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Mario Andretti to race in Le Mans
AP
Wednesday, 2 February 2000
Mario Andretti will get another chance to earn a victory in one of the few big racing events he has failed to win.
Andretti, who will turn 60 on 28 February, will drive for Panoz Motor Sports in June in the Le Mans 24-Hour race.
"It's not every day you get to sign up a legend to your team, but I can tell you it's a great feeling," said Don Panoz, who owns the Road Atlanta racetrack and whose team is based in Braselton, Georgia. "Mario's addition to our driver lineup makes us a real force to be reckoned with at Le Mans this year."
Andretti tested a Panoz LMP-1 Roadster S last week at Road Atlanta, managing only 25 laps because of an icy track and cold winds.
"I really liked the car," Andretti said. "It was fun to drive and very responsive to any changes we made, even though it was getting difficult to keep any heat in the tires due to the cold weather.
"The Panoz team works well together and I felt very comfortable with everyone on first acquaintance. More important, they are really committed to success at Le Mans."
Andretti won the 1978 Formula One world championship as well as four CART Indy-car titles. Among his many victories are the 1967 Daytona 500, the premier US stock car race, and the 1969 Indianapolis 500. But, even as he retired from CART following the 1994 season, Andretti said he would still like a shot at the world's biggest endurance race, where he has come up short seven times. His team finished second in 1995.
"Victory at Le Mans is something which so far has eluded me, but I'm confident that Don will provide me with the right package to be able to achieve that goal," Andretti said.
Andretti will have several more opportunities to test the car before Le Mans pre-qualifying at the end of April.
Other Panoz drivers at Le Mans will include Australian David Brabham, Denmark's Jan Magnussen, American Johnny O'Connell, Hiroki Katoh of Japan and Frenchman Pierre-Henri Raphanel. They will share two entries in the race, although the lineup has not yet been determined.
AP
Wednesday, 2 February 2000
Mario Andretti will get another chance to earn a victory in one of the few big racing events he has failed to win.
Andretti, who will turn 60 on 28 February, will drive for Panoz Motor Sports in June in the Le Mans 24-Hour race.
"It's not every day you get to sign up a legend to your team, but I can tell you it's a great feeling," said Don Panoz, who owns the Road Atlanta racetrack and whose team is based in Braselton, Georgia. "Mario's addition to our driver lineup makes us a real force to be reckoned with at Le Mans this year."
Andretti tested a Panoz LMP-1 Roadster S last week at Road Atlanta, managing only 25 laps because of an icy track and cold winds.
"I really liked the car," Andretti said. "It was fun to drive and very responsive to any changes we made, even though it was getting difficult to keep any heat in the tires due to the cold weather.
"The Panoz team works well together and I felt very comfortable with everyone on first acquaintance. More important, they are really committed to success at Le Mans."
Andretti won the 1978 Formula One world championship as well as four CART Indy-car titles. Among his many victories are the 1967 Daytona 500, the premier US stock car race, and the 1969 Indianapolis 500. But, even as he retired from CART following the 1994 season, Andretti said he would still like a shot at the world's biggest endurance race, where he has come up short seven times. His team finished second in 1995.
"Victory at Le Mans is something which so far has eluded me, but I'm confident that Don will provide me with the right package to be able to achieve that goal," Andretti said.
Andretti will have several more opportunities to test the car before Le Mans pre-qualifying at the end of April.
Other Panoz drivers at Le Mans will include Australian David Brabham, Denmark's Jan Magnussen, American Johnny O'Connell, Hiroki Katoh of Japan and Frenchman Pierre-Henri Raphanel. They will share two entries in the race, although the lineup has not yet been determined.