Michael Mario Andretti was born on the 5th October 1962, in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania USA, and is a former racing driver, best known for driving Formula One with McLaren and also as one of the greatest CART drivers with 42 wins. Since retiring from the tracks, Michael owns an IndyCar team as well as a team in the FIA Formula E Championship. Being a successful driver and running his teams has significantly improved his net worth. Andretti’s driving career lasted from 1980 to 2007.
Have you ever wondered how rich Michael Andretti is, as of mid-2016? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that Michael’s net worth is as high as $20 million, earned through his successful career as both a driver and racing team owner.
Michael Andretti Net Worth $20 Million
Michael Andretti was born to Mario Andretti, a legendary racing driver, and Dee Ann. He is from a family of successful drivers; his father competed in Formula 1, CART and NASCAR, his brother Jeff Andretti competed in IndyCar, his uncle Aldo was an open wheel racer while Aldo’s son John Andretti raced in both IndyCar and Nascar. Michael’s son Marco is following the steps of his father, and began racing in 2005.
Michael’s career started in 1980 when he obtained an SCCA National License; he won the SCCA’s Northeast Division Formula Ford championship in 1981. A year later, Andretti clinched the Robert Bosch US Formula Super Vee Championship and then moved to drive in Formula Atlantic. His debut in CART came in 1983 with the Kraco Enterprises team, and he finished in 7th position in his rookie season, winning the Rookie of the Year award.
Andretti won his first IndyCar race in 1986 in Long Beach at the Toyota Grand Prix but finished second overall behind Bobby Rahal for two consecutive seasons in 1986 and 1987. Nevertheless, this success certainly increased his net worth by a large margin. In 1989, Michael changed teams, and went to compete with Newman/Haas Racing, finishing the 1990 season as a runner-up again. He finally won his only title in the 1991 CART PPG Indy Car World Series, increasing further his net worth; this time around Rahal finished second.
However, it was the same old story in 1992; after having a great season, Andretti lost the title to Rahal by only four points, after which he decided to move to Formula 1, and a former F1 champion Nigel Mansell took his place in Newman/Hass Racing team. In his debut F1 season in 1993, Andretti competed in a Marlboro McLaren and his partner was the famous Ayrton Senna. He drove Ford HBD V8 powered MP4/8, but managed to finish in the points on only three occasions, and Andretti left the team by mutual agreement with just three races remaining in the season.
Andretti returned to Indy Car racing where he stayed until 2003, retiring as the third most successful driver with 42 wins, behind only his father Mario with 52 wins, and A.J. Foyt with 67 wins. He now owns the Andretti Autosport team racing and acts as both owner and team strategist.
Andretti was inducted into National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 2002, and also in Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2008 and Indianapolis Speedway’s Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2012, among others awards.
Regarding his personal life, Michael Andretti was married to Sandra Spinozzi from 1985 to 1996, and the pair has two children together. His second wife was Leslie Wood(1997-2004) and has a son Luca with her. In 2006, Michael married former Miss Oregon Teen USA 1994 Jodi Ann Paterson, and they have twins.
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