Mario Andretti

Italian American racing driver

Andretti's 1978 title with Lotus

Mario Andretti won in IndyCar, NASCAR and sports cars, and in 1978 became the second American world champion in Formula 1.

Mario Andretti was born in Motovun, in Istria, on 28 February 1940, and his family settled in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in 1955. He began on dirt tracks and reached USAC Championship Car racing in 1964, winning the national title in 1965 and 1966. In 1967 he won the Daytona 500, and in 1969 he won the Indianapolis 500 and a third USAC title.

His Formula 1 debut came with Lotus at the 1968 United States Grand Prix, where he started from pole position. For several seasons he raced in Europe only part time around his American program, yet he won the 1971 South African Grand Prix on his first start for Ferrari. After spells with Parnelli he returned to Lotus in 1976 and won the season finale in Japan.

With the ground effect Lotus cars he became a consistent winner. He took four victories in 1977 and finished third in the standings, then won six races in 1978, among them Argentina, Belgium, Spain, France, Germany and the Netherlands, to become champion. He was the second world champion from the United States.

Two winless years with Lotus followed, then a season at Alfa Romeo in 1981. In 1982 he made fill in appearances for Williams and Ferrari, and for Ferrari at Monza he started from pole and finished third. His Formula 1 career closed with 128 starts, 12 wins, 18 pole positions and 19 podiums. Back in America he won a fourth IndyCar title in 1984 with Newman/Haas and raced there until 1994.

1 world titles, 12 wins, 18 pole positions, 128 starts.

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