(c) 'Who is Who' by Steve Small, 2000

Родился: 05.10.1962 Бетлехем, Пенсильвания Сезонов в Ф1: 1 Лет в Ф1: 1 Гран При: 13 Старты: 13 Победы: - подряд: Подиумы: 1 - подряд: Поул-позиции: - подряд: Первый ряд: - подряд: Быстрые круги: - подряд: Лучший финиш: 3 Лучший старт: 5 Дубли: Хет-трики: Лидирование старт/финиш: Большие шлемы: Круги: 427 - лидирования: Километры: 2017.45 - лидирования: Очки: 7 - за один сезон: 7 - подряд:

Ф1: 1993

Год	Команда	Шасси
1993	Marlboro McLaren	McLaren MP4-8

The son of the legendary Mario, Michael followed his father into racing in 1980, first in Formula Ford and then in Super Vee (winning the 1982 championship). He broke into Indy cars the following season, which also saw him partner his father at Le Mans, where the pair finished third in a Porsche with Philippe Alliot.

Michael was soon making a big impact on the Indy Car scene, scoring the first of 37 wins to date in 1986. From that year through to 1992 - aside from a lean year in 1988, when he was sixth overall - he always finished in the top three places in the points standings, and 1991 proved to be a record-breaking season, with Andretti's Newman-Haas Lola taking eight wins, accumulating a record 234 points and posting single-season earnings of $2,461,734.

With this pedigree, the former Indy Car champion arrived in the high-profile world of Formula 1 with McLaren in 1993 with great expectations, only to be embroiled in a catalogue of collisions, spins and mechanical gremlins which seemed to sap his confidence visibly race by race. A lack of testing mileage, the FIA's rationing of practice laps and his unfamiliarity with the circuits all told against the pleasant American, who was under pressure to produce results.

Just as crucial, perhaps, was the difficulty he and his first wife Sandy experienced in coming to terms with the way of life in Europe, preferring to fly back to the States whenever possible. By September he had had enough. Having attained a little credibility by finishing third in the Italian GP, the younger Andretti ended his unhappy sojourn in F1 and headed back home buoyed by the prospect of returning to the familiarity of the Indy Car circuit for 1994 with a new challenger from Reynard.

Michael lost no time in resuming his winning ways at the season-opener at Surfers Paradise, but (despite another win in Toronto) he seemed ill at ease at Ganassi Racing and it was no surprise when he returned to his spiritual home at Newman-Haas for 1995. In the increasingly competitive world of CART racing, Michael has remained one of the series' outstanding drivers. Now happily remarried, he has become the sport's elder statesman following the departure of his great rival Al Unser Jnr.

However, he still has the speed, courage and commitment to show younger pretenders that he cannot yet be discounted as a contender for honours.

(c) 'Who is Who' by Steve Small, 2000