Tributes have been paid to the former Indianapolis 500 winner Gil de Ferran, after his death from a heart attack at the age of 56.
A hugely well-liked and respected driver, De Ferran also enjoyed a successful career in Formula One, working as a sporting director for the BAR/Honda and McLaren teams.
The Paris-born Brazilian did not race in F1 but forged an outstanding career in the United States, where he raced in the IndyCar/Cart series between 1995 and 2003, taking successive Cart titles in 2000 and 2001, and winning the Indy 500 for Penske Racing in 2003.
On Saturday, the Brazilian automobile confederation announced De Ferran had suffered a heart attack while competing at a private motor racing club in Florida on Friday. He was taken to hospital but did not survive.
The former F1 world champions Jenson Button and Damon Hill both expressed their sadness at his death. “Still in shock that we lost one of the good ones so young,” Button wrote on Instagram. “One of the best behind the wheel and all round great guy Gil De Ferran. I will miss that wonderful smile, rest in peace my friend.”
One of the nicest guys I ever met. He made me laugh. He got it. Jesus, Gil, you left too soon. My sincere condolences to his lovely family and all who knew him (there are many, many, many) and all at McLaren. He was a fighter and a winner. Big loss. #f1 #Indy #McLaren #Indy500 pic.twitter.com/boV3laminZ
— Damon Hill (@HillF1) December 30, 2023
Hill, too, mourned a great loss to the motor racing world. “One of the nicest guys I ever met. He made me laugh. He got it,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Jesus, Gil, you left too soon. My sincere condolences to his lovely family and all who knew him (there are many, many, many) and all at McLaren. He was a fighter and a winner. Big loss.”
De Ferran was admired as a driver and as a thoughtful, personable and engaging character. He made his name racing in Britain in single-seaters, competing in Formula Ford, Opel Lotus and then the Formula Three series. In F3, he was third behind Rubens Barrichello and David Coulthard – who both went on to join F1 –in 1991 and went on to take the title the following year with Paul Stewart Racing.
He competed in Formula 3000 in 1993 and 1994 as he attempted to break into F1 and performed tests for the Williams and Arrows F1 teams. De Ferran was linked with several potential seats in F1, however despite his credentials as a quick and cerebral driver he was unable to secure a place at a time when pay drivers were propping up many teams.
Instead, De Ferran boldly made the move to try his hand in the US, despite having no experience racing on oval circuits. It took him time to adapt to the different skill set required but he mastered it and became recognised as one of the best drivers on the super-speedways of the Cart and then IndyCar circuit.
The highlight was his victory at the Brickyard in 2003. Recovering from a serious accident where he suffered neck and back fractures and concussion sustained at a previous round in Phoenix, he showed tremendous spirit to compete at all. Despite still being in pain, he qualified in 10th place.
In the race, he passed his Penske teammate, Hélio Castroneves, with 31 laps remaining for the lead and then hung on for a memorable victory.
De Ferran retired the following year and while he came back, forming his own team to successfully compete in sports cars in the American Le Mans series in 2008 and 2009 – winning five races from 10 meetings in the latter – he then hung up the helmet for good to take on management roles, including fielding his own IndyCar team in 2010.
As sporting director at McLaren between 2018 and 2021, he was invaluable in helping the F1 team turn around their fortunes from the worst run in their history late in the decade to claiming third in the constructors’ championship in 2020.
The team brought him back again as a consultant this year and paid tribute to their colleague on Saturday. “Gil was an important and integral part of our racing team,” McLaren said in a statement.
“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.”
