries
  • ' – A pioneering team attempts to re-wild two orphan jaguar cubs in the heart of Brazil.
  • '
  • Jaguar - Closer than you ever thought possible / WCP - A wildlife documentary that records the unprecedented process of “habituation” of jaguars in the Brazilian Pantanal, a procedure that will bring humans face to face with untamed beasts.
  • Diary of a Jaguar
  • Cerrado: Life on the Edge – A documentary addressing habitat destruction in the Cerrado, where Haberfeld serves as a co-producer.
Articles
  • : O HOMEM ONÇA A história de MARIO HABERFELD, ex-piloto de automobilismo que transformou a preservação da onça-pintada em propósito de vida
  • : Para o ambientalista brasileiro, criador do projeto Onçafari, uma das melhores maneiras de preservação do meio-ambiente é o ecoturismo
  • : Campeão do automobilismo vira guardião das onças - Turismo
  • : Incêndio devastador consome o Pantanal e o Onçafari pede ajuda
  • : Safári brasileiro: as aventuras do Refúgio Ecológico Caiman
  • : ONG de ex-piloto de F1 atua na preservação de onças e combate a incêndios no Pantanal
  • : Big Cat ComeBack
  • : Jaguar Conservationist Mario Haberfeld Talks and Interviews
  • :The Race Against Time
  • '
  • : CEO da Onçafari à CNN: Recuperação da fauna do Pantanal depende das cheias