Team Motorola
Honda
Birthdate: October 5, 1962
Birthplace: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Resides: Nazareth, Pa.
Height/Weight: 5'7", 160 lbs.
Personal: Married (Leslie), Three children (Marco, Marissa,
Lucca)
Interests: Fitness training, hockey
The FedEx Championship Series career victory leader among current drivers with 40 race wins, 1991 series champion, co-holder of the single season record of eight wins, the CART single-season and all-time leader in laps led, Michael Andretti is the most recognized name in Champ Car racing today. Andretti will run with Honda power for the first time in 2001 as the 38-year-old joins the new Team Motorola operation headed by Barry and Kim Green.
One of the first "second-generation" CART racers, Andretti is the oldest son of Champ Car legend Mario Andretti. After starting in SCCA Formula Ford competition at age 18, Andretti quickly moved up to the pro ranks, winning the North American Formula Mondial (now Atlantic) title in 1983. He made his CART debut that same year, running three late-season races for Kraco Racing and posting his first top-ten finish at Phoenix.
Andretti's first Champ Car victory came at Long Beach in 1986. He immediately became a title contender, winning two more races and finishing second in the championship. He has won at least one race in every CART season since then, except for 1988. After winning the CART title in 1992, Andretti spent one year racing for Team McLaren in Formula One.
He returned to Champ Cars with Target/Chip Ganassi Racing in 1994, scoring the first CART win for Reynard at the season-opening Australia race that year. Andretti comes to Team Motorola after six seasons with Newman-Haas Racing, where he won at least one race and finished in the top eight in the championship every year.
CART Racing Record
|
Year |
Starts |
1st |
2-10th |
11-20th |
Standings |
Notes & Highlights |
|
2000 |
20 |
2 |
8 |
9 |
8th |
Wins in Japan and Toronto |
|
1999 |
20 |
1 |
12 |
2 |
4th |
Memorial Day weekend win at Gateway |
|
1998 |
19 |
1 |
8 |
6 |
7th |
Won Homestead second consecutive year |
|
1997 |
17 |
1 |
7 |
3 |
8th |
Won Homestead with new Swift chassis |
|
1996 |
16 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
2nd |
Most race victories of any driver this year |
|
1995 |
17 |
1 |
9 |
2 |
4th |
Race win in Toronto |
|
1994 |
16 |
2 |
8 |
3 |
4th |
Returns from a year of Formula One racing |
|
1992 |
16 |
5 |
6 |
4 |
2nd |
Runner-up to Bobby Rahal by just 4 points |
|
1991 |
17 |
8 |
4 |
5 |
1st |
CART champion, dominated season stats |
|
1990 |
16 |
5 |
6 |
4 |
2nd |
Championship runner-up to Al Unser Jr. |
|
1989 |
15 |
2 |
9 |
4 |
3rd |
Wins at Toronto and Michigan |
|
1988 |
15 |
0 |
10 |
3 |
6th |
Five podium finishes |
|
1987 |
15 |
4 |
7 |
2 |
2nd |
Runner-up to Bobby Rahal for 2nd time |
|
1986 |
17 |
3 |
8 |
6 |
2nd |
First career victories, season lap leader |
|
1985 |
15 |
0 |
6 |
5 |
9th |
Six top-ten finishes |
|
1984 |
16 |
0 |
9 |
5 |
7th |
Indy 500 Rookie of the Year |
|
1983 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
26th |
Also Formula Atlantic champion |