Marco Andretti

Marco Andretti is an American racing driver who competed full-time in the IndyCar Series from 2006 to 2020. Nowadays, the son of IndyCar champion Michael Andretti only competes in the annual Indy 500.

Family and Early Career

Marco Andretti is the son of former IndyCar champion Michael Andretti and the grandson of former IndyCar and Formula 1 champion Mario Andretti. Naturally, Marco was introduced to motorsport at a young age. Through the Barber Formula Dodge, the Star Mazda Series, and three races in the Indy Pro Series, Andretti made his debut in the IRL (Indy Racing League) in 2006, driving for his father’s team.

After a challenging start, he showcased his talent to the world during the Indy 500. The then-19-year-old driver finished second, just 0.06 seconds behind winner Sam Hornish Jr.

Breakthrough and Early Success

Later that year, Andretti claimed his first victory at Infineon Raceway, becoming the youngest race winner in IndyCar history at that time. Additionally, he was crowned Rookie of the Year. The 2007 season, however, was less successful. Out of 17 races, he only finished seven and endured several major crashes. Despite this, the young American managed to secure two second-place finishes that year.

From 2008 to 2013, Andretti was a consistent presence at the front of the IndyCar field. He finished seventh once and eighth three times in the championship standings. During this period, he achieved nine podium finishes, including a long-awaited second victory in 2011 at Iowa.

Ups and Downs

The 2012 season proved particularly challenging. While his teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay won the championship, Andretti only managed to finish 16th in the standings. His sole highlight that year was a second-place finish at Iowa. In 2013, he bounced back with six top-five results, including two podiums, finishing fifth in the championship.

In 2014, Andretti achieved a second-place finish at Barber Motorsports Park and a third-place finish at the Indy 500. However, his remaining results were average, and he concluded the season in ninth place.

Later IndyCar Career

In 2015, Marco Andretti once again raced for his father’s team. He secured 11 top-10 finishes, with a second-place result at Belle Isle as his best performance. However, 2016 turned out to be his worst season since 2012. He managed only three top-10 finishes, with eighth place at Sonoma as his season-best result.

In 2017, things slightly improved. Andretti finished 12th in the championship, achieving five top-10 results, including a fourth-place finish in Toronto as his best performance. Starting in 2018, Marco Andretti raced for Andretti/Herta Autosport with car #98. In 2019, he became a partial owner of the car he was driving.

Focusing Exclusively on the Indy 500

After a disappointing 2020 season, Andretti decided in 2021 to step away from full-time participation in the NTT IndyCar Series. Instead, he focused on the Indy 500 and other racing series.

In 2021, Andretti had a challenging performance at the Indy 500. He qualified 25th and ultimately finished 19th. However, he finished fourth in the standings of the newly launched Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) championship, highlighted by a victory at Slinger Speedway.

In 2022, he again competed solely in the Indy 500 but performed poorly, finishing near the back of the field. His highlight that year came outside of IndyCar: he won the Superstar Racing Experience championship. In the following years, Andretti played only a minor role in the Indy 500.