![]() ![]() ![]() Finally, he is also the second American to win the Formula 1 World Championship. He achieved success at Indianapolis and at the Daytona 500, took top spoils at the Daytona and Sebring endurance events, conquering several championships and titles along the way. ![]() He triumphed on dirt tracks, speedways, clockwise and counter clockwise courses, and on the mighty climb to Pikes Peak. On the other hand, assessing this living legend’s legacy is easy.Īs the greatest all-around driver in the history of the sport, Mario Andretti won in midgets, sprint cars, stock cars, sports cars, Indy cars and Grand Prix machines. It would probably be easier to sum up the Old Testament on the back of a postcard than to write a one page summary of Mario Andretti’s extraordinary achievements in motor racing. ![]() More than two decades of hard work and sweat later, Andretti would be crowned the 1978 Formula One World Champion at that very same track. Mario Andretti’s love of racing began as a young boy while watching the 1954 Italian Grand Prix in Monza, Italy. He spoke highly of the young Brit before he had even begun racing for Mercedes – lauding the job he did for Williams towards the tail end of his final season with the team.The following is an excerpt from the book, The American Legacy in Formula 1, by Phillip van Osten. "If you look at his performance last year, not only in qualifying but also his strength in the race, you have to see him as a revelation," the 82-year-old said.Īndretti's praise of Russell should come as little surprise. His performances earned praise from a wide range of voices, the latest being 1978 drivers' champion Andretti. But that's what Russell did, scoring 35 points more than his Mercedes team-mate thanks to his consistent results. He also lived up to the billing when called up to replace the Covid-stricken Lewis Hamilton in Sakhir in 2020, and may have won the race had it not been for a team pit stop blunder followed by a puncture.Įven despite that, not many expected him to outshine seven-time world champion Hamilton over the course of the season. The Brit was always expected to fare well with the Silver Arrows, after impressing in his early Formula 1 years with Williams. George Russell was "a revelation" in his impressive first season as a Mercedes driver, in the eyes of former champion Mario Andretti. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |