With twelve Grand Prix victories and a world championship title, he is a walking statue of Formula 1 and one of the most successful racing drivers in the USA: Mario Andretti is admired on the Circuit of the Americas in Texas and spoils the audience in the Austin show laps with a McLaren F1 car.

The organization of the American Grand Prix is ​​honoring 82-year-old Andretti with his own corner on the F1 circuit this weekend. In addition, the veteran does lobbying with his son Michael: The Andretti family wants to get into Formula 1 with their own team.

1978 was a golden year for you. You became world champion with the legendary JPS-Lotus and also won the Dutch Grand Prix. Is the memory still fresh?

“Yes, those were happy days. Zandvoort was my last F1 win. That’s why I will always remember this weekend. It was hard work keeping my teammate Ronnie Peterson behind me. My exhaust was damaged and a piece of the floor had burned away. The last laps in particular were difficult.”

“I thought it was a great track. The track had so much character. Especially the Tarzan curve. I drove past James Hunt and Carlos Reutemann out there once when they thought it was impossible. And of course I drove the most beautiful car: the black and gold Lotus 79 still captures the imagination. A unique design. Fans still love this car.”

Have you followed the last two editions of the Dutch GP closely?

“Yes, on TV. It’s incredibly special to see a race like this at a track where I won myself 44 years ago. It’s really emotional. The track has been modernized but they’ve done very well, with Those nice corners. I drove the track on a simulator recently. Impressive.”

“I enjoyed the orange sea for Max Verstappen; incredible what this boy has achieved in the Netherlands. What a passion among the fans. They seem to support him worldwide. I think it’s great.”

Verstappen won his home race twice in a row. You know how that feels. Is such a win by definition the highlight of a career?

“I think so. There’s nothing quite like winning at home. Max might not think of that, but subconsciously that’s every racer’s dream. Think of F1 as the Olympic Games of motorsport. It’s so big. You’ll make your whole country cheer and you’ll make a nation proud.”

“I got to experience it. You feel so proud and loved. I won the Long Beach race in 1977. That was great. Then I won in Monza. Another home race because I don’t get any better because I have Italian blood. And that has come true.”

Max Verstappen has dominated this season and has already won his second world title. Is he leading a golden generation?

“I’ve been a Verstappen fan for years and I think we’re seeing the beginning of the Max era now. Not everyone realizes how good his performance is. You see that with Charles Leclerc and Ferrari. They’re good too, but they. ” making too many mistakes “I miss the fights between Lewis and Max this year. Last season the fight was great.”

Who can beat Verstappen in the coming years?

“One day it will happen. That’s for sure, but for young drivers it will be a huge task to deal with him. A talent like Max only comes out every 10 to 15 years. He is showing an unprecedented performance this year. Sensational .” . Brilliant You can see that in difficult conditions, such as a wet race. Then a top driver makes the difference.”

“In this sport nobody hands out gifts. You have to force and earn everything yourself. And it’s a tough sport with two sides. One loves you, the other hates you. And when you’re at the top, everyone wants to cut you down.”

Formula 1 is growing explosively in America. This season there are races in Miami and Texas, next year Las Vegas will be added. Has the sport finally conquered the States?

“Yes, it happened very quickly. The Netflix series about Formula 1 was a stepping stone. She shook my country awake. NASCAR and IndyCar enthusiasts are now also watching Formula 1. Fernando Alonso at the start in Indianapolis also helped a lot, traditionally little love for Formula 1 in America, but that’s changing quickly.”

“We also had a Grand Prix in Las Vegas in the last century, but it was in a big parking lot. Then you know immediately that this has no future. Now it will be different. There has been a huge investment in Las Vegas.” Vegas: “It’s going to be a challenging track, comparable to Texas. It’s crucial that the drivers love a track like this.”

Once Las Vegas is here, this job will come to life. The infrastructure is permanent and it will not be a circuit where the paddock and grandstands will be dismantled after the race. That makes it a very different story from Miami. It looked good there, but it’s not a real track and it never will be.”

They became champions in 1978. After that, no American driver was really successful in Formula 1. In fact, there hasn’t been an F1 driver from the USA for years. How is that possible?

“It’s virtually impossible for American drivers to make it into Formula 1. You have to earn your super license through Formula 3 and Formula 2, and migrating to Europe is almost inevitable. That’s not possible and won’t happen.” here in the States you can just race without a passport.”

“Plus, you make a great living here in IndyCars and NASCAR. That was the case when I was at IndyCars. I was just talking to Jackie Stewart about Formula 1. To dream of.”

Her family is trying to set up their own Formula 1 team. Other racing teams don’t welcome you with open arms because they’re afraid it will cost them money. will you succeed

“It’s going in the right direction. We live for this sport and aim for 2024. If that works, we’ll use at least one American driver. Think Colton Herta or some other appealing name. In an American team, a driver needs his country. And I hope that within, say, five or six years, an American will become world champion. When that happens, the sport really explodes here.”