From F1 to Champ Car

Mauricio Gugelmin took part in both Formula One and Champ Car series. The Brazilian participated in 80 Formula One Grand Prix, debuting in 1988 for the March team. He achieved one podium, at the 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix, where he took a fine third.

Picture above: Mauricio Gugelmin, in the 1990 Formula 1 Leyton House Judd CG 901.

There was a lot of ‘action’ off track at Leyton House in 1990: Managing director Ian Philips contracted meningitis and had to leave his post after the Brazilian Grand Prix, while Adrian Newey was fired and replaced as technical director by Gustav Brunner. Several other engineers also departed that year.

He then competed in the Champ Car series between 1993 and 2001, winning one race in 1997 at Vancouver, in 147 starts. His best result in the Indianapolis 500 was in 1995, where he qualified in 6th position and finished 6th, leading 59 laps.

For a while, he held the world speed record for a close race track, set at California Speedway in 1997 at a speed of 240.942 mph (387.759 km/h), in a Reynard-Mercedes (picture below).