2023-12-30 04:53:00
Gil de Ferran, winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 500 and closed-track speed record holder, died Friday while racing with his son at The Concourse Club in Florida, several former colleagues confirmed. He was 56 years old.
Tony Kanaan, De Ferran’s colleague and compatriot, told The Associated Press that the driver was with his son Luke at the private track in Opa-Locka, Florida. After stopping his car, De Ferran said he was not feeling well.
According to Kanaan, De Ferran apparently suffered a heart attack, from which he could not recover despite efforts to resuscitate him.
It can not be believed.
Gil de Ferran died. It is a very painful loss in motorsports.
A great champion is leaving, a winner in the Indy 500, an excellent racing executive. The fastest driver on a qualifying lap in history. He did it at CART, Fontana 2000.
386,244 km/h of… pic.twitter.com/xtE1gKpYZY— Luis Manuel López (@chacho_lml) December 30, 2023
Kanaan said he was “devastated” by the loss of a driver considered an icon of motorsports in Brazil.
“He was one of my best friends. We grew up together and recently collaborated at McLaren,” Kanaan said. “At the beginning of this year, he was a mentor and helped me. I lost a very dear friend. I am devastated. I have to say he went Gil style, driving a race car. If he could choose a way to leave, he would opt for that.”
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De Ferran, born in France, was rehired in May as a McLaren consultant. He had been sports director of the team’s failed effort to qualify Spaniard Fernando Alonso for the Indianapolis 500 in 2019.
In 2000 and 2001, De Ferran won Champ Car series titles, driving for Team Penske. In the 2003 Indianapolis 500 he also won the crown with Roger Penske.
He was second in the LMP1 category of the American Le Mans Series in 2009, racing for his own Motorsports team.
In 2000, on the California Speedway track, De Ferran set the closed track speed record during a CART series qualifying, with a lap at 241.428 miles (388.54 kilometers) per hour. The brand is still valid.
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On October 28, 2000, Gil de Ferran ran the fastest lap in auto racing history when he won the pole for the CART race at California. And look at how calm he is afterwards. After the race was rained out the next day, Gil won his 1st championship on Monday pic.twitter.com/lW0LL5scKI
— nascarman (@nascarman_rr) October 28, 2020
De Ferran was inspired to dedicate himself to motor racing by fellow Brazilian Emerson Fittipaldi. He began his career in karts, before embarking on his rise through the ranks of European motorsport.
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He lost the British Formula 3 title to his countryman Rubens Barrichello and David Coulthard in 1991, but won the title the following season.
Incredulous at the news of Gil de Ferran’s death. He emerged as a great figure in ????????, winning the CART and Indy500, later transcending to roles with Honda and McLaren in #F1. Great guy, I interviewed him on ???????? this year while her daughter Anna livened up the grid with her music. RIP Gil. pic.twitter.com/KWlK2IE2fM
— Diego Mejia (@diegofmejia) December 30, 2023
He won seven CART races and five IndyCar races. He finished second in the 2003 championship. He joined the Penske team with its iconic sponsorship of Marlboro in 2000.
He is survived by his wife Angela, daughter Ana and son Luke. Ana is a DJ at Formula One races around the world.
Last week, the whole family had published photos on the occasion of the Christmas holidays.
From AP
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