Gil de Ferran, who won Indianapolis 500 in 2003, dead at 56
Gil de Ferran: The 2003 Indianapolis 500 winner died after suffering a heart attack on Dec. 29. He was 56. (Mark Thompson/Getty Images)
By Bob D'Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Auto racer Gil de Ferran, who won the Indianapolis 500 in 2003 and holds the close-course land speed record, died of a heart attack on Friday. He was 56.
McLaren’s Formula One team, where de Ferran was working in an advisory role, confirmed the driver’s death, the Indianapolis Star reported.
Giovanni Guerra, president of the Brazilan Automobile Confederation confirmed in a statement that de Ferran, a French-born Brazilian, suffered a heart attack while at The Concours Club race track in the Miami suburb of Opa-locka, the Miami Herald reported.
The racer was taken to an area hospital but died there, the Star reported.
“Gil de Ferran shone on Brazilian and international tracks, with emphasis on the British Formula 3 title, his second Indy championship (under the CART banner) and victory in the 2003 Indy 500,” Guerra said in his statement. “He also won as a driver and team owner in the American Endurance.
“On behalf of myself and the entire CBA family, we pray to God to receive our brother with all the glories and support of his family, friends and millions of fans around the world.”
De Ferran won the 2003 Indy 500 for Roger Penske, giving the car owner his third straight victory during the Memorial Day race. Penske now has a record 19 victories at the Brickyard, ESPN reported.
“We are terribly saddened to hear about the tragic loss of Gil de Ferran. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Angela, Anna, Luke and the entire de Ferran family,” Penske said in a statement. “Gil defined class as a driver and a gentleman. As an IndyCar Champion and an Indianapolis 500 winner, Gil accomplished so much during his career.
“He was beloved by so many and he was a great friend to the Team Penske family and to the entire international motorsports community. It’s a tragic loss and he will be deeply missed.”
McLaren Racing hired de Ferran as a consultant in May, according to the Herald.
In 2000 at the California Speedway, de Ferran set both the track record and closed course record for fastest lap at 241.428 mph, according to the Star. It was the fastest closed-circuit qualifying lap speed ever recorded.
De Ferran retired from open-wheel racing at the end of the Indy Racing League season in 2003. He won the IRL finale at Texas Motor Speedway and was the runner-up in the championship standings to Scott Dixon, according to the newspaper.
“Champion, friend, rival, mentor at the track and outside of it. I have no words to describe this loss,” Tony Kanaan, the 2013 Indy 500 winner and 2004 IndyCar series champion, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “May you rest in peace, my friend.”
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