![]() “He said, ‘You know, Mario, I can’t put a price on your talent so you tell me.’ That SOB threw it right back in my lap,” said the four-time Ind圜ar champion with a laugh. I had a handshake agreement with Colin and he’d already agreed to pay me what Ronnie Peterson was making, which was the highest salary in F1. “I’d won the final race of the year at the Italian Grand Prix and Mr. But Andretti got another call from Ferrari at the end of ’77. Of course that came in 1977 when he struck a deal with Colin Chapman and helped develop the ground-effects car that carried him to the ’78 F1 crown. The timing wasn’t right yet, so I had to turn him down but I always figured I’d get another opportunity.” “But F1 didn’t pay much back then and my contracts and commitments were so lucrative over here I couldn’t give that up for the security of my family. 1 driver,” said the 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner. ![]() Ferrari called and made me a pitch to be his No. Two weeks later, Andretti captured both heats of the Questor Grand Prix at Ontario Motor Speedway - and got a call from il Commendatore. “You’ve got to have a feeling that you belong and that was extra special because it was with Ferrari.” “Denny was leading and blew up and I took the lead and Jackie couldn’t catch me, so that was my first win. “It was a good battle between Stewart, (Denis) Hulme and myself with Regga and Ickx close by,” recalled the man who would go on to win 12 F1 races, 17 pole positions and the 1978 world championship during that decade. Regga and Jacky Ickx (eighth) were also in Ferraris. Jackie Stewart was on pole for the South African GP in a Cosworth-powered Tyrrell next to Matra’s Chris Amon, with Clay Regazzoni and Mario comprising Row 2. ![]() “Kyalami was a fun circuit to drive with lots of elevation changes and Ferrari gave me equal equipment to my teammates. “That was a big moment, one of those I’ll always cherish,” said the 81-year-old legend on the eve of that milestone. In only his 10th start over four fractured seasons, Andretti scored his initial Formula 1 victory at Kyalami on Madriving for Ferrari and it helped change the trajectory of his amazing career. The words “Andretti” and “Ferrari” just sound good together, and 50 years ago this weekend, they were best of the best in South Africa. ![]()
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