Zak Brown and Tony Kanaan remember late McLaren icon Gil de Ferran 2 years after his tragic death

Indy 500 winner Gil de Ferran passed on December 29, 2023, aged 56, as he suffered a heart attack while driving with his son at the private event. McLaren CEO Zak Brown and Arrow McLaren Team Principal Tony Kanaan came out and remembered the legend on his second death anniversary.

Gil de Ferran was a highly respected name in the motorsport community. The Brazilian began his single-seater open-wheel racing career in Europe and raced in the British F3 and Formula 3000 series. However, rather than climbing the Formula ladder series, he moved to the US and made his CART (IndyCar) debut in 1995.

The Brazilian raced for multiple teams, including Team Penske, with whom he won the 2000 and 2001 IndyCar titles. Ferran also won the Indy 500 in 2003, in what was his last year in the American open wheel racing series.

The IndyCar legend then took up management roles in Motorsports and worked as the Sporting Director of BAR-Honda. He joined the McLaren F1 team as the Sporting Director from 2018 to 2021. In 2023, he returned to the Papaya team as an advisor.

Indy 500 winner and Arrow McLaren Team Principal Tony Kanaan, who shared the IndyCar grid with de Ferran, took to social media platform X on fellow Brazilian’s second death anniversary and remembered the legend by sharing a photo with him and a caption that read,

“ We miss you, legend. #GilDeFerran”

McLaren CEO Zak Brown also took to the social media platform and penned a heartfelt note for Gil de Ferran as he wrote,

“Hard to believe that it’s been a two years since we lost Gil – thinking of our friend and his family today. We miss you and will remember you always. Great friend and a proper racer 💪”

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When Lando Norris dedicated the 2024 Miami GP win to Gil de Ferran

Lando Norris won the 2024 Miami GP, which was McLaren's first F1 win since Gil de Ferran passed away. The British driver and the Papaya team dedicated this win to the Brazilian legend. Norris also ran the same helmet theme as Ferran at the 2025 pre-season testing, and the helmet was signed by the entire McLaren team.

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella wears a pin of De Ferran's racing helmet as a tribute to the Indy 500 winner, and it symbolizes that the Brazilian had always been by his side.

“The reason why I wear this pin is because of Gil De Ferran, he was the first person I talked to when the proposal to become team principal came across,” said Stella “To me, it was very clear that, whatever I was going to build, I was going to build it with Gil, and Gil has always been on my side. He was my advisor and my personal consultant,” added Stella

Gil de Ferran’s name was also placed on the McLaren IndyCar and F1 car for multiple races throughout the 2024 season.

Edited by Pranay Bhagi