Indy 500 winner Gil de Ferran dead at 56
Racing world shocked by sudden death of Gil de Ferran
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McLaren has led tributes to its former sporting director Gil de Ferran, who died recently after a heart attack, aged 56.
The French-born Brazilian driver started his racing career in England, winning the 1992 British F3 title before moving to the US. De Ferran emerged as one of American open-wheel racing’s hottest talents during the turn of the century, winning the 2000 and 2001 Champ Car World Series titles with Team Penske, and then taking glory in the 2003 Indianapolis 500.
De Ferran was a fixture of the F1 paddock with McLaren, and a talented racer himself
He later established his own team to run in first the American Le Mans Series and later IndyCar. Most recently, de Ferran had worked as a consultant to the McLaren F1 team, having previously served as its sporting director from 2018-21. A McLaren statement read: “Gil was an important and integral part of our team. He was a formidable force on and off the track and made a lasting impact on everyone working alongside him.”
Fellow Brazilian driver Felipe Massa added: “We lost a brother! Wonderful person and legend in our motorsport world.”