F1 Legend

Mario Andretti

American

  • Montona, Istria, Kingdom of Italy Place of Birth
  • February 28, 1940 Date of Birth
  • 1968 United States Grand Prix F1 Debut
  • Ferrari Current/Last Team

Former racing driver Mario Andretti is widely regarded as one of the greatest American drivers in F1 history and in motorsport. He competed in Formula One from 1968 to 1982 and secured the 1978 Drivers’ Championship with Lotus. He also achieved tremendous success in American open-wheel racing, winning four IndyCar National Championships and winning the prestigious Indianapolis 500 in 1969. He won the 1967 Daytona 500 in stock car racing, and in endurance racing, he triumphed in the 12 Hours of Sebring thrice.

NationalityAmerican
BornMario Gabriele Andretti
February 28, 1940
Montona, Istria, Kingdom of Italy
(current day Motovun, Croatia)

Born in the Kingdom of Italy, Andretti emigrated to the United States at 15. Over his career, he accumulated numerous titles, including the Formula One World Championship (1978), four IndyCar titles—three under USAC sanctioning and one in CART—and significant victories in a wide range of motorsports. Andretti remains the only driver to have won the Indianapolis 500 (1969), Daytona 500 (1967), and the Formula One World Championship. Along with Juan Pablo Montoya, he is one of the few to have won races in NASCAR’s Cup Series, Formula One, and the Indianapolis 500. His career includes 109 major circuit victories across various motorsport series.

Andretti’s Formula One career began in 1968 when he made a strong debut by securing pole position at the 1968 US Grand Prix. Although his early F1 career was part-time, racing sporadically with teams like Lotus, Ferrari, and March, he secured his first victory at the 1971 South African Grand Prix. His full-time drive came in 1975 with Parnelli, followed by a successful stint with Lotus.

Andretti’s peak came in 1978 when he won the Formula One World Championship, driving the innovative Lotus 79. That year, he dominated with six victories, aided by the car’s pioneering ground-effect design. However, the season ended on a sombre note with the tragic death of his teammate Ronnie Peterson.

Andretti continued racing in F1 until 1981, with a brief return in 1982 for Ferrari and Williams. His final win came at the 1978 Dutch Grand Prix, and his final race was the 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix.

He became the only person named United States Driver of the Year in three decades (1967, 1978, and 1984). Additionally, Andretti is one of the few drivers to win major races on road courses, paved ovals, and dirt tracks in a single season—a feat he accomplished four times. In 1993, with his final IndyCar victory, Andretti became the first driver to win IndyCar races across four different decades and the first to win automobile races in five.

In American motorsport fandom, Andretti’s name has become synonymous with speed, akin to Barney Oldfield in the early 20th century and racing legends like Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton in Europe.

Mario Andretti Formula One World Championship career

F1 Career1968 – 1972, 1974 – 1982
TeamsLotus, March, Ferrari, Parnelli, Alfa Romeo, Williams
Entries131 (128 starts)
Championships1 (1978)
Wins12
Podiums19
Career points180
Pole positions18
Fastest laps10
First entry1968 United States Grand Prix
First win1971 South African Grand Prix
Last win1978 Dutch Grand Prix
Last entry1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix

Mario Andretti Teammates

17 TeammatesInvolvementFirst YearLast Year
Graham Hill619681969
Jackie Oliver21968
Jochen Rindt41969
Jacky Ickx1819711972
Clay Regazzoni1619711972
Arturo Merzario11972
Ronnie Peterson1519761978
Gunnar Nilsson2919761977
Jean-Pierre Jarier21978
Carlos Reutemann151979
Elio de Angelis141980
Nigel Mansell31980
Bruno Giacomelli151981
Mauro Baldi11981
Keke Rosberg11982
Patrick Tambay319821984
Derek Warwick11984

Race Wins

Win NumberGrand Prix
11971 South African Grand Prix
21976 Japanese Grand Prix
31977 United States Grand Prix West
41977 Spanish Grand Prix
51977 French Grand Prix
61977 Italian Grand Prix
71978 Argentine Grand Prix
81978 Belgian Grand Prix
91978 Spanish Grand Prix
101978 French Grand Prix
111978 German Grand Prix
121978 Dutch Grand Prix

Complete Formula One Results

YearEntrantChassisEngine1234567891011121314151617WDCPoints
1968Gold Leaf Team LotusLotus 49BFord Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8RSAESPMONBELNEDFRAGBRGERITA DNSCANUSA RetMEXNC0
1969Gold Leaf Team LotusLotus 49BFord Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8RSA RetESPMONNEDFRAGBR
Lotus 63Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8GER RetITACANUSA RetMEXNC0
1970STP CorporationMarch 701Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8RSA RetESP 3MONBELNEDFRAGBR RetGER RetAUT RetITACANUSAMEX16th4
1971Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFACFerrari 312BFerrari 001 3.0 F12RSA 1ESP RetMON DNQNED RetFRAGBR8th12
Ferrari 312B2Ferrari 001/1 3.0 F12GER 4AUTITACAN 13USA DNS
1972Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFACFerrari 312B2Ferrari 001/1 3.0 F12ARG RetRSA 4ESP RetMONBELFRAGBRGERAUTITA 7CANUSA 612th4
1974Vel’s Parnelli Jones RacingParnelli VPJ4Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8ARGBRARSAESPBELMONSWENEDFRAGBRGERAUTITACAN 7USA DSQNC0
1975Vel’s Parnelli Jones RacingParnelli VPJ4Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8ARG RetBRA 7RSA 17ESP RetMON RetBELSWE 4NEDFRA 5GBR 12GER 10AUT RetITA RetUSA Ret14th5
1976John Player Team LotusLotus 77Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8BRA RetESP RetBEL RetMONSWE RetFRA 5GBR RetGER 12AUT 5NED 3ITA RetCAN 3USA RetJPN 16th22
Vel’s Parnelli Jones RacingParnelli VPJ4BFord Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8RSA 6USW Ret
1977John Player Team LotusLotus 78Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8ARG 5BRA RetRSA RetUSW 1ESP 1MON 5BEL RetSWE 6FRA 1GBR 14GER RetAUT RetNED RetITA 1USA 2CAN 9JPN Ret3rd47
1978John Player Team LotusLotus 78Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8ARG 1BRA 4RSA 7USW 2MON 111st64
Lotus 79Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8BEL 1ESP 1SWE RetFRA 1GBR RetGER 1AUT RetNED 1ITA 6USA RetCAN 10
1979Martini Racing Team LotusLotus 79Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8ARG 5BRA RetRSA 4USW 4BEL RetGBR RetGER RetAUT RetNED RetITA 5CAN 10USA Ret12th14
Lotus 80Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8ESP 3MON RetFRA Ret
1980Team Essex LotusLotus 81Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8ARG RetBRA RetRSA 12USW RetBEL RetMON 7FRA RetGBR RetGER 7AUT RetNED 8ITA RetCAN RetUSA 620th1
1981Marlboro Team Alfa RomeoAlfa Romeo 179CAlfa Romeo 1260 3.0 V12USW 4BRA RetARG 8SMR RetBEL 10MON RetESP 817th3
Alfa Romeo 179BAlfa Romeo 1260 3.0 V12FRA 8GBR RetGER 9AUT Ret
Alfa Romeo 179DAlfa Romeo 1260 3.0 V12NED RetITA RetCAN 7CPL Ret
1982TAG Williams TeamWilliams FW07CFord Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8RSABRAUSW RetSMRBELMONDETCANNEDGBRFRAGERAUTSUI19th4
Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFACFerrari 126C2Ferrari 021 1.5 V6 tITA 3CPL Ret

Sources:

  1. Mario Andretti. Wikipedia.com

Teammates

Driver Nationality Current/Last Team F1 Debut Status
British Brabham 1958 Monaco Grand Prix Died, F1 Legend
Austrian Team Lotus 1964 Austrian Grand Prix Died, F1 Legend
Belgian Ligier 1966 German Grand Prix Retired
Swiss Ensign 1970 Dutch Grand Prix Died
Swedish Team Lotus 1970 Monaco Grand Prix Died
French Ligier 1971 Italian Grand Prix Retired
Argentine Williams 1972 Argentine Grand Prix Died
Italian Brabham 1979 Argentine Grand Prix Died
British McLaren 1980 Austrian Grand Prix F1 Legend
Finnish McLaren 1978 South African Grand Prix F1 Legend
French Lola 1977 French Grand Prix Died
British Footwork Arrows 1981 San Marino Grand Prix Retired

Teams

Team Nationality Debut Season Status
Team Lotus British 1958 Historic
March British 1970 Historic
Ferrari Italian 1950 Current
Alfa Romeo Italian 1950 Historic
Williams British 1978 Current