Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson shared a touching birthday message on social media for the legendary motorsport icon Mario Andretti.
Johnson’s message read, “Such a legend, Happy Bday @MarioAndretti!”
Mario Andretti’s remarkable career began all the way back in the late 1950s when he took to dirt track racing alongside his twin brother, Aldo. By 1964, Andretti had transitioned to the USAC Championship Car series, ushering in a period of considerable success.
He became the 1978 World Drivers’ Champion in Formula 1 with Team Lotus and achieved 12 Grand Prix victories during his F1 career. However, his racing career wasn’t limited to Formula One; he is also a four-time IndyCar National Champion and won the Indianapolis 500 in 1969. He also celebrated success in stock car racing, capturing victory at the prestigious Daytona 500 in 1967.
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After retiring from full-time racing in 1994, Andretti has remained an active and passionate figure in motorsports.
Andretti is on the board of directors for the Cadillac F1 team which has an agreement in principal to join the Formula 1 grid in 2026. Speaking about the possible upcoming driver lineup, Andretti explained recently to Motorsport.com:
“Looking back at the way Colton [Herta] has trained from the very beginning of his young career — as you know, he started in Formula 3 and so on with the likes of Lando Norris, and he’s done some F1 testing.
“Zak Brown gave him a good test at Portimao in Portugal. You should see the report that we got from Andrea Stella. And Andrea is an individual that says it like it is — so again, he’s a great candidate.
“And all of this has to be proven, of course, but going in, he’s a good bet, in my opinion.”
He added:
“Not only that, but he’s also very versatile. He’s good in every area, like the ovals, short ovals, superspeedway. He’s competitive everywhere, so he’s definitely championship material.
“Everything is on-going right now. You think about those things every day, and that’s going to become official probably mid-year,” he said.
“We are obviously looking at every aspect of every opportunity that’s there. It’s clear that the objectives are to have at least one American driver and then another experienced driver alongside, and start like that.”
Jimmie Johnson, on the other hand, is known for his outstanding achievements in NASCAR. His seven NASCAR Cup Series championships put him on par with legends like Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr.
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