24.10.06

Ferrari favourite Mario Andretti received an Italian knighthood in New York yesterday in recognition of his extensive racing career.

The 66-year-old received the Commendatore Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana in a private ceremony performed by Italy's consul-general.

Andretti is the first Italian-born racing driver to receive the accolade (his family having emigrated to America in 1955). Enzo Ferrari is the only other Italian from motorsport to have ever been recognised in the same way.

Andretti raced for Scuderia Ferrari 14 times in F1, his only win being in the 1971 South African GP, his first race. It is for his pole postion and third place in the 1982 Italian GP that he is most beloved of tifosi; this being in the wake of Gilles Villeneuve's death and Didier Pironi's career-ending accident. He regularly drove Ferrari sportscars winning the Sebring 12 hours in 1970 and 1972.

In a career that spanned more than 30 years he won the Formula One world championship, the Indy Car championship, Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500 as well as his sportscar victories; confirming him as one of racing's best all-rounders ever.

Andretti retired from his full-time Indy Car drive at the end of 1994, aged 54, and his last win in the series came a year earlier at Phoenix. It made him the only driver over the age of 50 to win a race in the series.

 

 

 

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