Mario Andretti - A year of triumph and tragedy

WhenF1WasReal
6.58K subscribers


8,621 views Sep 16, 2024
In 1978 Mario Andretti achieved a lifelong ambition by becoming Formula One World Champion driving for JPS Team Lotus, but the achievement was one tainted by tragedy, with the loss of two close friends; on and off track clashes and the belittling of his achievement by rivals, team managers and journalists. This is the story of a Championship won in Black and Gold, in a year filled with black and gold.

Mario Andretti - A year of triumph and tragedy

WhenF1WasReal
6.58K subscribers


8,621 views Sep 16, 2024
In 1978 Mario Andretti achieved a lifelong ambition by becoming Formula One World Champion driving for JPS Team Lotus, but the achievement was one tainted by tragedy, with the loss of two close friends; on and off track clashes and the belittling of his achievement by rivals, team managers and journalists. This is the story of a Championship won in Black and Gold, in a year filled with black and gold.

 

LM24: Ford GT40 Stories - Mario Andretti

Tuesday, 14 June 2016...note ......................a lot of Marios story from 2016 has been deleted by unknown parties....

Marshall Pruett (words & images)
RACER looks back at the legendary Ford GT40 program that dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans with four consecutive wins from 1966-1969 in a series of new interviews with the iconic drivers who represented the Blue Oval.

Mario Andretti took part in Ford's first two trips to Le Mans, partnering with Belgium's Lucien Bianchi. Andretti's star was on the rise in America after making an impressive debut at the Indy 500 in 1965, and he followed up that third-place finish with pole position for the 1966 race (left) just 19 days before making his first start at Le Mans in a GT40. Andretti and Bianchi were unable to reach the finish line in both outings, but did witness the sister cars of Chris Amon and Bruce McLaren win in 1966 and A.J. Foyt and Dan Gurney capture victory in 1967.


On his first big factory opportunity with Ford: "It was fantastic program because it was really a total commitment from the top. Mr. Ford, he had the ambitious goal to win at all costs. Because of that, there was extensive, extensive development. And what worked for me was the fact that I really wanted to do as much road racing as possible, because I wasn't [yet] driving in Formula 1 and there was no other chance to do a lot of it here [in the U.S.] since I was in Indy cars."


On learning from teammates and developing the Ford GT40s: "Being alongside a lot of Formula 1 drivers, Bruce McLaren in particular, he and I really, really got on well. And we used to talk about technique. Hairpin techniques. He was one of the masters on hairpins. I used to go watch him whenever I would be finished. The high-speed [corners], I had it pretty good but [in the hairpins], I learned a lot from Bruce.
"Again, it's just the amount of miles that were put under my belt with that program; it was just golden for me. To drive at Le Mans with Ford... I didn't have much luck, obviously. We went to Sebring when we first brought out the Mark IV, the first race with the Mark IV (below), I was part of that development, which had to happen very, very quick after we got killed in Daytona by Ferrari."


On Ford's massive dedication to winning Le Mans: "Overall, that was a wonderful program to be a part of because, as I said, it was just a major commitment. Just to give you an example: in 1967, I think, there was a flaw and all the windshields at the line of vision. And it was really a huge problem. They put all their windshields in first class – they bought first-class seats to get their windshields to Paris – and then to us so they can install them. It was a crack; they kept cracking right at the line of vision [on] all the cars. So there was a basic flaw. Only Ford could do that -– they would've bought a freaking airliner just to get them over there."


On the amazing speed of the GT40 at Le Mans: "In 1966 or 1967, I set a record at Mulsanne and that is when I just gritted my teeth and did the kink flat and I went shoulder to shoulder. I think we were somewhere around 240 miles an hour at one o'clock in the morning. That is when the engine performed best. It was 237mph ... some crazy speed."

 

Simon Galloway/Getty Images

By Chris Medland - Feb 27, 2026, 11:56 AM ET

Cadillac names first F1 chassis after Mario Andretti

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Cadillac has named its first Formula 1 chassis after 1978 F1 world champion Mario Andretti.

The newest team on the grid started out its bid to join the sport as Andretti Cadillac, with Michael Andretti one of the leading figures in the project. His father Mario’s influence was also significant, and although the team has since evolved and dropped the Andretti name from its title, ahead of Cadillac’s debut race it has confirmed its chassis will be the MAC-26 – or the Mario Andretti Cadillac 26.

“Racing has been the joy of my life,” Andretti said on the eve of his 86th birthday. “It is the ultimate compliment that the Cadillac Formula 1 Team sees those years as meaningful and worthy of recording with this honor. I cherish the opportunity that it gives me to have a lasting bond with F1 and am genuinely appreciative of everyone who continues to acknowledge my part in racing history.”

Cadillac says the decision to honor Andretti with the chassis naming was not only due to his own racing success, but also "his lasting influence on the team’s formation and competitive ambition,” given his history with the project.

“Naming our first chassis MAC-26 reflects the spirit Mario carried into Formula 1 and the belief that an American team belongs on this stage,” Cadillac F1 Team CEO Dan Towriss said. “His story embodies the American dream and inspires how we approach building this team every day.”

Images of Andretti adorn the walls of some of the team’s offices in Silverstone, one of three bases that it will operate out of alongside Indianapolis and Charlotte.

“Mario Andretti is a legend of Formula 1,” team principal Graeme Lowdon said. “A true racer who knows how to win and push the limits of what is possible. But more than that, he is an incredible man with a gentle heart who believes in everyone’s ability to shape their own path.

“At the start of my own journey with the team, he asked me not to let him down – I hope that he will be proud to see the Cadillac Formula 1 Team car bearing his name finally take to the grid.”

 

Marco Andretti on Risk, Grip, and Walking Away: Why Racing Still Pulls Him Back | Racers Unchained

The RACER Channel
94.1K subscribers


17,430 views Apr 2, 2026
Paul Tracy sits down with Marco Andretti. Marco opens up about the fine line between control and chaos behind the wheel, breaking down the split-second decisions that define a driver. From gambling on slicks in unpredictable weather to explaining why too much grip can be more dangerous than not enough, Marco gives a

raw, technical look at what drivers actually feel in the car—and why “predictability” matters more than outright speed. It’s an inside-the-cockpit perspective you don’t usually hear, where instinct, experience, and risk all collide. The conversation goes deeper as Marco reflects on a career that spans nearly every discipline in

motorsports—IndyCar, stock cars, prototypes, and even Formula 1 testing. He talks candidly about expectations, missed opportunities, and the reality of growing up in one of racing’s most iconic families. Now stepping away from full-time competition, Marco shares what led to that decision, the pressures that come with the sport, and why the pull to race never really goes away.

This is a grounded, honest look at a driver rediscovering the pure love of racing—on his own terms.