04/01/2024
NEWS STORY
Motorsport is in mourning following the death of two-time CART champion and Indy 500 winner Gil de Ferran.
Born in Paris, the son of a Ford Motor Company executive, de Ferran moved to Sao Paulo in Brazil when he was nine months old.
He began racing karts at the age of 14 and by the age of 19, he had won the Brazilian Formula Ford 1600 Championship. That success prompted him to leave Engineering College in Sao Paulo and move to England in 1988 to continue his career in racing.
He moved up the ladder steadily and by 1991, he was in British Formula 3 and in his second season, driving for Jackie Stewart's son team Paul Stewart Racing, captured the British F3 Championship, taking seven victories.
He moved into the FIA Formula 3000 Series for the next two seasons, winning a total of three races and finishing third in 1994, still driving for the same team.
In 1995, enticed by the legendary Jim Hall, de Ferran moved to the United States to begin racing on the Indy Car circuit and immediately won Rookie of the Year honours with one victory in that season.
In 2000, he joined Team Penske, the team with the most wins in motorsports history, together they won two consecutive Championships (2000 & 2001), becoming only the fourth driver in CART history to achieve this feat.
In addition, de Ferran became "The Fastest Man in the World" when he set the closed course speed record by completing a lap at 241.428 mph at California Speedway on October 28, 2000.
Retiring in 2003, having won his final race at the Texas Motor Speedway, de Ferrari joined the BAR-Honda F1 team as its sporting director. He resigned from the position four years later after becoming "increasingly uncomfortable" with the team.
In July 2018, he was made sporting director at McLaren following Eric Boullier's resignation and though he left in early 2021 was back in Woking in early 2023, after McLaren brought him back in a consultant advisory role as part of its restructure process.
De Ferran is understood to have suffered a heart attack whilst driving at a private event in Florida with his son.
F1, the FIA and all the teams were quick to react to the sad news of de Ferran's death, with Zak Brown admitting: "The news of Gil's passing leaves us devastated.
"Gil was not only a dear friend but a fearless racer whose passion and determination on the track inspired us all," he added. "I've raced with Gil all over the world and watched him win some of the biggest races.
"His time with us here at McLaren Racing has been pivotal in our forward development, particularly this past year and the turnaround of our F1 team's performance and results. His legacy will continue to shape our team's future."
"Gil's passing has left a profound void in the racing community," added Andrea Stella, "and here at McLaren.
"We are shocked and deeply saddened by this loss and will forever be grateful for his invaluable contributions to our team's success.
"Gil was a personal friend, a man of unparalleled integrity and an example of how being a tough and competitive racer did not exclude respect and humanity.
"Gil possessed the most brilliant mind and was a strategic thinker with a unique span of knowledge, driven by curiosity and rigour. His hugely positive impact was felt by everyone who worked alongside him. He will be so sorely missed."
De Ferran, leaves a widow Angela, whom he met whilst they were both at Paul Stewart Racing, and two children, Anna and Luke.
Pitpass, on behalf of its readers, offers its sincere condolences.