Fans of Brazilian influencer Virginia Fonseca flooded the Instagram profile of Stock Car racing driver César Ramos on Tuesday, November 10, just hours after rumours linked the pair romantically in São Paulo.
Speculation about the 28-year-old businesswoman and the 37-year-old motorsport athlete began shortly after the conclusion of the Formula 1 São Paulo Grand Prix. Fonseca attended a post-race after-party in the state capital hosted by 22-year-old television presenter João Silva, the son of 76-year-old veteran Brazilian broadcaster Faustão.
According to initial speculation reported by CNN Brasil, the influencer kissed an unidentified motorsport athlete during the celebration. Within a few hours of the party, friends and fans of Fonseca began pointing to Ramos as the driver at the centre of the rumours.
Zé Felipe video and romance rumours
The speculation gained further traction after Fonseca's ex-husband, 28-year-old singer Zé Felipe, posted a video that appeared to confirm her involvement with a racing driver. In the clip, Zé Felipe remarked that his former wife had moved on from a singer to a footballer and was now with a driver.
The sertanejo musician, who is the son of Brazilian country music star Leonardo, repeatedly asked whether she was now getting involved with a racing driver while Fonseca protested and told him to stop. He then began to say who she should get involved with if she wanted a driver, before the video abruptly cut off.
Fonseca is one of Brazil's most prominent social media personalities and television hosts, as well as the co-founder of the cosmetics and fragrance company WePink. Her marriage to Zé Felipe and their subsequent separation have drawn intense public attention in Brazil, where millions of followers closely track their interactions in family videos.
Instagram reactions and Stock Car response
Although neither Fonseca nor Ramos has confirmed a romantic relationship so far, followers of both public figures quickly embraced the rumours. Commenters on the driver's most recent Instagram post began calling him Virginio, a masculine play on the influencer's first name, and praised Fonseca for making a great choice.
Several followers left jokes in the comments section of the post. One user wrote that they had previously supported Fonseca getting back together with Zé Felipe, but now thought she should leave that behind because she had chosen so well, addressing her by the nickname Vivibora. Another commenter joked about a fictional new WePink perfume named Formuloplash featuring notes of petrol, motor oil and a light fragrance of grease, while others wished Virginio a good morning and told the influencer they understood her choice.
The official Instagram account of Stock Car, the premier Brazilian touring car championship in which Ramos currently competes, also joined in on the banter. The driver is from the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, whose residents are referred to in Portuguese as gaúchos. In a comment on his page, the series asked Cesar whether he needed a VIP pass to bring someone along this weekend.
Celebrities and results at the São Paulo Grand Prix
Before the after-party rumours began, Fonseca attended the Brazilian round of the Formula 1 championship on Sunday, November 8. For her appearance at the São Paulo Grand Prix, which is staged annually in Brazil's largest city and draws major domestic media coverage, she wore a metallic silver jacket with black detailing paired with black trousers featuring multiple cutouts.
She was one of several well-known Brazilian entertainment figures in the paddock over the race weekend, alongside Maisa, Flávia Alessandra, Renato Góes, Lívia Andrade and Wanessa Camargo. After the race, the spotlight shifted to the party organised by João Silva, who has followed his father Faustão into Brazilian television hosting.
On the track, McLaren driver Lando Norris won this year's Brazilian Grand Prix. Red Bull teammates Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar completed the podium, securing a double finish for their team in second and third place respectively.
