Mario Andretti: 45 years since 78’s glory and grief

F1: Beyond The Grid

karenellenbevan

Leisure, Sports, Technology, Automotive

4.8 • 5.2K Ratings

🗓️ 15 November 2023

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This episode is sponsored by Call of Duty, Modern Warfare® 3.

In 1978, racing against some of the best drivers in Formula 1 history, Mario Andretti became World Champion. His victory was a long-held dream, but it was darkened by the death of his teammate. Looking back 45 years, Mario remembers a season of intense emotions.

He tells Tom Clarkson about his preparations for racing in Europe, his relationship with his visionary team boss, Colin Chapman, and how he made changes to the set-up of his Lotus to gain a crucial advantage over his rivals. Mario shares his memories of battling brake problems to win the championship at Monza, then learning that his teammate and close friend Ronnie Peterson had lost his life after a crash. Plus, Mario picks out the current F1 drivers who impress him most and remembers F1’s previous races in Las Vegas in the early 1980s.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This episode of F1 Beyond the Grid is sponsored by Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3
0:06.0	available now.
0:10.2	I was so infatuated with just winning.
0:14.0	And he's going to take him. He's through.
0:17.0	Very old jet, he's superb passing manoeuvre.
0:20.0	I never liked desire. I never lack desire.
0:23.0	lack desire.
0:24.0	Oh, what great stuff.
0:29.0	Mario Andreti has got it.
0:31.0	A magnificent race he has driven. A magnificent race he has driven. Passion and desire. I know that
0:38.3	what drove me. 45 years ago that's what drove Mario Andretti to Formula One World Championship glory
0:48.6	But the 1978 season was tinged with grief.
0:53.0	Should have been the happiest day of my career for sure, which wasn't somewhere.
0:58.0	I could not celebrate.
0:59.0	How could I celebrate?
1:00.0	I lost one of my best friends.
1:03.0	Hello and one of my best friends.
1:10.0	Hello and welcome to F1 Beyond the Grid with me Tom Clarkson as we look back at the season in which
1:16.8	Mario Andretti achieved his life's ambition.
1:20.2	Even when he was winning in indie car, driving in Formula One was always Mario's mission,
1:26.0	and he started racing full seasons in Formula One in the mid 1970s.
1:30.0	It was with Lotus, led by the visionary Colin Chapman, that Mario made his mark.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from karenellenbevan, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of karenellenbevan and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.