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Jimmie Johnson pays tribute to the late Gil de Ferran

JHby:Jonathan Howard•12/30/23•

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Jimmie Johnson
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

On Friday Gil de Ferran, Indy 500 winner and IndyCar champion, died of a heart attack. Jimmie Johnson took time to give his condolences. The seven-time NASCAR champion had a close friendship with de Ferran throughout his driving career.

Gil de Ferran is a major figure in American motorsports who will be greatly missed. He not only became an immensely accomplished racer himself but helped others improve their craft in the process.

When Jimmie Johnson was testing the waters in F1 with McLaren, de Ferran was the sporting director. For a driver as accomplished as Johnson to revere another driver like this shows how special de Ferran was on and off the track.

“Gil, you will be missed in so many ways,” Johnson wrote on Twitter/X. “Thank you for your friendship and support through the years. Sending love to your beautiful family.”

Among his many accolades and awards, Gil de Ferran was a two-time IndyCar champion. He won the 2003 Indianapolis 500. Not to mention his incredible qualifying time from California Speedway that still stands as a world record for a closed course session.

It feels cosmically ironic that in the same year the speedway is torn down, to be replaced by a short track, and this tragic news follows.

Gil de Ferran, dead at 56

The news came out late on Friday. While racing at a private racing club, The Concourse Club in Florida, de Ferran suffered a heart attack. The driver was taken to a hospital but could not be revived.

His former team and owner, Team Penske and Roger Penske, released a statement following the news.

“We are terribly saddened to hear about today’s tragic passing of Gil de Ferran. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Angela, Anna, Luke and the entire de Ferran family,” Penske said in a statement. “Gil defined class as a driver and as a gentleman. As an IndyCar Champion and an Indianapolis 500 winner, Gil accomplished so much during his career, both on and off the track.

“Gil was beloved by so many. He was a great friend to the Team Penske and IndyCar family, as well as the entire international motorsports community. Gil’s passing is a terrible loss and he will be deeply missed.”

The motorsports world has been mourning the loss of Gil de Ferran since Friday night. It will likely continue as racers and others in the industry pay their respects in their own ways.