Mario Andretti gives verdict on potential retirement with a passionate assessment of his racing career

Andretti is a household name in America and it is majorly due to the contributions made by Mario Andretti in the field of racing. He retired from IndyCar in 1994 but has remained close to the world of racing and opened up about his elusive racing career.

The 84-year-old is one of the few drivers to have won both F1 and IndyCar championships. Andretti won four IndyCar titles and a solitary F1 title by 1978 and was already a legend in the world of racing.

Mario Andretti is also the oldest driver to have won a race in 1993, at Phoenix, he won the race at 53. However, a year later, he decided to hang his helmet for good and focus on his life post-retirement.

Reflecting on his vast career, the ex-IndyCar champion said (via Local Profile):

“The sport has given me so much in my life that I could not begin to think that I could have done anything else that would have served me like the sport did. But it started out with a burning passion and desire to do it,” said Andretti.

Mario Andretti further talked about his love for racing and stated how despite his retirement, he has remained relevant in the racing world:

“We have so many things going, and that’s what I like — that’s my life. I will never retire, because I always said that when I retire, they’re going to put me in a box. And the box better have wheels on it.”

The 84-year-old is an advisor on the board of directors for the Cadillac/GM 2026 F1 entry.

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Mario Andretti reveals how F1 would have made a blunder if they had rejected Cadillac's bid

Mario Andretti at the F1 Grand Prix of United States - Source: Getty

The bid by Andretti-Cadillac collapsed at the helm of the FOM (Formula One Management), which led to a major revamp and the dropping of Andretti as the major player. General Motors has now taken charge and the team is expected to be called Cadillac, which received approval from F1.

While this would have been a setback for Andretti Global, Mario Andretti does not think in the same way and said (via Auto Motor und Sport):

"It’s about the cause, no matter what it’s called, the important thing is that it succeeds. The project would not have been born without us, and it would not have reached General Motors without us. It would have been a big mistake to reject us. It would not have been well received in America. This is not a bubble, but a long-term commitment."

Thus, the United States will get a second team on the F1 grid by 2026, with Andretti following closely with the racing world.