Gil De Ferran Obituary, Legendary Race Car Driver, Dies at 56

Publish date: 2024-05-02

Indianapolis, IN – Gil de Ferran, the Brazilian motorsports icon who won the 2003 Indianapolis 500 and two CART championships, has died at the age of 56. De Ferran passed away on Friday due to complications from a heart attack, the Brazilian Automobile Confederation confirmed on Saturday.

De Ferran drove in the CART and IndyCar series from 1995 to 2003, notching up two championship titles and 14 race wins, including his victory at the 2003 Indy 500 while driving for Roger Penske’s team. Though he never competed in Formula One, de Ferran was highly regarded in the motorsports world for his talent and intelligence behind the wheel.

The Brazilian native’s death sent shockwaves through the racing community, prompting tributes from former F1 champions Damon Hill and Jenson Button. “Still in shock we lost one of the good guys way too young,” Button wrote on Instagram. “Gil de Ferran was not only a fantastic all round person but also one of the best drivers I’ve raced against. RIP my friend. I will miss your beautiful smile.”

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De Ferran got his start racing in Britain, competing in Formula Ford, Opel Lotus and British Formula 3 championships before winning the Formula 3 title in 1992. He tested with Williams and Arrows in Formula 1 but was unable to secure a full-time F1 drive at a time when paid drivers were common in the sport.

The Brazilian pivoted to American open-wheel racing in 1995, learning oval tracks from scratch. His versatility and intelligence quickly made de Ferran a force to be reckoned with on all circuits. Over nine seasons in CART/IndyCar, he established himself as one of the top drivers on superspeedways.

In addition to his success behind the wheel, Gil de Ferran earned respect up and down the paddock for his affable personality and kindness toward competitors.

“Gil was a tremendous force in every aspect of his life, and he will be sorely missed,” said Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, one of several teams de Ferran worked with as a sporting director after retiring as a driver.

De Ferran is survived by his wife Angela, two daughters, and legions of fans and admirers in the racing world. Though his life was cut tragically short, his legacy as one of the most versatile and masterful drivers of his generation will live on. The motorsports community has lost one of its brightest stars and greatest champions.

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