"I wanted to have a reason to get up in the morning" - When Michael Andretti reflected on founding his racing team 

Retired racing driver and team owner Michael Andretti once reflected on the driving force behind his purchase of the racing empire which would later be known as Andretti Global. The 62-year-old revealed how his retirement from the sport as a driver played a crucial role in the entire process.

For Michael, the decision to retire from competitive driving in 2002 was bittersweet. His illustrious career in CART saw him claim 42 victories, including his final triumph at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. However, his foray into Formula 1, consisting of a brief and frustrating 13-race stint, coupled with a return to IndyCar that lacked the same spark, left him pondering his future.

Michael Andretti's decision to purchase Team Green in 2002 marked the beginning of a new chapter. The acquisition transformed the team into Andretti Green Racing and saw it move to the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series in 2003. Reflecting on this pivotal moment, Michael admitted in a 2021 interview with IndyStar:

"A lot of drivers just care about driving, which is fine, but then when they retire, they’re like, ‘Oh (expletive), what now?’ I wanted to have a reason to get up in the morning."

Mario Andretti reflects on Michael Andretti's team-owning legacy

Four-time IndyCar champion and Michael Andretti's father Mario pushed his career into the 50s, not completely withdrawing from racing competitions before the year 2000. However, he knew that wouldn't be the case with his son. Despite Mario’s remarkable longevity, he understood that Michael’s path would diverge.

In the same interview with IndyStar, Mario revealed:

"I think I pushed the envelope as far as you dare do it into my mid-50. And Michael wasn’t going to do that. He felt he’d gotten enough out of the driving and wanted to spread his wings in a different way."

Mario acknowledged that Michael’s shift to team ownership was as much about ambition as it was about fulfillment. He added:

"I think he felt like he’d accomplished pretty much what he wanted as a driver, and that was it. Maybe he wasn’t enjoying it as much as he should, and he took a different path."

For Mario, Michael's legacy as a team owner reflects not just his son’s entrepreneurial spirit but also a drive to prove himself in new ways. He said:

"He wanted to be a force to be reckoned with on the ownership side. He’d accomplished a lot of things, but somehow, he’d been slighted when he was driving. how many times should he have won Indy? Who knows, but he didn’t."

Michael Andretti stepped down as the CEO of Andretti Global earlier this year in a strategic move as the team entered Formula 1 for the 2026 season.