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Dr Marco Vricella | Cosmetic Surgeon | Plastic Surgeon in Spain millsmedical.com | NCH Healthcare ~ Marco Healthcare Center nchmd.org | Marco A. Costa, MD seconds-count.org | Marco F. Ramoni, Ph.D. sequencing.hpcgg.org |
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.
[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 was not old enough to run an alcohol-sponsored car. [edit] Indy Car Series[edit] 2006In 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] 2007The 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 (2.4 km) 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] 2008Marco ran his first night race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the first race of the 2008 season, with a 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 (the youngest in Indycar history, 21 years, 79 days old) at the Milwaukee Mile (becoming the youngest IndyCar pole winner[3] ), but crashed out with 3 laps to go in the race. His car slipped 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. On June 7, 2008, Andretti added 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. At the Iowa Speedway on June 22, 2008, Andretti finished third. The following Saturday, Marco ran a strong race at the Richmond International Raceway but lost position when he pitted under green and a subsequent caution allowed the race leaders to pit under yellow, denying Marco's chance to regain position. He finished ninth. On July 6, 2008, Andretti finished fifth at Watkins Glen International. At the Nashville Superspeedway on July 12, Marco went out in the third lap in an incident that he initially thought was a driver error but later examination of the #26 car revealed that it was the result of a mechanical failure (left front shock). He also raced earlier the same day running in the American LeMans race at Lime Rock Park, Conn in the AGR XM Acura. On July 20 at Mid-Ohio, Marco got caught up in a four-car wreck on a restart on lap 42 which ended his race. On July 26 at Edmonton City Centre Airport, Marco lead a couple of times, but he finished 17th after he tagged his teammate Danica Patrick. On August 9 at Kentucky Speedway, Marco took the lead from Scott Dixon, but as the race neared its end, all drivers had to pit for more fuel and Dixon took the win, while Andretti finished third. On August 24 at Infineon Raceway Marco had an uneventful day and he finished 14th. On Aug 31 at Belle Isle, Marco DNFed(mechanical), finishing 18th. September 7, the last points event of the 2008 season, Marco good finish 8th at Chicagoland Speedway. October 26, an exhibition race at Surfers Paradise, Marco finish the season off with a 13th place finish. The 2008 season proved to be a struggle for the 21 year old. Marco performed much better on the ovals, and struggled on the road and street courses. Marco Andretti finished 7th in the points and DNFed 7 times. [edit] 2009The 2009 season began on two street circuits, giving Marco an opportunity to show the benifits of his recent A1GP experience. At St. Pete he tangled late in the race with veteran Alex Tagliani, finishing 13th, but overcame a 19th place start in Long Beach to finish 6th due to a different pitting sequence. This was Marco's first time at Long Beach, a circuit at which both his father and grandfather won multiple times. After a 6th place finish at Kansas Marco looked to Indianapolis, where he had been 2nd and 3rd in two of his three starts. Starting 8th, Andretti attempted to pass KV Racing's Mario Moraes on the outside of the Southchute (between Turns 1 and 2). Moraes moved towards the wall, apparently unaware that Marco was outside of him, and both cars collected the wall. Both Andretti and Moraes expressed their displeasure with the other in their on-air interviews. Andretti called the second-year driver "clueless" and said that "he doesn't get it and never will. I should have known who I was racing with."[4] The remainder of the year did not yield much success, as Marco's best finish of the year was 4th at Milwaukee, another racetrack with past Andretti family success. He continued his improved form on road and street courses, finishing 5th at Watkins Glen, 8th in his first race in Toronto (where his father won a record seven times), and 6th at Mid-Ohio before finishing 8th in the final standings. [edit] Formula One[edit] Honda Racing F1 TestsHonda Racing F1 announced in December, 2006 that Andretti would be presented with an opportunity to test their Formula One car,[5] and on December 15, Andretti drove their Formula One car at Jerez in Spain[6]. Honda sporting director Gil de Ferran commented that he had done a good job.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9] 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.[10] Recent speculation has put Marco as a possible contender for the new USGPE team set to debut in 2010. Should Andretti secure a slot with the new team, he would become the third generation Andretti to compete in F1 after 1978 title winner Mario and father Michael, who endured a difficult season with McLaren in 1993, and 'elder statesman' Mario admitted his grandson would be well suited to the series. However, Marco hopes to see better results while running in the IndyCar Series in 2009, for any hopes of being seriously considered for the USGPE slot in 2010.[1] [edit] American Le Mans Series[edit] 12 Hours of SebringMarco drove in the ALMS Sebring 12 hour endurance race for the Andretti Green Racing XM Satellite Radio car in March 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. On July 12, 2008, Andretti raced in the American LeMans race at Lime Rock Park, Conn in the AGR XM Acura. Later that same day, he raced in the IndyCar Series race in Nashville. Marco Andretti, Franck Montagny and Tony Kanaan raced at the Petit Le Mans on October 4, 2008. A late-race incident retired the #26 XM Radio Acura early, with a seventh-place finish in LMP2 and 16th overall. [edit] A1 Grand Prix[edit] 2008-09 season On November 3, 2008, Marco was confirmed to be racing for A1 Team USA at the second round of the 2008-09 A1 Grand Prix season.[11][12] Marco was given the opportunity to race after Andretti Green Racing was revealed to be taking over the management of A1 Team USA starting with the 2008-09 season, and his father Michael Andretti became seat holder.[13] [edit] Motorsports Career Results[edit] Complete A1 Grand Prix results(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
[edit] American Open-Wheel(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) [edit] IndyCar
[edit] Indianapolis 500 results
[edit] References
[edit] External links
Categories: Andretti family | 1987 births | American racecar drivers | Italian-American sportspeople | Living people | Notre Dame High School (Easton, Pennsylvania) alumni | North American Formula Renault drivers | Indy 500 drivers | Indy 500 Rookie of the Year | Indy Racing League drivers | Indy Lights drivers | A1 Team USA drivers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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