The RACER.com Guest Mailbag with Mario Andretti, presented by HPD

In this inaugural edition of the Guest Mailbag we've gone directly to racing royalty, and are privileged to welcome the inimitable Mario Andretti. As the only living driver (and one of only two drivers ever) to have won races in F1, IndyCar, NASCAR and the World Sportscar Championship, Andretti's name has become synonymous with motor racing across the globe, and at 80 years old, he remains actively engaged with the sport.

Not surprisingly, the response to our invitation to ask Mario a question received an overwhelming response, and we're deeply appreciative that he was able to take the time to answer the vast majority of them. There's still time to send questions in to future mailbag guests Rick Hendrick, Tony Kanaan and Jimmie Johnson: please email guestmailbag@racer.com and include the name of the person your question is directed to in the subject line. Questions for the Haas Formula 1 team and Acura Team Penske are now closed, and their answers will be available soon.

In the meantime... Mario Andretti. Enjoy.

Q: When you look back at Grand Prix and IndyCar history, are there any drivers you wish you could have met and/or raced against? For example, Tazio Nuvolari, Jimmy Murphy, or Juan Manuel Fangio?

Thank you!

Diego Rodriguez

MARIO ANDRETTI: I wish I had met Alberto Ascari. And I would have liked to race against Michael Schumacher.

Q: What was the scariest or hardest drive you had to a victory?

Thanks,

Brad Hagemann

MA: In the rain at the Japanese Grand Prix in 1976.

Q: My first Indy 500 was the one you won. Wow, that was a fun day. Comparing that car to the latest that you have gotten to drive, how busy are the drivers in the car making adjustments? Were there more available adjustments on the car for drivers back then, or now? I have always been interested in how much work the driver is doing during the race – people watching on TV just don’t see how much goes into driving at the Speedway. Thank you for everything you have done for auto racing!

Mel

MA: The race cars in 1969 didn’t have the electronics that the latest cars have. There was a lot of educated guessing going on in 1969. The only adjustments we had in the cockpit were the front and rear rolls bars and brake bias. Today, there are many adjustments for drivers to make. While it helps that they are all on the steering wheel, there is such a myriad of information from engineers to drivers, that today’s drivers have more to do. They get directives from engineers constantly; they need to get it all done and can’t let it disrupt their concentration.

Q: When was the last time you physically saw the real 1969 winner? Any interesting stories about it? Do you think it will ever be back on the grounds of the Speedway?

Charles Knaub

MA: The 1969 car is owned by the Smithsonian. The last time I saw it was probably 20 years ago. I’m pretty sure it will never be back at the Speedway. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum has tried, but the Smithsonian won’t lend it. The most interesting story about that car is that it won me both the Indy 500 and the national championship that year. It was a great car.

Q: When was the last time you raced the 1969 Indy 500-winning Hawk? Why hasn't the Hawk been part of the pre-race historic cars at the 500?

Thank you,

Dave Sutton

MA: I raced that Hawk 15 times in 1969, the last time at Riverside California in December of that same year. That Hawk actually won at Indy and four other times that same year (once before Indy, and three times after). The Hawk has not been part of the pre-race historic cars at the Indy 500 because it is owned by the Smithsonian and they won’t lend it to the Speedway.

Q: The combination of Jim Clark and Colin Chapman accomplished amazing things at Indy in the 1960s at the same time that they were winning F1 world championships. In your experience, where would they rank as a driver and team manager/engineer?  

Thank you,

Mark Kidson 

MA: You are right about those two accomplishing amazing things. They could still rank at the very top today. Jim Clark will always be considered one of the greatest-ever Formula 1 drivers, and Colin one of the most knowledgeable and influential designers, engineers, inventors, builders. What a pair.

Andretti ranks Clark and Chapman as one of the most potent driver/designer combinations in history. Image by Phipps/Motorsport Images

Q: You drove for both Andy Granatelli and Colin Chapman – both innovators in racing, and somewhat larger than life in personality. How were they alike, and how were they different? Many thanks!

Woody Stool

MA: Andy and Colin were alike in thinking outside the box. Now I know that’s a super worn-out phrase, but what I mean is that they were not afraid to shake things up. They both looked for alternative or unconventional solutions, considered every possibility and didn’t dismiss anything. It was always ‘what if we try this’ or ‘what if we try that’. And as far as how they were different, Colin was an engineering genius and Andy was an entrepreneur, a marketing genius who put STP on the map.

Q: Thank you for doing this! I use to live in Central PA, and the stories a lot of the guys would tell about you were not of what you did in IndyCar or F1, but what you did at local tracks. Even my Dad speaks of watching you race at Fairgrounds speedway in Sedalia, Missouri as a life-changing event.

That being said, when you look back this time racing local dirt tracks, were you able to enjoy it, or were you more focused on the next step? Also, with the ladder system changed from what it was into the major racing circuits, what experiences have drivers lost by not racing at places like Port Royal, Lincoln, and the numerous other local dirt tracks that no longer exist?

Thank you,

Andrew Bane

MA: When I was racing at dirt tracks, I was doing both – enjoying it and thinking of moving on. The experience I derived from driving on dirt tracks helped me tremendously in dealing with car control. Those tracks helped me develop overall car control, and especially on slippery conditions. On dirt tracks, conditions change every lap and you have to keep searching for grip. That’s how it is in wet road racing conditions. So you learn the ability to really search for grip and adapt.

Q: I remember a Long Beach race, (I think with CART and not F1), where a race car was parked on course, but off the racing line, and after several laps, when all the drivers must have known where it was, you came around and hit the car. I could not believe it. Did you forget it was there, or were there other circumstances?

John G. Hill

MA: The incident was at Toronto, on the back straightaway where there is a slight bend approaching. There was a car parked on the right. The race director Wally Dallenbach had a yellow flag on the side alerting us that the car was there. After several laps, he pulled the yellow flag because he thought everyone knew. But I thought pulling the yellow flag signaled it was clear. He should not have pulled the yellow while there was still a car on the track. I could have been killed.

Q: Of all the types of racing you’ve competed, were there any you feel you never quite mastered?

Thanks,

Brad Hagemann

MA: I don’t think I mastered any of the disciplines that I wasn’t doing full-time. Probably stock cars, as an example. Anything you aren’t doing week after week, you can’t say you mastered it.

Q: How important do you think it is for IndyCar to get a third engine supplier? What would be higher on Roger Penske’s list than that?

Thanks,

Dan Vukobrat

Oshawa, Canada

MA: I think having as many manufacturers as possible is best, because it expands the dimension of the series. As far as how Roger Penske prioritizes his list of important goals, it’s hard to know what’s on top and where finding another engine supplier would rank. Roger will skillfully juggle everything on his plate.

Q: When Kevin Cogan's car took you and A.J. out at the start of the 1982 Indy 500, was it a half shaft on his car or driver error ?

Steve

MA: He claimed it was a half shaft, but we were never able to certify that.

Q: My first season watching IndyCar was your last season in 1994. What were your memories of the season? Particularly, what was it like as the season went on and the amount of races ticked away? Was there a growing amount of sadness towards the end, or were you just happy it was over?

Also, there was, and to this day has been, a lot of talk about your relationship with then teammate Nigel Mansell. Some have even rumored that he was the reason you retired. Looking back, what were your thoughts on having him as a teammate?

Thanks for reading,

Jamie Sullivan

MA: I had mixed emotions that entire season. I was happy and grateful and sad and reflective. I had a very heavy heart, because it was over and 36 years had gone by so fast. But I was happy that I had loved the sport for so long and had accomplished so much. And happy that I retired on my own terms; it was meaningful and fulfilling, and I walked away when I was ready. And it wasn’t my relationship with Nigel, it was my age (54) that determined my retirement.

Q: I remember many, many years ago you did a guest ride on someone's 500 GP or MotoGP bike.  Do you still ride today? What bikes do you own?

Michael

Cleveland, Ohio

MA: My ride is a couple years old, a Honda CBR1000RR with Repsol livery. I might take it out this afternoon.

Q: If you could race a driver from the past one-on-one, both of you in your primes, who would be the other driver, what type of racing, and what course?

Thanks,

Brad Hagemann

MA: I would race Juan Manuel Fangio in the present F1 car at Road America.

Can you imagine Andretti and Fangio going head-to-head at Road America in a couple of these? Image by Motorsport Images

Q: What are your thoughts on the Lotus 88, and what was driving it like the very first time?

Thanks for your time,

Mike 

MA: The design of that car did not conform with the existing regulations. As far as I know, the car was never raced. And I never drove the Lotus 88.

Q: I'm fascinated by the dynamic between you and your brother Aldo. Specifically, how have you been able to get past the difficult fact that Aldo had to stop racing, and the one time he was supposed to be in a Champ Car, it was taken from him at the last minute for your pursuit of the championship in '68? This would make lesser men give up speaking to each other, twin brothers or not.  What's the secret – how did you and Aldo stay close?  I mean no insult at all – I'm in awe of the lives you and he have led. It's amazing how your paths had to differ. Thank you for your time!

Bill Bailey

MA: What you are claiming as fact never happened. I never put Aldo aside to pursue a championship for myself. In 1968 I owned my own team. Aldo had a potential ride with another team but the ride fell through. I had nothing to do with it, and Aldo would tell you the same thing. As far as the secret to how Aldo and I stay so close, it isn’t anything we have ever had to work at. There’s no secret. It’s just real. We love each other.

Q: I just finished reading Adrian Newey’s excellent book, and there are a few interesting stories about you in it. One of these is a story of a test session with you when he was a race engineer for Newman/Haas. He said that at that test, you came by the pits and the crew noticed your rear wing was about to fail. A few moments later they heard a big crash and all jumped in their rentals, only to arrive and find your race car scattered across the track and you standing beside the mess looking down at your wrist. Newey said he ran up to you and asked if you were OK. He said your reply was, “My goddamned watch stopped”.

After writing off one of the teams chassis and having a brush with what sounds to be a big one, how did you manage to be so calm that just moments after the crash, clearly not moved by the incident and looking at your watch? Why the hell were you looking at your watch?

Michael Mudjer

Chicago, IL

MA: Everyone was so emotional, shocked and trembling around me. There were pieces of the car all over. I said something – anything – just to let everyone know I was OK. I wasn’t trying to be funny. I was just trying to lighten the mood. And say something so that they knew I was OK. So I said “my watch stopped”.

Q: I’ve heard a few interviews in which you’ve mentioned the death of Jud Larson and Red Riegel at Reading. How did their deaths affect you at the time? How did that impact your racing, and did you ever consider getting out of racing?

Regards,

Tim Falkiewicz

MA: Both died the same night in Reading. It was definitely the dark side of our sport, but I never considered getting out of racing. It wasn’t like I was immune to the shock or to the grief. It was devastating. And quitting and walking away from any business is an option when something terrible happens. But I never let setback be the final word. I tried to manage both good and bad. Not being too overconfident when things are going well. And not getting overcome by tragedy. I always tried to focus on what’s next. Success takes the appropriate response. Everything is manageable. Some stretches of our lives are just going to be more difficult than others.

Q: You raced in a very dangerous era. Notwithstanding your own feelings, when an unfortunate death occurred, how was Dee Ann affected, and was it ever a topic that you and her spoke about? Also, how much grief did you get at home when you had your flying multiple 360 testing one of Michael’s team cars In 2003?

Mike DeQuardo

MA: A fatality affected everyone. There is no way I could really know how Dee Ann truly felt. We both grieved and we knew the risks. But it didn’t consume us. We didn’t dwell on death. That said, I could never know how she processed it internally. I’m sure she was very scared, especially to have me, Michael and Jeff all racing. And later in 2003 when my car flipped during a test at Indy, by the time I was able to call her, she already knew that I was OK. So watching it play over and over on TV was scary, but knowing that I walked away helped.

Q: Excluding family members, what driver from the modern era reminds you the most of yourself?

Ben Hansen

MA: Colton Herta

Q: It was obvious for a long time that Michael had a special talent for driving race cars. The most interesting thing about Michael to me is his business acumen.  I loved watching him race, but I’m amazed with what he’s done with Andretti Autosports. All his race teams are successful. His commitment to USA drivers and the Road To Indy is second to none. His Indy record is tremendous. He didn’t need to do this. My question to you is, when did you realize he’s was so talented from a business perspective? He’s the next generation’s Roger Penske.

Wally

Eden Prairie, MN

MA: Your comments about Michael are extremely kind. Very early on when we were teammates, Michael showed an interest in business. We spent a lot of time together and he was savvy and would discuss someday being a team owner and opportunities and risks. He had special insight and a desire to explore the business side of our sport. He always looked to the future and at stability and growth. There was a unique business quality about him.

Q: With the recent explosion in sim racing, have you given any thought to racing with the current drivers, or even with the legends like Emmo, on a simulator during all this? Surely there’s one close by. Fans who want to see you race again would get a big kick out of it. It’s a pretty popular idea at the moment, especially since you and Michael have some of the best/most classic racing games ever.

The Retro Rebel

MA: Never say never… but right now, the passion for sim racing hasn’t captured me. Maybe because it takes some serious commitment. I would have to be driven by pure desire before I would put the time into it. If I was a young driver trying to learn tracks, I would do it for sure.

Q: How would you feel about Formula 1 returning to Indianapolis or Watkins Glen?

Rob Peterson

Rochester, NY 

MA: I would love it.

Q: When Michael left IndyCar to try F1 for McLaren, did you have any suggestions for whom Paul and Carl should choose to take his place? Were any other drivers being seriously considered before Nigel entered the picture?

Steve in Redding, CA

MA: I had no input. It was Carl’s choice. And I didn’t question it. Carl had a deep commitment to our sport and to our team. He earned the respect and admiration of his competitors and all those who drove for him for being tenacious yet fair. In fielding teams he always sought the best equipment, the best drivers, and the best team personnel. For all those reasons, I stayed out of his business and did my job.

Andretti had no say in Nigel Mansell being signed as his teammate in 1993 – and that's just how he liked it. Image by Motorsport Images

Q: There has been a lot of talk on the Andretti bad luck at Indy. Do you have any thoughts about the Bettenhausen bad luck at Indy?

James Turpin

MA: The Andretti bad luck cannot be compared to the tragedies that struck the Bettenhausen family. Tony Bettenhausen, the patriarch of that family was killed at Indy. Gary lost much of the use in his right arm to racing. Merle lost his entire arm at Michigan Speedway. And Tony Jr lost his life in a plane crash. The Andrettis are very, very lucky, and we have never agreed with any bad luck theory about our family.

Q: First off, thanks for doing this! What was your favorite race car to drive? And what race car scared the you-know-what out of you when you drove it?

Rick Smith

San Diego, CA

MA: I didn’t have any single favorite. I couldn’t name just one. Any car that won a race was my favorite. What scares the bejesus out of me isn’t a race car.

Q: My personal opinion is that the greatest drivers are those that drove the most variety of vehicles and were successful in everything they drove. For various reasons, drivers of today generally concentrate on a single series or car types, which likely will prevent them from demonstrating their skills in various series as drivers in your era did.

Using my criteria, my opinion is that the greatest drivers of all time are, in no particular order, yourself, Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Gurney, Jim Clark, and Stirling Moss. Now, other drivers such as Senna or Schumacher may have had the talent to do so, but given their single-minded focus, any ability to drive many types of cars simply was not demonstrated during their careers. Are there other drivers you'd add to my list?

Alfred N

Northern California

MA: Fernando Alonso.

Q: What do you consider the greatest race car ever made?

David Luckert

Wisconsin 

MA: I think it depends on the era, the rules and regulations. If I had to choose today’s greatest car, I would choose the present Mercedes F1 car. But I would pick a different car depending on the era.

Q: Are you still flying your ultralight? Loved watching you fly it over your vineyard.

Cheers,

RL Featherly

MA: Yes, I still fly my ultralight almost every evening in the summer. I fly it in Pennsylvania, not California. I know the vineyard shots you’re referring to… those were shot with a drone, and I can’t take credit. I did take an IMAX camera up in my ultralight when we were filming “Super Speedway”. It was the biggest camera I’ve ever seen, like having a Volkswagen Beetle strapped in the seat next to me.

Q: Can you share some memories of Carl Hass and Paul Newman?

Kevin,

Long Beach, CA

MA: Paul Newman loved to make ridiculous bets. He called me to bet $1.72 on the Super Bowl, or 15,349 Italian lire on the World Series, or two million Russian rubles on the U.S. Open. And he’d deliver the goods; I still have those rubles. He took time for nonsense. He came to my house once driving an older model, very nondescript Volvo station wagon. A car couldn’t be any more ordinary than that. Funny thing was, he had a 600-horsepower turbocharged engine stuffed in it. I laughed so hard. Imagine being in the car next to him at the stop light – and Paul blasting away in that thing. He was a colorful character. Bigger than life, but also trying to be extraordinarily ordinary. Wanting to be just one of the guys.

A memory about Carl Haas is that before every race when we were on the grid, he blessed my race car. Of course it was irrational that him blessing my car would bring me luck. But it came from a very sincere place. It was Carl’s superstition that if he blessed the car I would have a good race.

Q: I was fortunate to attend a few IndyCar races at Nazareth Speedway a few times. Did you and or Michael ever think about purchasing and saving it? And could you tell us a good Paul Newman story that no one knows about?   

Rod

West Chester, Oh

MA: I never thought of buying Nazareth Speedway. It simply would not have been a good business investment. My heart was there, but the reality of the business investment did not support that idea. Paul Newman was in love with life. He could do anything. He could act. He could race cars. He could raise millions of dollars for charity. He was funny. He was so famous, but he just liked being ordinary. He liked to be just one of the guys in pit lane.

Q: When you think of Nazareth Speedway, what memories come to mind?  Realizing that it's too late now, did you ever think of putting together a group to save the track after it closed? Do you think the track might have survived had the CART/IndyCar split not happened?  With Pocono off the IndyCar schedule, the Lehigh Valley and eastern PA misses Nazareth more than ever.

Jon Blitzer

Allentown, PA

MA: I have fond memories of both Nazareth tracks! The Nazareth half-mile dirt track was the first race track I ever raced on – and won in 1959. I also won in 1969 at Nazareth Speedway, the mile track, when it was dirt. And later, Michael won there after it was paved. Having race tracks practically in your backyard was wonderful. I never considered organizing any type of “save Nazareth Speedway” effort after it closed. My plate was full. I think it might have survived if there hadn’t been a split, but we’ll never know. The split caused tremendous damage because people stopped supporting the series.

"I'll bet you 11,472 yen that you can't hit Robin Miller with a spitball from here". Image by Boyd/Motorsport Images

Q: Most sincere thanks for being all you are to our series. I have seen articles about how passionate you are concerning the removal of Pocono from the series schedule. Are you continuing efforts to be a catalyst to move the series to return to Pocono? I truly feel that, if the event is marketed correctly/effectively it can be a jewel in the series schedule.

Thank you,

Alan, Harrisburg, PA

MA: Yes, I continue to be a catalyst for IndyCars to return to Pocono. I have been a very vocal proponent of the idea.

Q: If that had been Michael instead of Danny Sullivan, would you have given him the inside and then pinched him down like that? 99 times out of 100, Danny's car should have been on a wrecker, not in Victory Lane!

Damon Hynes

MA: It was at Indianapolis in 1985. I probably would not have pinched Michael, but I didn’t pinch Danny either. I held my line and he went pretty deep. That said… I probably would have given Michael more room.

Q: Let me thank you for being such an ambassador for the sport we love. I've collected Johnny Lightning, Hot Wheels and Minichamp versions of your famous race cars. In "Drive Like Andretti", you hold up the JL replica of your '69 Indy winner that was taken into space. That toy car and the photocard package the toy cars come with show the extra radiator Clint Brawner mounted behind the radiator after qualifying that Chief Steward Harlen Fengler forced Brawner to remove. (The Hot Wheels version looks more like what you won with.)

The night before the race, Brawner put an additional radiator under your seat. The motor doesn't blow up. The stuck right rear tire holds all through the race, and you win... Brawner claimed it wasn't illegal and that you didn’t even know it was there. So, did you know, or do the facts get in the way of a great story?

David Parker

MA: The radiator behind the seat was legal because it did not change the profile of the car. That was part of the regulations at the time. And yes, I certainly knew it was there.

Q: You are known to have worked behind the scenes to stop the split. Was there any moment early on when you felt the entire thing could have been stopped before it did so much damage to our beloved sport?

On a lighter note, you have driven all of the classic generations of IndyCars, from ‘60s all the way until the ‘90s. Which cars were more mentally draining to drive at Indy: the slower, but possibly more dangerous ‘60s and ‘70s cars, or far faster, but safer, ‘80s and ‘90s cars?

Thank you so much for answering our questions!

Filip Godlewski

The Hague, Netherlands

MA: Even early on, it was impossible to change Tony George’s mind. There was nothing going to stand in his way. Which cars were more mentally draining? That’s a good question. No matter the era, the driver’s job is to take whatever car you’re in to the limit. The mentally draining aspect is about that, regardless of the era. Whether I was driving in the ‘60s or the ‘90s, it was always about taking the car to the limit. It wasn’t more mentally draining in the ‘60s and less in the ‘90s. It’s always the same.

Q: Thank you for your career! I truly believe you are the greatest driver of all time. You won three midget Main events in one day, and your midget was renamed 3N1. There is little about that in the books and for that matter, not much about your midget racing roots at all. Could you please tell us more about your midget racing adventures?

Thanks,

Richard

MA: I started my open-wheel racing career with the American Three-Quarter Midget Racing Association in 1961. I got my first of four ATQMR wins with a 100-lap race win at Teaneck, New Jersey in 1962 when I was 22 years old. In 1963, I graduated to full-size midgets and, on Labor Day, won three midget features in one day in a single car at two different tracks. That launched me into USAC. I loved midget racing because I was racing against the best midget drivers of that era, like Len Duncan, Dutch Schafer, Tony Bonadias and others. It was inspiring and motivating.

Q: You’ve always had a need for speed – did you ever have an interest in becoming a pilot? A low pass at 200 knots is quite a thrill. 

Stay forever young,

John from NJ

MA: I’ve been asked many times what my backup plan might have been if racing didn’t work out. I’ve always said my alternate career might have been that of a fighter pilot. Definitely intriguing.

Q: Early in the Month of May in 1969, I believe you were set to drive a Lotus Ford before suffering a crash in practice, which caused you to go to your backup Hawk. We know that ended well for you!  But weren’t you turning in great speeds with the Lotus? Were you unhappy originally to have to go to the backup?

Thanks,

Dan

MA: I was doing very well with the Lotus, setting some records in practice. I wasn’t necessarily unhappy about going to the backup car, but I didn’t lose any sleep over it. I had no choice because all the Lotus cars were withdrawn. And there wasn’t time to dwell on it. You just get on with it. Now, I can only be happy with the result.

Q: What Formula 1 car was the most fun to drive, and which was the least fun to drive? 

Larry Simmers

Boston, MA

MA: Most fun was Lotus 78 and the 1982 Ferrari. Least fun was the four-wheel drive Lotus 63.

Andretti enjoying his Lotus 78 all the way to the top of the podium in Argentina in 1978. Image by Motorsport Images

Q: You’ve driven pretty much every type of race car there is, but to my knowledge you’ve never driven a rally car. Did you just never get the opportunity, or was it never something you wanted to do?

Thanks,

Buddy Campbell

MA: It never interested me, because rally racing takes a lot of time. Between the time needed for preparation and the length of the event itself, it could take a month, and I had too much else going on.

Q: Could you have won the world championship with Ferrari in the late ‘60s?

Ned Smith

MA: Your guess is as good as mine. Possibly.

Q: In 1978 you gave an in-car interview to Rob Walker while driving a Cadillac through traffic to the Brazilian GP. Rob was impressed with how smooth you were during that drive; only occasionally tapping the brake and smoothly applying acceleration all while moving at speed through the cars on the road. I've always wondered: did this 'smoothness' come naturally to you, or is it something you worked at and developed over time? Aside from yourself, which other drivers in your experience were 'smooth' behind the wheel?

Roger Baker

MA: I think smooth is a characteristic of certain drivers. Some are jerky and some are smooth. It’s hard to explain. Nobody ever told me I should work on it so I could be smoother. It’s something I just developed on my own. Being smooth was something I noticed about Alberto Ascari and Roger Ward.

Q: I've been a fan of yours since I was a young boy. I remember the '69 Indy 500 and the build-up to it. I put newspaper clippings of the qualifying events on my wall, and I listened to the whole race on the radio! Thanks for taking my questions and blessings to you and your family!

What made Jim Clark such a great driver, and how would you rank him today compared to drivers that have come since him? And do you think Lotus cars were more fragile than other cars on the F1 grid?

Thanks again!

Bob Wooldridge

MA: Thanks for your interest and support. A great driver is a consistent winner. Not a one-off. What made Jim Clark such a great driver was that he won a lot of races. That’s how it was then – and that’s how it is now. As far as Lotus cars being fragile, Colin Chapman always took the design to the very limit to give the driver a weight advantage, and as a result, there were some failures.

Q: Hi Mario. Like all race fans the world over, I'm a huge fan. If you were an F1 owner in the 1970s and could have any two drivers from the era (not yourself) on your team, who would they be? Same question for you as an Indy owner in the 1980s.

We all love the fact that you are still such a great racing ambassador!

Rick Hughes

Deer River, MN

MA: In the 1970s, Emerson Fittipaldi and Niki Lauda would have been my choices. In the 1980s, Michael Andretti and Rick Mears.

Q: Are you still upset with Colin for his failing to top off your tanks during the 1977 season?

Neil Rubin

MA: You bet.

Q: You drove for both Enzo Ferrari and Colin Chapman. What would they have thought about racing today, especially F1? Way more complicated and way more expensive than in their day.

Al Gordon

MA: I don’t know what they would have thought, but I feel that no matter what, they both would have excelled in any era.

Q: What was the best and worst car you ever raced on (1) dirt (2) paved oval (3) road course. I think many of us can guess a couple, but still would be great to hear your answers. Thanks for being a great face of our sport for so long! 

John Weaver

Camp Hill PA 

MA: Worst on dirt was the 1970 STP Kuzma Dodge owned by Andy Granatelli. The best car on dirt was the 1974 King Ford owned by Vels Parnelli. On paved oval, the best was the 1987 Newman/Haas Lola and the worst was the 1970 McNamara Ford owned by Granatelli. Road course worst was the Wildcat Mark 8B Cosworth in 1982 owned by Pat Patrick. Best on road course… they were all good. Not one stands out as the best.

Q: Who was your favorite teammate, other than Michael?  Langhorne or Trenton? Do you miss Damenti’s?

Jim Kupstas

MA: I had a few favorite teammates. Ronnie Peterson, for sure. Jacky Ickx was also a dream teammate. He and I were teammates in 11 grand prix races for Ferrari – six in 1971 and five in 1972. In the same timeframe, we ran nine endurance races, had six poles, four wins and one second place finish. We had a lot of success in our very brief time together, and we became friends very quickly. I’d pick Trenton over Langhorne. Yes, I miss Damenti’s (for anyone who doesn’t know, it was a restaurant in Pennsylvania that burned down).

Andretti and Ickx were only teammates for a short time, but they picked up a lot of silverware. Image by Rainer Schlegelmilch/Motorsport Images

Q: Why can’t we go back to lighter, normally-aspirated V12, V10 or V8 engines in F1? The sound gives one goosebumps. The current crop sound like glorified lawnmowers. Yes, they have broken lap records at many venues, but it took them over 10 years to do so.

Tony Perrella

MA: I agree with you about the sound, which is a big part of the excitement in racing, but they won’t go back because it’s no longer the leading edge of technology.

Q: Seeing Jeff Gordon, Ray Evernham and Mark Webber just being fans at the Knoxville Nationals in 2019 proved to me that most racers (even at the highest levels like NASCAR, IndyCar and F1) were fans of racing long before they made racing a career.  Any races on your bucket list to attend as a fan that you haven’t made it to?

Troy

Knoxville, IA

MA: I’d like to go to Singapore for the F1 race.

Q: Did your son get fair shake with Ron Dennis and Ayrton Senna? Did the drivers share info freely? Go Marco.

Refugee John

Lake George N Y

MA: Not from Ron Dennis, but Ayrton Senna was very good to Michael. As far as information sharing, you’d probably have to ask Michael.

Q: How do you rate your 1987 season? You took the risk with the Chevy engine and it gave you the fastest car on the circuit, and I imagine, an incredibly fun car to drive. You won two of the bigger races on the schedule in Long Beach and Road America, and lapped the field in all three 500 mile races but broke in each, including the heartbreak of Indy… plus got injured in a crash. How do you view it all together now?  

Chad Holmes

Weston, WI

MA: My 1987 season could have been a championship year but for engine reliability. It was the right engine choice at the wrong time. I don’t recall an injury in 1987.

Q: Of all past circuits IndyCar has raced under, during all eras, what venue do you think they should be putting the most effort into returning to? (Even if they had to get someone to rebuild it because it no longer exists).

FormulaFox

MA: Pocono

Q: I first saw you race at Mid-Ohio the summer of 1975 in the F5000 series. Seeing you race against Brian Redman, Jackie Oliver, David Hobbs, and many others was a fantastic experience for an 18-year-old, and one of the reasons I got hooked on auto racing. I loved the sound of the F5000 cars with their stock block engines. They were fast, and also one of the prettiest open-wheel cars I’ve seen. So I have always wondered, what did you think of the F5000 cars? Were they exciting to drive? And were they as good or better than the F1 cars you drove?

Rick Schneider,

Charlotte

MA: I loved driving F5000 cars as much as any Formula One cars. The second part of your question is tough. At the time, in the ‘70s, they were about equal performance. The top Formula 5000 cars were very much at par with F1 in performance.

Q: You have had the opportunity to drive many race and street cars over many different generations of rules and regulations. What is your all-time favorite race car and street car?

Peter Saarniit

MA: I don’t have a favorite race car. I drove 167 different race cars in my professional career. There isn’t one that stands out. My all-time favorite street car is usually the newest car I’m driving with the newest technology.

Q: When we can expect your biographical movie or book? Your history is very interesting for all of us, especially fans who are following every series around the world.

Jakub Dradrach

Wroclaw, Poland

MA: NBC did a one-hour documentary that aired May 2019. You can watch it on YouTube. It’s called “Drive Like Andretti”.

Q: When I was a 13 year-old-kid hanging at the pit entry prior to the race at Langhorne, my father told you that I think that you are God and would love to meet you. You immediately walked out to the infield gate area to take a picture with me. That moment was never lost, and your kindness and respect for fan recognition is still the same today.

We discussed a moment when at Pocono prior to the race many fans were screaming for your autograph. I was very fortunate, due to my father and uncle (who used to always feed Andy G. sausage sandwiches at Trenton), to have been sitting on the pit wall next to you. You asked me if I would go get some books for you to sign, stating that if you went, it would be a bit crazy and you would miss the start. As I started towards the fans, you said ‘make sure you get all of the kids’. That was 1986, which turned out a pretty good day for you with a visit to victory lane.

These moments with you remain embedded in many a fan. After you and Michael changed career paths, we followed another great ambassador of the sport in T.K., and he did something very similar for my boys. While at Road Atlanta we asked him for a picture. He said he had a team meeting but maybe later. Thinking the opportunity was lost we continued on, and later in the morning walked the pit area again. Suddenly, we hear a voice yelling, ‘hey guys, I‘m ready for that photo now’, and apologizing for the delay. You two are related in spirit and are the best. We will be at Indy for T.K.’s second win (Were there in 201 )! 

Thank you both for being who you are and hope that your energy, love of the sport and fans is passed on to the young guns driving now.

Of all the drivers you raced against, who was the most talented that competed in  Formula 1 but never won the title? The names Dan Gurney, Ronnie Peterson and Gilles Villeneuve come to mind.

David Lind

Alexandria, Louisiana

MA: Thank you for your kind words and your memory. All three drivers you mentioned, plus Stirling Moss.

Q: Thanks for all you’ve done for motorsports over the years. I read once that Richard Petty said he’d love to have had a chance to drive in the Wood Brothers Mercury’s from back in the day to see what Petty Enterprises was up against. Has there ever been a competitors’ car or cars that you would like to have tested for that same reason? 

Jeff G

Indianapolis

MA: In 1979, the Williams F1 car.

Andretti in his Lotus 79 gives chase to Alan Jones's Williams FW07 at the 1979 British GP. Image by Ercole Colombo/Motorsport Images

Q: I grew up about an hour from the Glen and became one of your many fans.  It's a treat to send the following questions your way:

It must have been awesome driving so many different race cars over the course of a racing season in the ‘60s and ‘70s, competing against so many legends of the sport. Looking back, it's like you, A.J., Parnelli, Dan Gurney, and a few others were hired guns to fend off the competition. Why do you think this practice stopped? Your versatility, from dirt cars, NASCAR, sports cars, to F1 and IndyCars was unmatched.

What was it like the first time you were tire testing at Indy with Firestone, and tried a set of slicks after running hard treaded tires for so long? Lastly, you drove a GT40 in 1966 at Le Mans with Holman Moody. What was that experience like, and the rivalry between Ford vs. Ferrari? What's your opinion of the GT40 vs. other sports cars of that period?

David,

Pittsburgh 

MA: I don’t think there is a reason why – it’s just that times change and drivers now tend to specialize in just one series. When I was pursuing my career, I had the curiosity and pure desire to try everything, and I was seeing many top drivers doing it. It was like I couldn’t get enough. I was possessed!

What was that tire test like? More grip. Slick tires provide more grip. And the Le Mans 1966 experience, for me, was very special. It was my first international race, and my first time at Le Mans, and the first time back in Europe since immigrating to America from Italy in 1955. As far as my opinion on the car, the GT40 Mark II was definitely superior to the competition due to a very extensive and ambitious development program by Ford. The rivalry between Ford and Ferrari was very real, very herculean.

Q: What was the scariest race track you ever competed at, and why?

Also, what was the scariest race car you ever competed in?

D. Krueger

West Allis, WI

MA: Scariest track was Pikes Peak, because there were no guardrails and a small mistake could be fatal. After winning it, I decided not to push my luck and didn’t go back. As far as the scariest race car… I have yet to drive a race car that scared me.

Q: How does the two-seater IndyCar handle?  Can you feel the balance change with different sized passengers?  How much does the passenger seat affect the fuel capacity? What do you think is the typical lap time difference to a regular IndyCar? 

Reginald L

MA: The two-seater handles very well considering its weight and its length compared to a regular IndyCar. Its lap time is probably 85% of a regular race car. Yes, I can feel weight fluctuations of passengers, even by 20 pound increments. As far as fuel capacity, it’s very small because I have to refuel on average every 10 laps, depending on the track.

Q: I’m a long-time fan and had the pleasure of watching you win the 1969 Indianapolis 500. Can you explain why your winning Brawner Hawk had only a left-side front wing? Thanks. 

Mike J.

Vernon Hills, IL

MA: Thank you for your support. The left-side front wing was all that was necessary to balance what the rear downforce provided.