Mario Andretti

Mario Gabriele Andretti (born February 28, 1940) is an American former racing driver who competed in Formula One from 1968 to 1982, and IndyCar from 1964 to 1994. Andretti won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1978 with Lotus, and won 12 Grands Prix across 14 seasons. In American open-wheel racing, Andretti won four IndyCar National Championship titles and the Indianapolis 500 in 1969; in stock car racing, he won the Daytona 500 in 1967. In endurance racing, Andretti is a three-time winner of the 12 Hours of Sebring. Andretti and his family were displaced from Italian-controlled Istria during the Istrian–Dalmatian exodus and eventually emigrated to Nazareth, Pennsylvania in 1955. He began dirt track racing with his twin brother Aldo four years later, with Andretti progressing to USAC Championship Car in 1964. In open-wheel racing, he won back-to-back USAC titles in 1965 and 1966, also finishing runner-up in 1967 and 1968. He also contested stock car racing in his early career, winning the 1967 Daytona 500 with Holman-Moody. He took his first major sportscar racing victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring that year with Ford. Andretti debuted in Formula One at the United States Grand Prix in 1968 with Lotus, where he qualified on pole position. He contested several further Grands Prix with Lotus in 1969, when he won his third USAC title and the Indianapolis 500. In 1970, Andretti took his maiden podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix with STP, driving a privateer March 701. He signed for Ferrari that year, winning at Sebring again. Andretti took his maiden victory in Formula One at the season-opening South African Grand Prix in 1971, on debut for Ferrari. He took his third Sebring victory the following year. After part-time roles for Ferrari and Parnelli in 1972 and 1974,...