Gil de Ferran facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gil de Ferran
De Ferran in 2011
Nationality	Brazilian
Born	(1967-11-11)11 November 1967 Paris, France
Died	29 December 2023(2023-12-29) (aged 56) Opa-locka, Florida, U.S.
IRL IndyCar Series
Years active	2001–2003
Teams	Penske Racing
Starts	31
Wins	5
Poles	5
Best finish	2nd in 2003
PPG IndyCar World Series/CART FedEx Championship Series
Years active	1995–2001
Teams	Hall/VDS Racing Walker Racing Penske Racing
Starts	129
Wins	7
Poles	16
Best finish	1st in 2000 & 2001
Previous series
1991–1992 1993–1994	British Formula Three Formula 3000
Championship titles
1992 2000–2001 2003	British Formula Three Champion CART World Series Champion Indianapolis 500 winner
Awards
1995	CART Rookie of the Year

De Ferran's car in 2001

De Ferran at the 2005 United States Grand Prix

Gil de Ferran (born November 11, 1967 – died December 29, 2023) was a famous racing driver and team owner from Brazil. He was born in France. Gil de Ferran became a champion in Champ Car racing in 2000 and 2001. He also won the very famous Indianapolis 500 race in 2003. Later, he even owned his own racing team, called de Ferran Motorsports.

Starting His Racing Journey

Gil de Ferran was inspired by another Brazilian racing legend, Emerson Fittipaldi. He started his own racing adventure in the 1980s with kart racing. This is where many race car drivers begin!

Winning in Formula Three

In 1987, Gil won the Formula Ford championship in Brazil. This was a big step for him. By 1991, he moved up to race in Formula Three. He raced for Edenbridge Racing and finished third in the 1991 British Formula Three season. He was right behind future F1 stars Rubens Barrichello and David Coulthard.

For the 1992 season, Gil joined Paul Stewart Racing. This was a great move! He won the championship title that year, taking home seven victories.

Racing in Formula 3000

After his Formula Three success, Gil raced in International Formula 3000 in 1993 and 1994. He showed great skill, finishing fifth in 1993. In 1994, he almost won the championship, ending up in third place. During this time, he even got to test a Formula One car for the Footwork Arrows team.

Becoming an IndyCar Star

In 1994, Gil de Ferran got an exciting invitation. He was asked to test a CART IndyCar for Hall/VDS Racing. Even though he wasn't a huge name yet, the team was very impressed. They offered him a spot to race in the United States for 1995. Since a top Formula One spot wasn't open, Gil decided to take the offer.

Rookie Year and First Win

In his first year, 1995, Gil de Ferran showed his talent. He won his very first race at Laguna Seca Raceway, which was the last race of the season! This helped him finish 14th overall. He also earned the "PPG Indy Car World Series Rookie Of The Year" award, which is a big deal for new drivers.

Consistent Challenger and Challenges

In 1996, Gil was a strong competitor. He won another race at Cleveland. This was also the last win for his team owner, Jim Hall, who retired.

For 1997, Gil joined Walker Racing. He finished second in the championship that year, with many top-ten finishes. However, he didn't win any races. One race in Portland was especially close, where he lost by the smallest margin in CART history! The next year, 1998, was tougher. His car had problems, and the tires weren't as good as his rivals'. He finished 12th with no wins.

Breakthrough and Championships

In 1999, Gil finally got another win at Portland International Raceway. This was his first win since 1996! Towards the end of that season, he signed with Marlboro Team Penske, one of the best teams in racing.

On October 28, 2000, Gil de Ferran made history. During qualifying at California Speedway, he set a new record for the fastest lap ever on a closed course! He reached an incredible speed of 241.428 miles per hour (388.540 km/h). This record still stands today. He then went on to win the series championship at Fontana on October 30.

With Team Penske, Gil de Ferran was incredibly successful. He won two CART titles in a row (2000 and 2001). His smart and careful way of racing reminded people of Penske's first great driver, Mark Donohue.

Indianapolis 500 Victory

In 2003, Gil de Ferran faced a challenge when he got a back injury during a race in Phoenix. But he didn't give up! Despite his injury, he showed amazing strength. He passed his teammate, Hélio Castroneves, with only 31 laps left to win the famous 2003 Indianapolis 500 race! This was a huge victory for him and for Penske Racing.

After winning the Indy 500, Gil decided to retire from racing at the end of 2003. He won his final race at Texas Motor Speedway. He finished second in the championship standings that year. In 2013, Autosport magazine named him one of the 50 greatest drivers who never raced in Formula One.

Life After Driving: Team Management

After retiring from driving, Gil de Ferran moved into managing racing teams.

Formula One and McLaren

In 2005, he became the Sports Director for the BAR-Honda Formula One team. He left this role in 2007. In July 2018, he became the sporting director for McLaren, another big Formula One team. He left McLaren in early 2021 but returned in May 2023 as an advisor.

His Own Racing Team

In 2008, Gil de Ferran announced he would return to racing, but this time as a team owner and driver! He started his own team, de Ferran Motorsports, to compete in the American Le Mans Series. His team did very well, earning many podium finishes (top three spots) in their first year.

In 2009, his team was chosen by Honda to develop a new car for the LMP1 division. De Ferran Motorsports had an amazing year, winning five races and finishing second in the ALMS LMP1 class.

In August 2009, Gil announced he would stop driving to focus completely on growing his team. He wanted to bring his team back to IndyCar racing. In 2010, his team merged with another, becoming de Ferran Dragon Racing. They competed in the IndyCar season. Gil also helped design the future IndyCar. However, in 2011, de Ferran Dragon Racing had to close because they couldn't find enough sponsors.

Personal Life

Gil de Ferran was born in Paris, France. He lived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with his wife, Angela, and their two children.

Gil de Ferran sadly passed away on December 29, 2023, at 56 years old. He had a heart attack while driving at a private event with his son in Florida.

Racing Achievements

Gil de Ferran had a fantastic career. Here are some of his main achievements:

Indianapolis 500 Results

CART Career Highlights

Indy Racing League Career Highlights

American Le Mans Series Results