Motorsport: Le Mans tempts Andretti

By BOB PEARCE

Mario Andretti may be 63 and officially retired for the past eight years, but the motor-racing legend would be tempted back on track by one of the few classic races he hasn't won - the 24 Hours at Le Mans.

"It would have to be in the right car with the right team. If Audi had come up to me and asked me in the last couple of years, I would have done it in a New York minute.

"I was second in 1995 with the French Courage team with a Porsche factory engine. Now it would have to be a car which on paper could win for me to be tempted."

The Italian-born American was named Driver of the Century along with A. J. Foyt by the Associated Press in 1999. The accolade has an American bias to it, but Andretti's achievements ranged from dirt tracks and ovals, where he won an Indy 500, to the Formula One circuits of the world.

He won 111 times and he remembers every one from the first in a stockcar near his first American home, Nazareth, Pennsylvania.

Winning the world Formula One championship in 1978 with six grand prix wins in a Lotus is clearly the highlight. But he can recall in detail all the highs and lows of his long career.

And over salmon bagels and a breakfast cappuccino in his Auckland hotel this week, Andretti cheerfully fired up the statistics for another lap.

His first Formula One race was the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen in 1968 and he qualified a Lotus on pole.

It was very much a third car for the team and its clutch failed when Andretti was running second to Jackie Stewart.

"I surprised myself by getting pole, but I'd done some testing and I should have made my debut at Monza in the Italian Grand Prix the month before.

"But I had got a commitment to a race in the States that weekend. I ran fastest in the first qualifying at Monza, then went by helicopter to the airport and flew back to the States for the race in which I came second.

"I flew back to Italy and the car was ready for me on the grid, but they wouldn't let me race because of the 24-hour rule, which they had brought in when [Juan Manuel] Fangio was hurt in an accident they said was caused by tiredness from a previous race.

"We had known I was going to be two hours shy of the lawful break, but the organisers had promised to waive that. I found out later Ferrari had made a complaint."

By 1971 all was forgiven and Andretti, born in Montona and raised in Florence before emigrating to the US at 15, realised every Italian boy's dream, driving in Formula One for Ferrari - and winning.

He captured the South African Grand Prix at Kyalami, his first Formula One win in his first drive for Ferrari. His encore: winning the next non-championship race in the same car.

"The best part about it was that in both of these races Jackie Stewart finished second to me. It was a premium win for me because of that. Jackie was at the top of his game and went on to be world champion.

"I always rate the value of a victory on who finished behind you."

Andretti spent his world championship year of 1978 in a Ford-powered Lotus, which he describes as a "dream car."

"It was not very reliable, but it was a car I really thought I understood very well and I could make it do the things that I needed.

"I look at a racing car like a wild animal. You can tame it up to a point, but always be vigilant. If you get the right mood in the animal and you get good responses, it's very satisfying."

In a career in which he has driven and won in Formula One cars, Champ Cars, sports cars, midgets, sprintcars, TQ midgets and stockcars, Andretti plumps for single-seaters and Formula One as his favourite.

"They are like fighter planes, built for one purpose, fast, agile and there's just you and the machine. It's the purest form of the sport."

He can relate his experience to Scott Dixon, whom he had seen race on a variety of tracks in Champ Cars before winning the all-oval IRL title this year.

"Scott needs more than just ovals. His talents are much greater than that. He has a lot more skills that I'm sure he would like to hone on road courses as well.

"But if he stays too long in the all-oval series he may lose some of his edge and you can't afford not to be at the top of your game when you go to Formula One.

"I really hope it works out for him because talent like that cannot be wasted."

Breakfast over, Andretti is heading for Rotorua. Caltex, his sponsors, want to fly him there. He prefers to drive.