Having arrived in the United States as the teenage son of poor Italian immigrants, Andretti has gone on to become one of America's greatest motor racing stars in a career which has spanned over thirty years - all of them spent racing competitively at the top level.
His interest in motor sport was kindled as a boy in his native Italy, and as soon as Mario was old enough to race seriously he set out with his twin brother Aldo on the US sprint and midget racing trail, finally winning the championship in 1964, the season which also saw his USAC debut. The following year he not only won the first of his four USAC/Indy Car titles but also took third place on his Indy 500 debut. He was champion again in 1966 and through until 1969 - when he won his only Indy 500 - Mario was the man to beat, even if luck was not always with him in terms of results.
Andretti had idolised Ascari in his youth and gladly accepted the chance to go Grand Prix racing with Lotus, causing a sensation by putting his car on pole at Watkins Glen. His clashing USAC commitments limited his F1 appearances - and chances of success - with both Lotus and March, but he shone in sports cars, winning at Sebring and Watkins Glen for Ferrari in 1970, before achieving a dream by signing to race for the Scuderia in F1 in 1971. His start could not have been better, Mario winning the South African GP followed by the non-championship Questor GP, but at this stage he was still splitting his season between USAC racing and his Ferrari F1 and sports car programme, the latter proving most successful in 1972, when he took four wins in the 312P with Ickx.
Mario concentrated on American racing in 1973-74, racing for Vel's Parnelli in F5000 and USAC events, and in late 1974 he debuted the team's Grand Prix contender. He campaigned the VPJ4 throughout 1975 (and briefly in 1976) before Parnelli withdrew from F1, and then returned to a Lotus team in the doldrums. Together with Colin Chapman, he set about reviving the famous marque's fortunes and by the end of the 1976 season they were back in the winner's circle. Soon the team's 'ground-effect' type 78 and 79 cars were in the ascendancy, Mario magnificently winning the 1978 World Championship title after scoring six wins.
It was a different story in 1979 and 1980 as Lotus got it badly wrong, bogged down in a technical mire. Lured perhaps by sentiment as much as anything, Andretti joined Alfa Romeo in 1981, for what was to become another disappointing season, largely due to the inadequacies of the car. Mario drove as well as ever, comfortably outclassing his young team-mate Bruno Giacomelli, but decided to return to the States in 1982 to undertake a full Indy Car schedule, his first for some years, before a brief Formula 1 swansong with Ferrari.
Thereafter Mario concentrated on Indy Car racing full-time, and soon took what was to be his last Indy Car crown in 1984. But for another decade, revelling in the comforting surroundings of the Newman-Haas team, he remained capable of giving anyone a race on his day. By the end of his 'Arrivederci Mario' 1994 season, Andretti's Indy Car record was staggering. A record total of 407 starts, 52 wins and 66 pole positions are testimony to the enduring talent of this legendary figure.
Of course the hunger to drive remained unsatiated, and the chance of winning the Le Mans 24 Hours (and thereby matching Graham Hill's unique achievement of winning the World Championship, the Indy 500 and the Sarthe classic) was too much for Mario to pass up. He very nearly triumphed in 1995, but his minor shunt left the frustrated driver to make do with second place. After further unsuccessful attempts in the following two seasons it seemed that Andretti had finally had to admit defeat and leave this particular quest undone.
