Gil de Ferran, the 2003 Indianapolis 500 champion, has died. The McLaren Formula 1 team, where the racing legend was currently working as a consultant, confirmed the news. de Ferran was 56.
In a statement, the Brazilian Automobile Federation confirmed that de Ferran, a French-born Brazilian, suffered a heart attack on Friday at a private motorsports club in Opa Locka, Florida. According to the CBA, de Ferran was taken to hospital but did not survive.
“On my own behalf and on behalf of the entire CBA family, we pray to God to receive our brother with all glory and to support his family, friends and millions of fans around the world,” said Giovanni Guerra, the president of the CBA , in a translated statement.
de Ferran won the Championship Auto Racing Team (CART) title in 2000 and 2001, as well as the British Formula 3 Championship in 1992. After finishing second to his Penske teammate and compatriot Helio Castroneves in the 2001 Indianapolis 500, de Ferran won the 2003 Borg-Warner Trophy in his final start in racing's greatest spectacle.
“Gil defined class as a driver and as a gentleman. As an IndyCar champion and Indianapolis 500 winner, Gil has accomplished so much throughout his career, both on and off the track,” Roger Penske said in a statement Friday evening. “Gil was loved by so many. He was a great friend to Team Penske and the IndyCar family, as well as the entire international motorsports community. Gil’s death is a terrible loss and we will miss him greatly.”
In 2000, de Ferran set both the track record and the track record for fastest lap at 241.428 mph in a race at California Speedway. It was the fastest qualifying lap speed on a closed circuit ever recorded.
de Ferran decided to retire from the pinnacle of American single-seater racing at the end of the 2003 Indy Racing League season, aged just 35. That season he won the finale at Texas Motor Speedway and finished second in the championship to Scott Dixon.
The French-born Brazilian returned to the cockpit for two appearances in the American Le Mans Series in 2008, while driving for his eponymous team de Ferran Motorsports. He and his teammate Simon Pagenaud won five out of ten races in 2009 and finished second in the championship.
“All of us at Honda and HRC are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Gil de Ferran,” HRC U.S. President David Salters said in a statement Friday. de Ferran's two CART titles were achieved with Honda engines, and his team drove an Acura in de Ferran Motorsports' two ALMS seasons. “Gil was a huge part of the Honda racing family and CART legacy and he had a special place in our hearts.”
“When I listened to him talk about his record-breaking run on the closed course in Fontana, my hair stood up on my neck, and now it's doing that again. (He was) an extremely talented man and brilliant racing driver.”
Outside the cockpit, de Ferran worked as sports director for BAR-Honda in Formula 1 from 2005 to 2007 before founding his ALMS team as driver-owner. After retiring from the cockpit one last time, he took de Ferran Motorsport with him to IndyCar and merged with Luczo Dragon Racing (a team founded by Roger Penske's son Jay Penske and Steve Luczo) at the start of the 2010 season. . de Ferran Dragon Racing would run a full season for Brazilian Raphael Matos, along with a few races for Davey Hamilton. Matos finished 14th in points in a season that began with a fourth-place finish in Sao Paulo.
After a separation from de Ferran's program, the team renamed itself Dragon Racing in 2012.
Since then, the racing legend served as McLaren F1's sporting director from 2018 to 2021 and returned as an advisor earlier this year.
On Friday evening, the team said it was “shocked and deeply saddened” to learn of de Ferran’s death.
“We extend our deepest condolences to Gil de Ferran’s family, friends and loved ones,” McLaren Racing said on X. “Gil was an important and integral part of our racing team. “He was a formidable force on and off the track and left a lasting impression.” He has a huge influence on everyone who races and works alongside him. He will be missed by everyone at McLaren Racing.”
de Ferran leaves behind his wife Angela and their two children Anna and Luke.
Here is the reaction to de Ferran's death: