Mario Andretti Biography

Mario Andretti, born February 28, 1940, competed in Formula One from 1968 to 1982 and in IndyCar from 1964 to 1994. He won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1978 and secured 12 Grand Prix victories across 14 seasons. Andretti claimed four IndyCar National Championship titles and won the Indianapolis 500 in 1969, also winning the Daytona 500 in 1967. His first Formula One victory came at the 1971 South African Grand Prix, his debut season with Ferrari. His son Michael won the CART title in 1991, and both Michael and Jeff pursued careers as racing drivers. Andretti has served on the board of directors for Cadillac in Formula One since its debut in 2026. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen on April 15, 1964, shortly before his IndyCar debut on April 19, 1964.