Who is the next American F1 driver?
The US has plenty of top-level racing stars – but none of them are in F1. We ask where the next American grand prix driver is coming from, and run through the candidates
Not since Scott Dixon in 2008 has there been a first-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. Owner/driver Ed Carpenter, rookie Carlos Muñoz and Marco Andretti make up the surprising front row for Sunday’s race with only four IndyCar series wins between them.
30 years ago this May Tom Sneva came to Indianapolis with considerably more success behind him. Already an eight-time race winner and champion in 1977 and ’78, ‘The Gas Man’ was always blisteringly fast. He started from pole at Indy in both of his championship years, becoming the first man to qualify at a speed exceeding 200mph in ’77. In both races he finished second, to AJ Foyt and Al Unser respectively. In 1980 he became the only driver to lead after starting last, but again he finished second, this time to Johnny Rutherford.
By 1983 Sneva was already one of the era’s greats, but he still didn’t have his face on the Borg-Warner Trophy. The video below shows how he beat Teo Fabi and Al Unsers Sr and Jr to the win that had eluded him for nine years.
The US has plenty of top-level racing stars – but none of them are in F1. We ask where the next American grand prix driver is coming from, and run through the candidates
Britain has a new IndyCar hero to cheer on in 2025 – Louis Foster has signed with race-winning IndyCar squad Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for next season and beyond
In this month's magazine Jamie Chadwick lifts the lid on being a woman in racing, competing in the IndyCar feeder series IndyNXT and life in America
Alex Palou is leading the IndyCar championship – but a thrilling 2024 season run-in features a whole flurry of his weakest tracks, with rivals hot on his tail