The motorsport group has been shocked by the loss of life of former IndyCar star Gil de Ferran on the age of 56.
De Ferran, who has handed away following a coronary heart assault, loved big success in IndyCar racing within the early noughties with Penske. He gained back-to-back titles within the CART championship earlier than switching to the rival Indy Racing League the place he scored a memorable win within the Indianapolis 500.
He adopted fellow Brazilian stars resembling Ayrton Senna and Nelson Piquet by impressing within the British racing scene, profitable its nationwide Components 3 championship with Paul Stewart Racing in 1992. Two seasons in Components 3000, the highest junior sequence of the time, yielded a win in his second begin plus a victory within the Pau Grand Prix. In all De Ferran gained three of his 17 begins.
Missing a route into F1, De Ferran opted to enter the CART sequence, which was on the peak of its recognition. He confirmed constant enchancment over his rookie marketing campaign with Corridor Racing, culminating in second place within the penultimate spherical at Vancouver and victory within the Laguna Seca season finale, He constructed on that the next yr with a marketing campaign which solely included a single additional win however lifted him to sixth within the standings.
That improved continued into his third season, at Walker Racing, the place regardless of not taking one other win De Ferran stood on the rostrum seven occasions and completed runner-up to champion Alessandro Zanardi. Though Walker struggled to compete with the main groups over the next two seasons, De Ferran’s kind had caught the attention of high squad Penske, who employed him to affix Helio Castroneves in an all-Brazilian squad for the 2000 season.
De Ferran was fast to ship, profitable his fifth begin for the workforce at Nazareth. In an enormously aggressive season De Ferran solely took a single additional victory, at Portland, however his constant points-scoring lifted him into the championship lead with 4 races to go. Third place at Fontana behind fellow Brazilians Roberto Moreno and Christian Fittipaldi – the latter the sequence’ eleventh totally different winner of the yr – secured the title for De Ferran.
He efficiently defended his championship the next yr. As soon as once more, over a protracted and aggressive season De Ferran’s consistency paid off and noticed him take the factors lead within the latter phases. A pair of wins again within the UK at Rockingham and on the streets of Houston propelled him right into a 36-point lead by the yr’s finish.
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De Ferran’s success got here at a turbulent time for American open-wheel racing following the break up between CART and the rival Indy Racing League in 1996. Penske selected to change sequence in 2002, taking De Ferran with them to what was then an all-oval sequence. In 2003 he completed runner-up within the championship however took his largest win of all within the Indianapolis 500, pipping Castroneves by lower than three-tenths of a second in a memorable end.
He left open-wheel racing on the peak of his skills, profitable his last race at Texas Motor Speedway. De Ferran returned as a driver together with his personal workforce within the American Le Mans Collection, and even examined a Components E automotive in 2014, however more and more targeted his efforts on administration.
De Ferran labored for Honda’s manufacturing unit Components 1 effort, becoming a member of as sporting director earlier than leaving throughout a 2007 season the place the workforce struggled.
Most not too long ago, de Ferran returned to Components 1 with McLaren as sporting director from 2018. Regardless of departing that position in 2021, he was introduced again by McLaren early this yr as a marketing consultant, working with the workforce proper up till his sudden loss of life. A press release from the Brazilian Vehicle Confederation stated the 56-year-old suffered a coronary heart assault whereas at a personal motorsport membership in Florida the place he was taken to a neighborhood hospital however didn’t survive.
A press release from McLaren stated the workforce had been “shocked and deeply saddened to be taught we’ve misplaced a beloved member of our McLaren household.”
“Gil was an essential and integral a part of our racing workforce. He was a formidable power on and off monitor and made a long-lasting impression on everybody racing and dealing alongside him. He will likely be missed by everybody at McLaren Racing.”
Penske chairman Roger Penske stated the IndyCar group had been “terribly saddened” by information of de Ferran’s loss of life.
“Gil outlined class as a driver and as a gentleman,” stated Penske. “As an IndyCar champion and an Indianapolis 500 winner, Gil completed a lot throughout his profession, each on and off the monitor.
“Gil was beloved by so many. He was an important buddy to the Workforce Penske and IndyCar household, in addition to all the worldwide motorsports group. Gil’s passing is a horrible loss, and he will likely be deeply missed.”
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