Michael Andretti

Michael Andretti in his McLaren overalls (1993)

**Michael Mario Andretti** (born 5 October 1962) is an American racing driver, currently competing for McLaren in Formula One.

Following a successful junior karting career Andretti would move on to sports cars in North America and internationally. Andretti would finish 3rd in the 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans race with Porsche Kremer Racing and accompanied by his Father Mario and Philippe Alliot. In the same year Andretti would make his debut in the American CART series, where he would race for several years for Kremer Racing and Newman/Haas Racing, finishing runner up in 1986, 1987 and 1990.

Andretti would go on to race for Ferrari for 1991 and 1992, where he would partner Ayrton Senna, securing 4 race wins in his time there and performing admirably in comparison to his more experienced team mate. For 1993 Andretti would be brought in to replace Joey Davies at McLaren as part of the team's engine deal with Chevrolet.

## Pre-Formula One Career

### Early career

Andretti was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania to race car driver Mario Andretti, a four-time IndyCar champion and one-time Formula One champion, and his wife Dee Ann (née Hoch)

Following a successful career racing karts, winning 50 of his 75 races over eight years, Andretti moved into racing cars. He obtained his SCCA National License in 1980, then won six races to claim the SCCA's Northeast Division Formula Ford championship in 1981. He also drove in a number of Formula Vee races in regional SCCA events. In 1982, he won six of the 11 races on his way to winning the Robert Bosch US Formula Super Vee Championship. He also won the opening race of the 1983 Super Vee season before he moved up to drive in Formula Atlantic, and won his second title by winning the FIA Formula Mondial North American Cup the following season. Although he made his international sports car debut at the 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans, he was denied the opportunity to race, as the Mirage M12 he had chosen to race with his father was disqualified 80 minutes before the race was due to start. The father and son partnership returned to the Circuit de la Sarthe the following year, and were joined by Philippe Alliot in the Porsche Kremer Racing's Porsche 956, taking third place. Andretti also raced alongside his father in the Riverside 6 Hours where they were joined by A. J. Foyt and Preston Henn, but the Porsche 935 failed to finish. The father and son duo paired up again the 1984 24 Hours of Daytona, this time in a full-works Porsche 962, which made its race debut. They took pole position, but during the race, the engine broke.

### CART

Andretti made his CART debut in 1983, racing for the Kraco Enterprises team. He re-signed for Kraco for the 1984 season, where he managed five third-place finishes and ended his rookie season in seventh overall. In the Indianapolis 500, he finished fifth and shared the Rookie of the Year award with Roberto Guerrero. He went on to win his first IndyCar race in 1986 in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The season became a two-man battle for the championship title, between Michael and Bobby Rahal. Andretti would take the points lead with his victory on the Milwaukee Mile. A week later, on Father's Day, Michael was leading on the final lap at Portland, when his March-Cosworth 86C ran out of fuel, allowing his father, Mario, to beat him by just 0.07 seconds. It was one of the most shocking finishes in the history of IndyCar. With Rahal continuing to win races, Andretti's consistent finishing only allowed Rahal a nine-point lead in the standing with two races remaining. Andretti won a key victory in at Phoenix. Going into the season finale at Tamiami Park, Andretti was just three points behind Rahal, but neither driver were a factor in the race, with Andretti retiring with a broken halfshaft.

In a one-off race with Alfa Corse, he took part in the inaugural World Touring Car race, 500 km di Monza. Paired with Alessandro Nannini, they finished 16th overall, second in class. Back in CART, he continued with Kraco in 1987, and like 1986, the championship was between Andretti and Rahal. Michael would win the 1987 Marlboro 500, drawing within nine points of Rahal. With him winning in dominating fashion at Nazareth Speedway, his championship hopes remained alive, although Rahal clinched the championship at the next race. Andretti would also win the season finale, Tamiami Park. He would finish runner-up for the second season in a row. Back in June 1987, Michael joined Hendrick Motorsport to race a Chevrolet Corvette GTP in the Mid-Ohio 500 km, this time joined by his cousin, John Andretti, where they finished 11th.

Following Porsche's defeat in the 1988 Daytona 24 Hours, Porsche entered a 962C at Le Mans for Mario, Michael and John. They were tremendously competitive in the first half of the race, until the Andretti family's car needed minor repairs before lapsing on to five cylinders, finishing sixth overall. Michael and Mario join Busby Racing for 1989 Daytona 24 Hours, only for their 962 to retire with brakes problems.

The 1988 CART season was a lean year for Michael. He remained with Kraco and won only a single race, the Marlboro Challenge, for which no championship points were awarded.

For the 1989 season, Andretti signed with Newman/Haas Racing, partnering him with his father. Early in the season Andretti would be offered the opportunity to replace the injured Davies at the 1989 US Grand Prix, but declined the offer, citing his recent commitment to Newman/Haas Racing. Andretti would win two races in the 1989 season, Molson Indy Toronto and the 1989 Marlboro 500 at the Michigan International Speedway, placing third in points. Following another injury to Davies in pre-season testing for the 1990 season Andretti was again considered to stand in for him, but ultimately Mark Blundell would be selected ahead of Andretti. For 1990, Al Unser Jr. would become champion, Andretti was his nearest competitor, winning five races and four poles. In the second-to-last race of the season at Nazareth, Unser crashed out, giving Andretti a huge opportunity to close the gap. Andretti managed only a sixth-place finish, and could not capitalize on Unser's misfortune. Unser left Nazareth with a 27-point lead, enough to clinch the championship. Andretti would finish runner-up once again.

## Formula One

### Ferrari (1991-1992)

A third opportunity to race in F1 would come ahead of the 1991 season, with Andretti in line to partner Senna. Andretti would win out over the impressive French driver, Jean Alesi, and would sign for two years with the Scuderia. Ferrari would not have the same level of success as they had enjoyed in 1990, with reliability being a key concern, but he would secure his first pole position and fastest lap at only his second race. Andretti would still only secure a handful of points and a single podium for 3rd at the 1991 Monaco Grand Prix in the first half of the season. Success would eventually come with a dream victory for Ferrari at the 1991 Italian Grand Prix, where he followed his team mate, Senna until he retired. He would manage to hold off Alain Prost in the McLaren and Alesi in the Williams and secured his maiden victory. At the podium Andretti was brought to tears at the playing of the American and Italian national anthems and he would be comforted by Prost. Andretti would again take the top step at the 1991 Japanese Grand Prix after Senna once again failed to covert pole position to victory. The season concluded with Andretti finishing 6th on 36 points, just 18 points behind Senna.

The 1992 season would offer Andretti another opportunity to impress at Ferrari, but it would prove to be a more difficult season than 1991. The first 9 rounds would see Andretti secure just a handful of points, but his fortunes would change at the 1992 German Grand Prix, where a coming together of Davies and Nigel Mansell would give Andretti the opportunity to win. Another win would come at the 1992 Belgian Grand Prix, when all the top contenders retired from the race. Andretti again finished 6th on 30 points, this time only 14 points behind Senna.

Despite a credible performance for Ferrari in his two years with the team, Andretti and Ferrari were unable to secure an extension to his contract. It was rumoured the sticking point was the Scuderia were unwilling to meet the contract offer being made by Chevrolet to bring Andretti to McLaren for 1993. It was soon announced that Andretti would not be signing with Ferrari, but would instead move to McLaren on what was understood to be a 3 year deal.

## Personal Life

Michael is a member of the Andretti racing family. He is the son of Formula 1, CART and NASCAR racing legend Mario Andretti. His brother Jeff Andretti competed in IndyCar. Michael's uncle Aldo Andretti was an open wheel racer until an accident ended his racing career. Andretti attended Northampton Community College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Andretti was married to Sandra "Sandy" Spinozzi in November 1985 and they had two children, son Marco (born March 13, 1987) and daughter Marissa (born October 31, 1990).

## Formula One Statistical Overview

### Formula One Record

 1992 | 31
 1993 |  Marlboro McLaren Chevrolet

Notes

* \* – Season still in progress.

### Wins

 2
 3
 4

### Complete Formula One results

(key) (Races in **bold** indicate pole position; races in *italics* indicate fastest lap)

Notes

* \* – Season still in progress.