RIP Gil de Ferran

Indianapolis 500 winner and Formula 1 figure Gil de Ferran has passed away at the age of 56.

Reports indicate the two-time CART champion suffered a heart attack while racing with his son at the private Concourse Club in Florida.

In addition to his American success, de Ferran went V8 Supercars racing in 2011 as Jonathan Webb’s international co-driver at the Gold Coast 600, where they finished ninth and 13th.

The well-known open-wheel racer was born in Paris in 1967. He was Brazilian and began his karting career in the early 1980s, inspired by Emerson Fittipaldi.

Gil de Ferran races through the opening chicane on the Gold Coast in 2011. Image: Motorsport Images

By the early 1990s, he headed to Europe and finished third in the 1991 British Formula Three Championship, only behind Formula 1 Grand Prix winners Rubens Barrichello and David Coulthard.

The next year, de Ferran won the title, which led to testing opportunities with the Williams and Arrows F1 teams.

He eventually settled in America, becoming one of the biggest names in open-wheel racing.

His CART debut arrived in 1995 when he finished 14th in the championship, but finished with a flourish, winning the finale.

Despite not winning a race in 1997, de Ferran did enough to finish second in the championship to Alex Zanardi, while his almost three-year winless wait ended at Portland in 1999.

Gil de Ferran celebrates his 2003 Indy 500 victory. Image: Motorsport Images

A promotion to Penske Racing followed at the turn of the century, where he hit his straps, collecting two wins in each of his back-to-back championship glories.

In that same 2001 season, he also made his IndyCar debut for the American giant and finished a close second to Helio Castroneves at the Indianapolis 500.

However, de Ferran had to wait another two years to taste the milk by winning the 87th Indy 500.

In a reverse result of the 2001 race, de Ferran led home Castroneves in a Team Penske 1-2 finish.

The career highlight arrived in his personal best IndyCar season, where he finished second in the standings with further wins at Nashville and Texas.

After winning his final race, de Ferran retired at the end of the 2003 season.

Two years later, de Ferran was in the Formula 1 world as BAR-Honda’s Sports Director and remained with the squad until midway through 2007 before resigning, having become “increasingly uncomfortable” with the team.

Gil de Ferran with a McLaren team member during the 2023 United States GP. Photo by Mark Sutton / Sutton Images

Just over a decade later, the Brazilian returned to the F1 paddock for McLaren and spent three years in a similar role in the aftermath of Eric Boullier’s departure.

Only in May this year did de Ferran return to McLaren as a consultant, and the team released a statement following the tragic news.

“Everyone at McLaren Racing is shocked and deeply saddened to learn we have lost a beloved member of our McLaren family,” it read.

“We send our deepest condolences to Gil de Ferran’s family, friends and loved ones.

“Gil was an important and integral part of our Racing team. He was a formidable force on and off track and made a lasting impact on everyone racing and working alongside him.

“He will be missed by everyone at McLaren Racing.”

AUTO ACTION sends its condolences to de Ferran’s family and loved ones.

Main Photo by Steven Tee / LAT Images

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 On the latest podcast, Bruce, PG and Andrew talk about their three motor racing highlights of 2023, and to balance it out… The three lowlights as well, not lowlifes, Bruce!