But what really captured Mario's imagination was a visit to the 1954 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, where he was transfixed by the sights and sounds of the exotic Lancia, Maserati and Ferrari Formula One cars and held spellbound by the heroic exploits of such drivers as Juan Manuel Fangio and Alberto Ascari. With his brother he cycled from home to watch in wonder that portion near Lucca of the famous Mille Miglia road race that sent sports cars hurtling a thousand miles through the Italian landscape. When the war ended and their part of Italy was handed over to the Communists and became part of what was then Yugoslavia, the Andrettis moved to Lucca, where young Mario first became aware of the sport that was to become his all-consuming passion.
The brothers' first seven years were spent in a camp for displaced persons, where the Andretti family endured exceedingly crowded conditions and severe food shortages. Mario and his twin brother Aldo were born on February 28, 1940, with World War II raging all around their birthplace of Montona, a town near the Italian port city of Trieste. © Sutton ImagesĪfter it became his way of life he always said he was born to race, yet the circumstances in his formative years forced Mario Andretti to take an exceedingly circuitous route to get where he wanted to go. It was one of four victories that season at the wheel of the revolutionary Lotus 78, giving him third place in the drivers’ championship. Long Beach, April 1977: Andretti celebrates a popular home win. Having grabbed pole in the team’s 77 car, he tamed the wet conditions to take victory in the season-ending Japanese Grand Prix. © Schlegelmilchįuji, October 1976: Returning to Lotus, Andretti took his second Formula One win five years after his first. He took fastest lap at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix and recorded their best race result – a fourth – in Sweden later that year. Monte Carlo, May 1975: Andretti was Parnelli’s sole driver for the team’s brief, 16-race Formula One career. His Monaco retirement, in their VPJ14 machine, was one of seven that year. Monte Carlo, May 1975: Andretti competed with the Parnelli team in all but two rounds of the 1975 world championship. He promptly took his maiden Formula One victory at the wheel of the 312B. Kyalami, March 1971: Andretti was called in by Ferrari to replace the fatally injured Ignazio Giunti at the season-opening South African Grand Prix. He qualified sixth for the 1969 South African Grand Prix in the Lotus 49B, but then retired with gearbox difficulties.
Kyalami, March 1969: Andretti’s Formula One appearances were sporadic for the next five years as he concentrated on American commitments. He retired from the race but was offered a full-time drive with the team. Watkins Glen, October 1968: Andretti caused a sensation when he took pole position on his Formula One debut in the Lotus 49B at the United States Grand Prix.
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