History of Mario Andretti in Timeline

Mario Andretti is a highly accomplished American former racing driver, renowned for his success in multiple disciplines. He won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1978 and secured 12 Grand Prix victories. Andretti also excelled in American open-wheel racing, claiming four IndyCar National Championship titles, including the prestigious Indianapolis 500 in 1969. His achievements extend to stock car racing, where he won the Daytona 500 in 1967. Furthermore, Andretti demonstrated his versatility by winning the 12 Hours of Sebring three times, solidifying his legacy as one of the most versatile and accomplished racers in history.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

February 28, 1940: Mario Andretti's birth

On February 28, 1940, Mario Gabriele Andretti was born. He would later become a successful racing driver in Formula One and IndyCar.

Others born on this day/year

1947: Treaty of Paris

In 1947, the Treaty of Paris transferred the Andretti family's land to communist-controlled Yugoslavia.

1948: Istrian-Dalmatian exodus

In 1948, the Andretti family joined the Istrian–Dalmatian exodus after losing their land.

1948: Refurbishing a Hudson

The twins used money from their uncle's Sunoco station to refurbish a 1948 Hudson, using a stolen beer barrel as a fuel tank.

1954: Watching the Mille Miglia and Italian Grand Prix

In 1954, Mario Andretti watched the Mille Miglia and Italian Grand Prix, becoming mesmerized by the speed and sound and idolizing Alberto Ascari.

1955: Emigration to Nazareth, Pennsylvania

In 1955, Mario Andretti and his family emigrated to Nazareth, Pennsylvania, after being displaced from Istria.

1955: Move to the United States

In 1955, after waiting three years for U.S. visas, the Andretti family moved to the United States on the SS Conte Biancamano, settling in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.

1956: USAC National Championship

From 1956 to 1978, the top open-wheel racing series in North America was the USAC National Championship.

1957: Upgrading Father's Chevrolet

In 1957, Mario and Aldo Andretti upgraded their father's Chevrolet with a glasspack muffler and fuel injection.

1960: Early success in sportsman racing

From 1960 to 1961, Mario Andretti won 21 out of 46 modified stock car races.

1960: Indianapolis 500 Dropped

In 1960, the Indianapolis 500 dropped off the Formula One calendar.

1961: Early success in sportsman racing

From 1960 to 1961, Mario Andretti won 21 out of 46 modified stock car races.

1961: Midget Car Racing

From 1961 to 1963, Mario Andretti started racing midget cars in the American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) series.

March 1962: Midget race victory

In March 1962, Mario Andretti won a midget race, which he called "my first victory of any consequence."

1963: Success in ARDC series

In 1963, Mario Andretti raced in over one hundred events, scored 29 top-five finishes in 46 ARDC races, finished third in the 1963 ARDC season standings, and won three feature races on Labor Day.

April 15, 1964: Incorrect Biography Information

In his 1970 biography, Mario Andretti incorrectly stated that he became a naturalized U.S. citizen on April 15, 1964.

April 19, 1964: IndyCar debut

Mario Andretti's IndyCar debut was on April 19, 1964.

1964: Seeking a full-time IndyCar drive

During the 1964 season, Mario Andretti sought a full-time IndyCar drive but was initially turned down by DVL's chief mechanic, Clint Brawner.

1964: IndyCar Debut

In 1964, Mario Andretti began competing in IndyCar.

1964: Progression to USAC Championship Car

In 1964, Mario Andretti progressed to USAC Championship Car racing.

1964: Full-time USAC drive

In 1964, Mario Andretti secured a full-time drive for USAC team owner Rufus Gray, winning one race and finishing third in the season standings.

1964: Father watches him race at IndyCar

In 1964, Mario Andretti's father watched him race for the first time when Andretti reached IndyCar.

1964: Big break with DVL

Midway through the 1964 season, Mario Andretti got his big break with DVL after impressing Clint Brawner, finishing 11th in the season standings and being named IndyCar Rookie of the Year.

April 7, 1965: Becoming a U.S. citizen

Mario Andretti later revealed he actually obtained U.S. citizenship on April 7, 1965.

1965: Indianapolis 500 Result and Invitation

At the 1965 Indianapolis 500, Mario Andretti finished third as the top-placed rookie. Jim Clark invited Andretti to race in Formula One.

1965: Stock Car Racing Appearances

From 1965 Mario Andretti made thirty appearances in top-level stock car racing.

1965: USAC Racing

From 1965 Mario Andretti scored one win and eight top-five finishes in sixteen races in USAC.

1965: Andretti-Brawner Domination

From 1965 to 1969, the Andretti-Brawner combination attracted technical and financial support from Firestone and Ford, leading to Andretti winning three USAC IndyCar titles.

1965: First Full Season with DVL and Indianapolis 500

In 1965, Mario Andretti's first full season with DVL, he finished third at the Indianapolis 500, earning him the Rookie of the Year award. He also won his first IndyCar race at the Hoosier Grand Prix and became the youngest IndyCar champion at age 25.

1966: NASCAR Grand National Series

From 1966 Mario Andretti primarily drove for Ford works team Holman-Moody, securing the drive through his connections at Ford headquarters.

1966: Andretti-Brawner Domination

From 1966 to 1969, at the peak of his statistical dominance, Andretti won 29 of 85 USAC championship races.

1966: Sprint Car Racing

In 1966 Mario Andretti raced in sprint cars, winning five times but finishing second in the standings.

1966: Second USAC title

In 1966, Mario Andretti won his second USAC title in open-wheel racing.

1967: Al Dean's Death

At the end of the 1967 season, DVL owner Al Dean passed away. As per Al Dean's wishes, the team was wound up and Mario Andretti acquired the team's assets, becoming an owner-driver.

1967: Sprint Car Racing

In 1967 Mario Andretti raced in sprint cars, winning two of the three events that he entered.

1967: Won Daytona 500

In 1967, Andretti won Daytona 500 in a Ford Fairlane

1967: Best Season Performance

In 1967, Mario Andretti competed in eight out of 22 races, won round 12 at Mosport, and finished seventh in the standings.

1967: Loss of the USAC Championship

In 1967, Mario Andretti lost the USAC championship to A. J. Foyt after a series of unfortunate events, including running out of fuel and a controversial move by Foyt's sponsor. Andretti did receive his first Driver of the Year award in 1967.

1967: Race against twin brother at Oswego Speedway

In 1967, Mario Andretti raced against his twin brother Aldo at Oswego Speedway. Mario won, and Aldo finished tenth after a brake failure.

1967: Daytona 500 win and Sebring victory

In 1967, Mario Andretti won the Daytona 500 with Holman-Moody and also secured his first major sportscar racing victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring with Ford.

1968: Full-Time Drive Offer

At the end of the 1968 season, Colin Chapman offered Mario Andretti a full-time drive to replace Clark, who had died in an accident that April. Andretti declined, not wishing to give up his stable USAC career.

1968: Top Finishes in USAC

From 1965 to 1968, Mario Andretti scored one win and eight top-five finishes in sixteen races in USAC.

1968: Formula One debut

In 1968, Mario Andretti began competing in Formula One.

1968: Formula One debut at United States Grand Prix

In 1968, Mario Andretti debuted in Formula One at the United States Grand Prix with Lotus, qualifying on pole position.

1968: Loss of the Title at Riverside

In 1968, Mario Andretti lost the USAC title at the final race of the season at Riverside after his engine failed and he had to borrow other drivers' cars. Bobby Unser won the title by a narrow margin.

1968: Joined Lotus

Mario Andretti joined Lotus for the 1968 Italian Grand Prix and beat the Monza lap record in testing but was later disqualified.

1968: United States Grand Prix

Mario Andretti took pole at the 1968 United States Grand Prix. He retired with a clutch failure but made a strong impression.

1969: Team Split Up

After the 1969 title season, the core of the team split up when STP mechanics Clint Brawner and Jim McGee started their own team, persuaded by Goodyear.

1969: Daytona 500 Win

Along with A. J. Foyt, Mario Andretti is one of two drivers to ever win NASCAR's most prestigious race, the Daytona 500, without being a full-time stock car driver in 1969.

1969: Andretti-Brawner Domination

From 1965 to 1969, the Andretti-Brawner combination attracted technical and financial support from Firestone and Ford, leading to Andretti winning three USAC IndyCar titles.

1969: Career-ending accident for Aldo

In 1969, Aldo Andretti suffered a career-ending accident.

1969: Third USAC title and Indianapolis 500 win

In 1969, Mario Andretti won his third USAC title and the Indianapolis 500.

1969: Third Title and Athlete of the Year

In 1969, Mario Andretti won nine races, including the Indianapolis 500 and the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. He secured his third USAC title and was named ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year. His IndyCar prize money of $365,165 was the largest single-season haul in the history of American sports to that point.

1969: Stopped Competing in NASCAR

Mario Andretti stopped competing in NASCAR after 1969.

1970: Al Unser Champion

Al Unser was the IndyCar's champion in 1970

1970: First Formula One Podium

In 1970 at the Spanish Grand Prix, Mario Andretti collected his first Formula One podium after several drivers ahead of him retired with mechanical issues.

1970: Maiden podium finish and Ferrari signing

In 1970, Mario Andretti achieved his maiden Formula One podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix with STP, driving a privateer March 701. He also signed for Ferrari and won at Sebring again.

1970: Biography Release

In 1970, Mario Andretti released a biography.

1970: Fifth-Place Finish

In 1970, Mario Andretti settled for a fifth-place finish, and the STP Formula One team shut down after one season.

1970: STP-March experiments with sidepods

In 1970, Mario Andretti's STP-March team experimented with sidepods in car design.

March 1971: First podium since March 1971

In March 1971, Mario Andretti secured his first podium finish since March 1971 at the Dutch Grand Prix, marking a significant moment in the season.

1971: Ninth in USAC Championship

In 1971, Mario Andretti fell to ninth in USAC's paved track championship and scored no points in the dirt track standings.

1971: Maiden Formula One victory

In 1971, Mario Andretti secured his maiden Formula One victory at the season-opening South African Grand Prix, debuting for Ferrari.

1971: USAC Split

In 1971, USAC split off its dirt-track races into a separate National Dirt Car Championship.

1971: Joe Leonard Champion

Joe Leonard was the IndyCar's champion in 1971

1971: Joined Scuderia Ferrari

Mario Andretti signed with Scuderia Ferrari in 1971 and achieved his maiden Grand Prix win at Kyalami.

1972: Declined No. 1 Driver Offer

Following the Questor win, Enzo Ferrari offered to make Mario Andretti his No. 1 driver for 1972, but Andretti declined.

1972: Joins Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing

For the 1972 season, Mario Andretti left STP and joined Vel's Parnelli Jones Racing, and persuaded the team to hire Lotus designer Maurice Philippe, and Jim McGee also joined the team.

1972: Features in "The Speed Merchants"

In 1972, Andretti featured in and partially narrated The Speed Merchants, a documentary about the 1972 World Sportscar Championship.

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1972: Third Sebring victory

In 1972, Mario Andretti achieved his third Sebring victory.

1972: Teammate Leonard Wins Title

In 1972, Mario Andretti finished 11th in IndyCar, while his teammate Leonard won the title.

1972: Formula One Guest Appearances

In 1972, Mario Andretti made guest appearances in Formula One with Ferrari.

1973: No Podiums

In 1973, Mario Andretti did not compete in the Formula One season.

1974: Part-time role for Parnelli

In 1974, Mario Andretti had a part-time role for Parnelli after a part-time role for Ferrari in 1972.

1974: Formula 5000 Racing

In 1974, Mario Andretti raced in Formula 5000.

1974: Dirt Track Title

In 1974, Mario Andretti won the dirt track title after winning three out of five races.

1974: End-of-Season Races

In 1974, Parnelli ran Mario Andretti in the two North American end-of-season races. He also ran Andretti in the North American Formula 5000 series.

1975: Lotus experiments with downforce

In 1975, Lotus sought to generate downforce without a large rear wing, by channeling air under the car to facilitate the Venturi effect, effectively sucking the car to the ground for cornering. Andretti, who experimented with sidepods in 1970, encouraged the team to enlarge the sidepods.

1975: Formula One driver for Parnelli, Firestone pulls out

In 1975, Mario Andretti became a full-time Formula One driver but was disappointed by the Parnelli VPJ4, feeling it was derivative. The withdrawal of sponsor Firestone, whose tires the car was designed for, significantly impacted performance. Andretti qualified fourth at the Spanish Grand Prix but retired due to suspension damage from a crash. He finished third at the non-championship BRDC International Trophy Race and fourth at the Swedish Grand Prix after a near-fatal brake failure in qualifying. He ended the season 14th in the Drivers' Championship with five points.

1975: Full-time role for Parnelli

In 1975, Mario Andretti joined Parnelli full-time after finishing runner-up in the SCCA Continental Championship.

1975: Full-Time Formula One

In 1975, Mario Andretti stopped competing full-time in IndyCar and started driving full-time for the Parnelli Formula One team.

1975: Brawner's Autobiography

In 1975, Mario Andretti wrote the foreword to Clint Brawner's autobiography, reflecting on their disagreements and the reasons for their operation falling apart. He likened racing relationships to Hollywood marriages.

1975: Formula 5000 Series

In 1975, Parnelli ran Mario Andretti in the North American Formula 5000 series, finishing second to Brian Redman.

1976: IndyCar Appearances

Beginning in 1976, Mario Andretti sporadically appeared in IndyCar with McGee's new team, Penske Racing.

1976: Return to Lotus and Japanese Grand Prix win

In 1976, Mario Andretti moved back to Lotus, winning the season-ending Japanese Grand Prix and helping develop the 78.

1976: Parnelli withdraws from Formula One

In 1976, Parnelli skipped the first Formula One race. Andretti started the year with Lotus, returning to Parnelli for two races until Viceroy withdrew funding, leading Parnelli to exit Formula One after the third round. Andretti learned of the decision from a reporter as he was preparing to race, and expressed his desire to continue with the team.

1976: Released From USAC Contract

In early 1976, Parnelli released Mario Andretti from his USAC contract so that he could focus on Formula One.

1977: Cameo in Bobby Deerfield

In 1977, Andretti made a cameo appearance in the film Bobby Deerfield.

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1977: Snakebit season for Andretti

In 1977, Mario Andretti had a difficult season, with engine failures leading races at Spielberg, Silverstone, and Zandvoort, as well as at Hockenheim. He also ran out of fuel at Kyalami, Anderstorp, and Mosport, and retired from third at Interlagos due to electrical failure and crashed at Zolder while leading. He finished third in the Drivers' Championship.

1977: Four Grand Prix wins and third in Championship

In 1977, Mario Andretti won four Grands Prix, finishing third in the World Drivers' Championship.

1977: Andretti takes pole at Zolder

In 1977, the Lotus 78 proved to be one of the fastest cars, and Andretti won four races, taking pole at Zolder by 1.54 seconds, which infuriated Chapman, who wanted to conceal the car's capabilities from competitors.

1978: Imperial Tobacco pulls funding

Following the 1978 title season, lead sponsor Imperial Tobacco withdrew funding, leading to challenges for the team.

1978: USAC National Championship

From 1956 to 1978, the top open-wheel racing series in North America was the USAC National Championship.

1978: Andretti wins five races, speculation about team orders

In 1978, Mario Andretti dominated, winning five of the next eight races, while teammate Peterson secured second place with two wins. Lotus achieved four 1-2 finishes, all won by Andretti, leading to speculation about Chapman ordering Peterson to yield. Peterson denied these orders, but then followed Andretti in a 1-2 finish at Zandvoort.

1978: Win at Trenton

In 1978, Mario Andretti won one race at Trenton and collected eight top-five finishes in nineteen races from 1976 to 1978.

1978: World Drivers' Championship title

In 1978, Mario Andretti won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship after achieving six victories.

1978: Formula One World Championship

In 1978, Mario Andretti won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship with Lotus.

1978: Championship Negotiations and Team Dynamics

In 1978, before winning his Formula One World Drivers' Championship, Andretti dealt with team dynamics. Ronnie Peterson was signed as the highest-paid driver, leading to negotiations for equal pay and bonuses for Andretti. Enzo Ferrari's offer to double Andretti's salary was withdrawn after Chapman intervened. Chapman promised team orders to benefit Andretti if Lotus led 1-2.

1979: Winless campaign with Lotus

In 1979, Mario Andretti had a winless campaign with Lotus.

1979: CART IndyCar World Series established

In 1979, the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) established the IndyCar World Series. Andretti sporadically competed in CART during 1979 and 1980.

1979: Lotus 80 failures, podium at Jarama

In 1979, the Lotus 80's downforce caused suspension issues and a weak chassis. Andretti achieved a podium in its debut at Jarama. His teammate refused to drive the car, and Andretti reverted to the outdated Lotus 79 after three attempts. He finished 12th in the standings, behind his teammate.

1980: CART teams develop ground effect cars

In 1980 at the latest, various CART teams had been attempting to develop ground effect cars.

1980: Lotus develops Lotus 88, Andretti scores one point all season.

In 1980, Lotus developed the Lotus 88, but used a transitional car, the Lotus 81, during development. The team was unsuccessful, and Andretti scored only one point all season. He lost faith in the Lotus 88, and left Lotus at the end of the season.

1980: Winless campaign with Lotus

In 1980, Mario Andretti had another winless campaign with Lotus.

1980: Andretti wins at Michigan in CART.

In 1980, Mario Andretti won one race at Michigan in CART competition.

1981: Andretti joins Patrick Racing, controversial Indy 500

In 1981, Andretti joined Patrick Racing, reuniting with STP Corporation and Jim McGee. He recorded five top-five finishes in seven races. He was controversially stripped of the win at the 1981 Indianapolis 500 four months after the race.

1981: Andretti joins Alfa Romeo

In 1981, Andretti signed with Alfa Romeo, sponsored by Marlboro. He finished fourth at the United States Grand Prix West, but the team was largely uncompetitive. He finished 17th in the Drivers' Championship with 3 points and left after the season.

1981: FIA bans the Lotus 88

In 1981, shortly after Andretti's departure, the FIA banned the Lotus 88 due to its complex and innovative carbon-fiber, dual-chassis structure.

1982: Andretti joins Williams for United States Grand Prix West.

In 1982, Andretti briefly raced for Williams at the United States Grand Prix West after Reutemann quit. He damaged his suspension and retired. His IndyCar commitments prevented a full-time contract.

1982: Andretti joins CART full-time.

In 1982, Andretti joined CART full-time, finishing third in the season standings with six podiums in 11 races.

1982: Formula One bans ground effect

In 1982, Formula One banned ground effect technology, but various CART teams continued developing ground effect cars since 1980.

1982: End of Formula One Career

In 1982, Mario Andretti ended his Formula One career.

1982: Return to full-time IndyCar racing

In 1982, Mario Andretti returned to full-time IndyCar racing, placing third in the standings with Patrick and winning the Michigan 500.

1982: Retirement from Formula One

In 1982, after fill-in appearances for Williams and Ferrari, Mario Andretti retired from Formula One.

1983: Andretti takes maiden win at Elkhart Lake

In 1983, Andretti developed the Lola T700 into a decent car. He secured the team's first win at Elkhart Lake and another in Las Vegas, achieving eight top-five finishes in 13 starts.

1983: Andretti joins Newman/Haas Racing

In 1983, Andretti joined the new Newman/Haas Racing team, which was set up by Carl Haas and actor Paul Newman. The team utilized Lola cars and promised Andretti that he would be the focus of the team.

1983: Third place with Newman/Haas

In 1983, Mario Andretti finished third again with Newman/Haas.

1984: Andretti as Renault's reserve driver.

In 1984, Andretti agreed to serve as Renault's reserve driver for one U.S. race.

1984: Andretti wins fourth IndyCar title

In 1984, Andretti started with a win at Long Beach but faced electrical issues at the Indianapolis 500. Despite trailing early, he won five of eight races, including the Michigan 500. He secured his fourth IndyCar title, beating Sneva by 13 points. He was also voted Driver of the Year for the third time.

1984: Fourth IndyCar title

In 1984, Mario Andretti won his fourth IndyCar title, 15 years after his previous and his first sanctioned by CART.

1985: Newman/Haas distributes Lolas to competitors.

In 1985, other teams adopted customer T800s. Newman/Haas distributed Lolas to more competitors, diluting its advantage. Andretti won three of the first four races, and finished second in the Indianapolis 500. However, he only recorded one more top-five finish, and finished fifth in the standings.

1986: Andretti declines reserve role.

In 1986, Andretti declined to be considered for a reserve role, effectively ending his Formula One career.

1986: Pocono 500 win

In 1986, Mario Andretti won the Pocono 500.

1991: Title character in "Mario Andretti's Racing Challenge"

In 1991, Andretti was the title character of the video game Mario Andretti's Racing Challenge.

1991: Son Michael wins CART title

In 1991, Mario Andretti's son, Michael, won the CART title.

1993: Victory at Phoenix

In 1993, Mario Andretti's victory at Phoenix made him the oldest winner in IndyCar history, aged 53, and the first driver to win a race in four different decades.

1994: Title character in "Mario Andretti Racing"

In 1994, Andretti was the title character of the video game Mario Andretti Racing.

1994: End of IndyCar Career

In 1994, Mario Andretti ended his IndyCar career.

1994: Retirement from Newman/Haas

In 1994, Mario Andretti retired from Newman/Haas.

1995: Saves Napa Valley vineyard

In 1995, Andretti and Joe Antonini rescued a struggling Napa Valley vineyard and renamed it the Andretti Winery.

1995: Youngest IndyCar Champion Record Broken

In 1995, Jacques Villeneuve broke Mario Andretti's record of being the youngest IndyCar champion, which Andretti had held for thirty years since 1965.

1996: Drove in the IMAX film Super Speedway

In 1996, Andretti drove an IndyCar in the IMAX film Super Speedway.

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1996: Title character in "Andretti Racing"

In 1996, Andretti was the title character of the video game Andretti Racing, in association with his sons.

1997: Founds Andretti Petroleum

In 1997, Andretti founded Andretti Petroleum, which owns a chain of gasoline stations and car washes in Northern California.

2000: Induction into International Motorsports Hall of Fame

In 2000, Mario Andretti was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.

2005: Appeared in "Dust to Glory"

In 2005, Andretti appeared in the documentary Dust to Glory, which discusses a race in which he served as grand marshal.

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2006: Cameo in Pixar's Cars

In 2006, Andretti made a cameo appearance in Pixar's Cars, an animated film where he was represented by a sentient version of the Ford Fairlane.

2006: Participation in Bullrun Rally

In 2006, Andretti participated in the Bullrun Rally, which ran from New York to Los Angeles.

2007: Interviewed for documentary "A State of Vine"

In 2007, Andretti was interviewed about his winemaking activities for the documentary A State of Vine.

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2012: Official Ambassador for Circuit of the Americas (COTA)

Since 2012, Andretti has been the official ambassador for the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) and the United States Grand Prix.

2013: Voiced traffic director in Turbo

In 2013, Andretti voiced the traffic director at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in DreamWorks' Turbo.

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November 2015: Appeared on Jay Leno's Garage

In November 2015, Andretti appeared on the first season of the TV series Jay Leno's Garage, driving Leno in fast cars and discussing his racing career.

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2016: Admission of fabricated story

In 2016, Mario Andretti admitted that the story about racing in junior formulae back in Italy was fabricated to intimidate opponents.

2018: Andretti reflects on Peterson's death

In 2018, Mario Andretti reflected on the 1978 Italian Grand Prix where he clinched the championship but teammate Peterson died. Andretti stated he could never truly celebrate due to the tragedy and that he never really recovered from it.