Gil de Ferran

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Gil de Ferran
British Formula Three
Formula 3000
Championship titles
1992
2000–2001
2003
British Formula Three Champion
CART World Series Champion
Indianapolis 500 winner
Awards
1995CART Rookie of the Year
De Ferran's car in 2001
De Ferran at the 2005 United States Grand Prix

Gil de Ferran (11 November 1967 – 29 December 2023) was a French-born Brazilian professional racing driver and team owner. De Ferran was the 2000 and 2001

Champ Car champion driving for Team Penske and the winner of the 2003 Indianapolis 500.[1] He also finished runner-up in the American Le Mans Series LMP1 class in 2009, with his own de Ferran Motorsports
.

Early career

Inspired by the success of fellow Brazilian

Paul Stewart Racing and won the title, scoring seven wins in the process.[5]

In 1993 and 1994, de Ferran drove for Paul Stewart Racing in the International Formula 3000.[5] De Ferran finished fifth in the series in 1993 and then took the championship down to the wire in 1994, ultimately finishing third.[6][7] In 1993, de Ferran tested for the Footwork Arrows Formula One team along with Dutch racer Jos Verstappen.[8][9] His day was seriously compromised after he bumped his head while walking near the motorhome, with de Ferran recalling the incident as follows: "I was walking between two of the trucks, looking down thinking, this is not going so well. And I hit my head on a swing-up locker door on the side of the truck. Split my head open, blood everywhere, game over."[9] His times also compared poorly to Verstappen's.[8]

IndyCar

In 1994, de Ferran was invited to test a

Laguna Seca Raceway.[14] After the win, De Ferran placed 14th in the 1995 PPG Indy Car World Series, and won the PPG Indy Car World Series Rookie Of The Year award.[13][14]

In 1996, de Ferran was a consistent challenger but only scored one win, at Cleveland's

Homestead-Miami Speedway but was knocked out of the lead by Dennis Vitolo, who was a lap down from de Ferran.[19] At the Grand Prix of Portland he lost out to PacWest Racing's Mark Blundell in the closest finish in CART history.[20] The expected championship challenge never materialized in 1998. Unreliability, driver errors and the inferior performance of the Goodyear tires compared to the superior Firestone tires all combined to leave de Ferran 12th in the standings, again with no wins in the year.[21][22]

In 1999, the long-awaited breakthrough finally came as de Ferran beat

California Speedway and de Ferran's fellow countryman Hélio Castroneves was announced as the replacement for Moore shortly afterwards.[26]

On 28 October 2000, during CART qualifying at

California Speedway in Fontana, de Ferran set both the track record and closed course record for fastest lap at 241.428 mph (388.541 km/h).[27] As of December 2022, this stands as the fastest qualifying lap speed ever recorded at an official race meeting.[28] He would follow the record speed by winning the series championship at Fontana on 30 October (The season finale started on 29 October but was forced to finish on 30 October due to rain).[29]

With Team Penske, de Ferran won two CART titles and an Indy 500 victory.[30] His analytical approach earned him comparisons with Penske's first driver, Mark Donohue.[9] In 2003, de Ferran was injured during a race at Phoenix, suffering a broken back.[31] Despite the injury, de Ferran passed his teammate, Castroneves with 31 laps left to win the 2003 Indianapolis 500.[32] It also was the second 1–2 finish for Penske Racing in the Indianapolis 500.[33][34]

Following his Indianapolis triumph de Ferran decided to retire at the end of 2003.[35] He won his final race at Texas Motor Speedway,[36] although the moment was soured by a crash during the race that left fellow Indy 500 winner and Rahal-Letterman Racing driver Kenny Bräck seriously injured.[37] De Ferran would finish second in the championship standings, runner-up to Scott Dixon.[36]

Formula One managerial career

In 2005, he moved to the BAR-Honda Formula One team as their Sports Director.[38] He resigned from this position in July 2007 after becoming "increasingly uncomfortable" with the team.[39]

In July 2018, de Ferran was made sporting director for

Eric Boullier's resignation.[40] He left the team in early 2021.[41]

In May 2023, McLaren had brought back de Ferran in a consultant advisory role as part of their restructure process.[42]

de Ferran Motorsports

On 29 January 2008, de Ferran announced that he would return to the cockpit and field a factory-backed LMP2 class

Acura ARX-01b prototype in the American Le Mans Series, under the team name de Ferran Motorsports.[43] The team began competing around the mid-way point of the 2008 season, with de Ferran running the team and sharing driving duties with Simon Pagenaud.[44]

In its debut season, de Ferran Motorsports took four front row grid positions, led six races and scored three podium finishes in just eight starts.[45]

In 2009, de Ferran Motorsports was chosen by Honda to develop the Acura ARX-02a for competition in the LMP1 division of the American Le Mans Series.[46][47] The team scored five outright wins, seven poles, and finished runners up in the ALMS LMP1 class.[48][49]

Return to IndyCar

In August 2009, de Ferran announced his retirement at the end of the racing season, expressing his intention to concentrate all his resources on expanding his team, making public his desire to return to IndyCar racing as a front running team owner.

Steve Luczo, a successful technology leader and racing enthusiast.[52] The new team was named de Ferran Dragon Racing and was the realization of de Ferran's ambition to return to IndyCar.[53][54]

De Ferran Dragon Racing, with driver Raphael Matos, earned four Top Ten finishes in its debut campaign and finished seventeenth in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.[9][55]

In 2010, IndyCar also began planning for a completely new car concept, to debut during the 2012 season.[56] De Ferran was part of the ICONIC committee in the development of the future IndyCar.[57]

In 2011 de Ferran Dragon racing closed its doors after lacking sponsorships, having attempted to stay operational for the new season.[58]

Recognition

In July 2013, Autosport magazine named de Ferran one of the 50 greatest drivers to have never raced in Formula One.[59][11]

Personal life and death

De Ferran was born on 11 November 1967 in Paris, France.

Paul Stewart Racing)[61] and their two children.[5]

De Ferran died on 29 December 2023, at age 56. He suffered a heart attack while driving at a private event with his son at The Concours Club in Opa-locka, Florida.[30][62]

Motorsports career results

Complete British Formula Three results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 DC Pts
1991 Edenbridge Racing Mugen-Honda SIL
8
THR DON
7
BRH
5
BRH
1
THR
8
SIL
7
DON
2
SIL
1
SIL
1
SNE
5
SIL
2
BRH
2
DON
5
SIL
6
THR
11
3rd 54 [citation needed]
1992 Paul Stewart Racing Mugen-Honda DON
3
SIL
1
THR
1
BRH
2
THR
2
BRH
2
SIL
1
SIL
2
DON
1
SNE
5
SIL
Ret
PEM
1
SIL
2
DON
3
THR
1
SIL
1
1st 102 [citation needed]

Complete International Formula 3000 results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 DC Points
1993
Paul Stewart Racing
DON
Ret
SIL
1
PAU
Ret
PER
Ret
HOC
9†
NÜR
2
SPA
2
MAG
Ret
NOG
7
4th 21
1994
Paul Stewart Racing
SIL
3
PAU
1
CAT

Ret
PER
1
HOC
3
SPA
5
EST

Ret
MAG
Ret
3rd 28
Sources:[63][64]

Complete American Open Wheel Racing results

(

key
)

CART

Year Team Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Rank Points Ref
1995 Hall/VDS Racing Reynard 95i Mercedes-Benz IC108B V8 t MIA
25
SRF
16
PHX
11
LBH
27
NZR
19
INDY
29
MIL
8
DET
16
POR
10
ROA
21
TOR
16
CLE
14
MIS
12
MDO
24
NHM
7
VAN
2
LS
1
14th 56 [65]
1996 Hall/VDS Racing Reynard 96i Honda HRH V8 t MIA
2
RIO
10
SRF
11
LBH
5
NZR
23
MIS1
9
MIL
9
DET
3
POR
2
CLE
1
TOR
18
MIS2
19
MDO
17
ROA
25
VAN
4
LS
25
6th 104 [66]
1997
Walker Racing Reynard 97i Honda HRR V8 t MIA
22
SRF
5
LBH
21
NZR
4
RIO
11
STL
3
MIL
7
DET
3
POR
2
CLE
2
TOR
25
MIS
3
MDO
6
ROA
3
VAN
3
LS
5
FON
6
2nd 162 [17]
1998
Walker Racing Reynard 98i Honda HRK V8 t MIA
7
MOT
3
LBH
20
NZR
4
RIO
26
STL
6
MIL
22
DET
3
POR
20
CLE
6
TOR
27
MIS
16
MDO
9
ROA
16
VAN
13
LS
19
HOU
21
SRF
14
FON
17
12th 67 [67]
1999 Walker Racing Reynard 99i Honda HRS V8 t MIA
6
MOT
2
LBH
6
NZR
15
RIO
10
STL
25
MIL
3
POR
1
CLE
2
ROA
14
TOR
19
MIS
24
DET
22
MDO
6
CHI
13
VAN
26
LS
6
HOU
17
SRF
27
FON
9
8th 108 [68]
2000
Penske Racing
Reynard 2Ki Honda HR-0 V8 t MIA
6
LBH
7
RIO
17
MOT
9
NZR
1
MIL
12
DET
9
POR
1
CLE
14
TOR
6
MIS
18
CHI
3
MDO
2
ROA
25
VAN
5
LS
2
STL
8
HOU
3
SRF
23
FON
3
1st 168 [69]
2001
Penske Racing
Reynard 01i Honda HR-1 V8 t
MTY

2
LBH

3
TXS
NH
NZR
23
MOT
13
MIL
7
DET
6
POR

13
CLE
4
TOR
14
MIS
24
CHI

3
MDO
2
ROA
5
VAN
2
LAU
8
ROC
1
HOU
1
LS
3
SRF
4
FON
6
1st 199 [70]

IndyCar Series

Year Team Chassis No. Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Rank Points Ref
2001
Team Penske Dallara IR-01 66 Oldsmobile Aurora V8 PHX
24
HMS ATL INDY
2
TXS PPIR RIR KAN NSH KTY STL CHI TX2 28th 46 [71]
2002
Marlboro Team Penske
Dallara IR-02 6 Chevrolet Indy V8 HMS
2
PHX
2
FON
4
NZR
3
INDY
10
TXS
16
PPIR
1
RIR
2
KAN
5
NSH
2
MIS
5
KTY
21
STL
1
CHI
23
TX2
INJ
3rd 443 [72]
2003
Penske Racing
Dallara IR-03 Toyota Indy V8 HMS
2
PHX
14
MOT
INJ
PPIR
3
RIR
3
KAN
3
NSH
1
MIS
7
STL
3
KTY
9
NZR
4
CHI
12
TX2
1
2nd 489 [73]
G-Force GF09 INDY
1
TXS
8
FON
15

Indianapolis 500 results

Year Chassis Engine Start Finish Team
1995 Reynard 95i Mercedes-Benz IC108B V8 t 19 29 Hall/VDS Racing
2001 Dallara IR-01 Oldsmobile Aurora V8 5 2
Penske Racing
2002 Dallara IR-02 Chevrolet Indy V8 14 10
Penske Racing
2003 G-Force GF09 Toyota Indy V8 10 1
Penske Racing
Source:[74]

CART career results

Year Team Wins Points Championship Finish
1995 Hall/VDS Racing 1 56 14th
1996 Hall/VDS Racing 1 104 6th
1997 Walker Racing 0 162 2nd
1998 Walker Racing 0 67 12th
1999 Walker Racing 1 108 8th
2000
Penske Racing
2 168 1st
2001
Penske Racing
2 199 1st
Source:[64]

Indy Racing League career results

Year Team Wins Points Championship Finish
2001
Penske Racing
0 46 28th
2002
Penske Racing
2 443 3rd
2003
Penske Racing
3 489 2nd
Sources:[63][64]

Complete American Le Mans Series results

Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine Tyres 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Rank Points Ref
2008 de Ferran Motorsports LMP2
Acura ARX-01b
Acura 3.4L V8 M SEB STP LNB UTA
3
LIM
14/7
MID
Ret
AME
18/8
MOS
7/5
DET
3
PET
8/5
MON
4/2
9th 85 [75]
2009 de Ferran Motorsports LMP1 Acura ARX-02a Acura 4.0L V8 M SEB
Ret
STP
Ret
LNB
1
UTA
1
LIM
1
MID
1
AME
2
MOS
2
PET
24/7
MON
1
2nd 162 [76]

References

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    .
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External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by British Formula Three Champion
1992
Succeeded by
Preceded by
1995
Succeeded by
Preceded by CART Series
Champion

20002001
Succeeded by
Preceded by Indianapolis 500 Winner
2003
Succeeded by