Mario Andretti, 82 years old, has gotten back behind the wheel of an F1 car
During a motor racing festival at the Laguna Seca circuit in the United States, the former American Formula 1 driver, Mario Andretti, drove a McLaren. Andretti is 82 years old.
On the occasion of the Velocity festival, which took place at Laguna Seca, former Formula 1 driver Mario Andretti got back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car. At 82 years old, it was the first time Mario Andretti had driven a modern Formula 1 car, as his last participation in the F1 World Championship dates back to 1982.
Mario Andretti, the owner-driver of the eponymous team in American racing series, is a forgotten driver in Formula 1 paddocks. However, Andretti, who began his career in 1968 behind the wheel of a Gold Leaf Lotus-Cosworth, won 12 Grand Prix victories and incidentally a world championship title in 1978 with the well-known black John Player Lotus-Cosworth.
McLaren was present this weekend at the Velocity festival in Laguna Seca, and on this occasion, they allowed Mario Andretti to drive a 2013 McLaren F1 MP4/28. Back in the silver era, the silver arrow donned the orange and black livery of the 2022 season to welcome the 1978 Formula 1 World Champion behind the wheel.
“It was two years ago, we were at the Goodwood festival with Zak Brown [McLaren F1 Director], and I sat in one of the F1 cars, it was impressive,” commented Andretti before his session at Laguna Seca. “I told him that I would like to start it while joking, and he said ‘I’ll try to make it happen.’ But it didn’t happen there. We met again in Miami, he said it again in front of Martin Brundle. And finally, we made it happen.”
