Marco Andretti
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| Marco Michael Andretti | |
 Andretti in October 2007 |
|
| Nationality |  American |
| Date of Birth | March 13, 1987 |
| Place of Birth | Nazareth, PA |
| Related to | Mario Andretti (grandfather) Michael Andretti (father) John Andretti (cousin) Aldo Andretti (great uncle) Adam Andretti (cousin) Jeff Andretti (uncle) |
| 2008 IRL IndyCar Series | |
| Debut season | 2006 |
| Current team | Andretti Green Racing |
| Car No. | 26 |
| Starts | 38 |
| Wins | 1 |
| Poles | 1 |
| Best finish | 7th in 2006 |
Marco Michael Andretti (born March 13, 1987 in Nazareth, Pennsylvania) is an American auto racing driver who drives the #26 car for Andretti-Green Racing in the Indy Racing League. He is the son of 1991 IndyCar World Series champion Michael Andretti and the grandson of racing legend Mario Andretti. Andretti finished second in the 2006 Indianapolis 500 in the second closest finish in the race's history.
Andretti currently divides his time residing in Indianapolis, IN; Nazareth, PA; and Miami, FL.
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[edit] Early career
Andretti won eight races in the 2003 Barber Formula Dodge Eastern Championship, and was champion in the Barber National and Southern class the following year. [1]
Still barely out of high school, he raced in the Star Mazda series in 2005 and also made six starts in the Indy Pro Series. [1] He won three times at (St. Petersburg, Indianapolis (on the road course), and Sonoma) and finished 10th in points despite only starting half the races.
Motorsports journalist Gordon Kirby suggested at the Champ Car finale in Mexico City that the youngest Andretti would be replacing Dan Wheldon in his #26 Jim Beam Dallara-Honda for 2006 with Michael Andretti coming out of retirement to run a fifth car for his Andretti Green Racing team at the Indianapolis 500. Though a novel proposition to some, it was later confirmed in a December 15 press conference that he would move up to the Indy Racing League full time as the youngest driver in series history and would trade sponsors (New York Stock Exchange and Motorola) with Dario Franchitti as Andretti is not old enough to run an alcohol-sponsored car. His father, Michael Andretti, came out of retirement to run a fifth car for the Indianapolis 500.
[edit] Indy Car Series
[edit] 2006
In his rookie start on March 26, 2006 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the #26 New York Stock Exchange Dallara Honda, Andretti started 13th but broke a halfshaft in his first pitstop, eliminating him from the race.
With his Rookie of the Year performance in May at the Indianapolis 500, he became the third Andretti to finish in the top five in his first Indianapolis 500 appearance, by finishing second to Sam Hornish Jr. in the second closest finish in Indy history (0.0635), joining his father Michael (5th in 1984) and his grandfather Mario (3rd in 1965).
On August 27, 2006, Marco Andretti, at the time, became the youngest winner (19 yrs., 5 mo., 14 days) of a major open-wheel racing event (later to be replaced by Graham Rahal) as he scored his first career Indy Racing League victory at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. His win established him as the 2006 Bombardier Rookie of the Year.
[edit] 2007
The 2007 season was not as successful for Marco. He failed to finish ten times and only completed 7 races. The team struggled to find balance on 1.5 mile ovals, with accidents eliminating him from the races in Japan, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, and Chicago, as well as the Mid Ohio road course. After finishing second at Michigan International Speedway, Marco finished eleventh place overall with 350 points, and is yet to repeat his 2006 victory. Out of 17 races in the season, he had 10 DNFs and his highest place was a 2nd place.
[edit] 2008
Marco ran his first night race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the first race of the 2008 season, making a very impressive 2nd place finish behind Scott Dixon, earning him 40 points. He also led the most laps of the race, 85, and received an additional three points.
In the second race of the season at St. Petersburg, FL, Marco snapped a half-shaft on the #26 Gillette Fusion trying to leave the pits. This was his first DNF (did not finish) of the season.
In the third race of the season at Motegi, Japan, Marco spun the #26 Alpine car out on the first lap of the race. This was his second DNF of the season.
At the 2008 Indianapolis 500, Andretti finished third, after leading several laps.[2]. During the race, he made a pass by teammate, Tony Kanaan, who then crashed into the wall, blaming Marco.
A week later he captured his first IndyCar Series pole at the Milwaukee Mile, but crashed out with 3 laps to go in the race. His car slip up the track, collecting Ed Carpenter, which in turn caused Vitor Meira to go airborne as he drove over Andretti's tire. The eventual winner, Ryan Briscoe, missed the wreckage "..by a foot..." Andretti finished 21st.
June 7, 2008, Andretti adds another DNF to the 2008 season at Texas Motor Speedway. Andretti had one of the best cars that night and was able to drive the high line all night, but Ryan Hunter-Reay and Andretti made contact with just a few laps to go. The knees of Andretti were x-rayed, but came back negative.
[edit] Formula One
[edit] Honda Racing F1 Tests
Honda Racing F1 announced in December, 2006 that Andretti would be presented with an opportunity to test their Formula One car,[3] and on December 15, Andretti drove their Formula One car at Jerez in Spain[4]. Honda sporting director Gil de Ferran commented that he had done a good job.[5]
Andretti said that he had greatly enjoyed the test but also told reporters that he wishes to enter Formula One only after he has won the Indy 500.[6]
On February 7 and February 8, 2007 Marco participated in a second Honda Racing F1 test for two days in Jerez, Spain. As in the previous test Marco drove the team's 2006 Formula One car. His (unofficial) fastest lap of the day on February 7 was less than 1.5 seconds slower than Honda team driver Jenson Button's fastest time.[7] His (unofficial) fastest time on February 8 (in rainy/changing conditions) was less than one second slower than that of the 2005 and 2006 Formula One World Drivers' Champion Fernando Alonso's fastest lap.[8]
[edit] American Le Mans Series
[edit] 12 Hours of Sebring
Marco drove in the ALMS Sebring 12 hour endurance race for the Andretti Green Racing XM Satellite Radio car in March of 2008. He was able to put in times in the 1 minute 48 second range that neither of his co-drivers were able to match. Although the car was retired early from the race, it was in the position for a podium finish.
[edit] Motorsports Career Results
[edit] American Open-Wheel
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
[edit] IndyCar
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Andretti Green | HMS Ret |
STP Ret |
 MOT 12 |
INDY 2 |
WGL Ret |
TXS 14 |
RIR 4 |
KAN 9 |
NSH 8 |
MIL 5 |
MIS 8 |
KTY 17 |
SNM 1 |
CHI 18 |
7th | 325 | |||||
| 2007 | Andretti Green | HMS Ret |
STP 4 |
MOT Ret |
KAN Ret |
INDY Ret |
MIL Ret |
TXS Ret |
IOW 2 |
RIR 12 |
WGL 5 |
NSH 5 |
MDO Ret |
MIS 2 |
KTY 4 |
SNM Ret |
DET Ret |
CHI Ret |
11th | 350 | ||
| 2008 | Andretti-Green | HMS 2 |
STP Ret |
MOT1 Ret |
LBH1 DNP |
KAN 5 |
INDY 3 |
MIL Ret |
TXS Ret |
IOW |
RIR |
WGL |
NSH |
MDO |
 EDM |
KTY |
SNM |
DET |
CHI |
 SRF2 |
8th* | 154* |
- * 2008 season in progress
- 1 Run on same day.
- 2 Non-points-paying, exhibition race.
| Years | Teams | Races | Poles | Wins | Podiums (Non-win)** |
Top 10s (Non-podium)*** |
Indianapolis 500 Wins |
Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 38 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
- ** Podium (Non-win) indicates 2nd or 3rd place finishes.
- *** Top 10s (Non-podium) indicates 4th through 10th place finishes.
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ a b Meet the rookies: Marco Andretti. F1Fanatic.co.uk (2007-08-15). Retrieved on 2007-08-15.
- ^ Patrick, Kanaan, Rahal, Foyt run into trouble at Indy 500AP on ESPN.com May 25, 2008
- ^ Honda hand test to Andretti. Overdrive (2006-12-11). Retrieved on 2006-12-11.
- ^ F1 in the news. F1Fanatic.co.uk (2006-12-15). Retrieved on 2006-12-16.
- ^ Action packed final Jerez test. Overdrive (2006-12-16). Retrieved on 2006-12-16.
- ^ Andretti wants to win 500 then join F1. F1-Racing.Net (2006-12-15). Retrieved on 2006-12-15.
- ^ Marco Andretti joins Jenson for day two at Jerez. HondaRacingF1.com (2007-02-07).
- ^ Barrichello and Andretti in action at wet Jerez. HondaRacingF1.com (2007-02-08).
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