Gil de Ferran was a race car driver and team owner from Brazil. He had some big achievements, like winning the Champ Car championship in 2000 and 2001 while driving for Team Penske. He also won the famous Indianapolis 500 race in 2003.
His racing career began in the early 1980s when he started racing karts. He moved up to Formula Ford in 1987 and then to Formula Three in 1991. In 1992, he won the championship with seven victories.
After that, he raced in Formula 3000 in 1993 and 1994, finishing in the top positions. He even got to test a Formula One car for a day in 1993, but it didn’t go well because he accidentally hit his head and couldn’t perform as well as he wanted.
Gil De Ferran Cause of Death
Gil de Ferran, a former race car driver, passed away on December 29, 2023, at 56 years old. Many sources say he had a heart problem while driving on a private track in Florida. Another driver, Tony Kanaan, who is also from Brazil like Gil, was there with Gil’s son, Luke. While Gil was driving, he stopped and said he didn’t feel good.
Tony Kanaan thought it might be a heart attack, but sadly, they couldn’t save him. This is a sad loss for the racing community. However, it’s important to note that there hasn’t been an official statement from his family or friends confirming the cause of his death, so we can’t say for sure that it was a heart attack until we have more information.
We remember Gil de Ferran. pic.twitter.com/DDmcBgIj3Z
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) December 30, 2023
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Gil de Ferran Motorsports
In January 2008, Gil de Ferran decided to come out of retirement and get back into racing. He formed a team called de Ferran Motorsports and got support from Acura. They raced in a special category called LMP2 in the American Le Mans Series. Gil was not only managing the team but also driving alongside Simon Pagenaud.
Their comeback was impressive. They got to the front row in four races, led in six races, and finished in the top three in three races out of eight.
In 2009, they faced a new challenge. Honda asked them to develop a car called Acura ARX-02a for the top LMP1 division in the American Le Mans Series. Their hard work paid off with five wins, seven pole positions, seven fastest laps, and a second-place finish in the ALMS LMP1 class.
Gil de Ferran Net Worth
Gil de Ferran, who was a successful race car driver and team owner, had a net worth of about $850,000. This may not be as much as some other famous athletes, but it shows how he managed his money from his racing career.
Gil de Ferran Wife
Gil de Ferran was married to Angela de Ferran, and they lived together in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with their two kids, Anna and Luke, for a long time.
Gil de Ferran met his wife, Angela de Ferran, when she worked on Paul Stewart’s racing team. Angela is also a yoga teacher, and her family runs a company that publishes a motorsports journal called Motoring News.
They have two kids, Anna Ferran and Luke Ferran. Anna is a recording artist and DJ. She even performed in the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2014 when she was just 13 years old. The event took place at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in 2014, and Gil was very proud of his daughter’s achievement.
When Gil passed away, many people on social media shared messages of love and respect for him.
My heart sank at the news of Gil de Ferran’s death. It’s heart-wrenching. Thinking of him now and savoring every conversation. He will be missed by so many. A wonderful man and a dear and loyal friend. pic.twitter.com/aPVXjlKwY7
— Mario Andretti (@MarioAndretti) December 30, 2023
INDYCAR is deeply saddened by the passing of two-time series champion and racing legend Gil de Ferran.
Our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/Yo3b1FkoV7
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) December 30, 2023
The FIA is saddened by the passing of Gil de Ferran. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/bA1A1NHLJe
— FIA (@fia) December 30, 2023
