Andretti, Mario - Vicerory & Vel's Parnelli Racing
'LET'S GO RACING' -- That's what Mario Andretti appears to be saying as his teammate, Al Unser, prepares to get into his Viceroy-Lola for the start of a Formula 5000 race. The teammates, who are tied for second place in the road racing series, will be challenging Leader Brian Redman Sunday in the season's sixth race at Road Atlanta. In the last event at Mid-Ohio, Andretti posted the fastest qualifying time and Unser the fastest race lap in their twin Viceroy-Lolas.
Road Atlanta - 1975
Name/Title
Andretti, Mario - Vicerory & Vel's Parnelli RacingEntry/Object ID
2025.1.35Description
Vel’s‑Parnelli Jones Racing was founded in 1969 by Parnelli Jones and businessman Vel Miletich, quickly rising to prominence in USAC Championship racing. With Al Unser and Joe Leonard as its early stars, the team captured consecutive Indianapolis 500 victories in 1970 and 1971 and multiple USAC national championships. VPJ also built its own chassis and developed competitive turbo‑Cosworth engines, establishing a reputation for technical ambition and engineering depth. In 1974 the team expanded into Formula One, hiring designer Maurice Philippe and signing Mario Andretti to lead the program. Andretti’s VPJ4 showed flashes of real competitiveness — including a fastest lap and a fourth‑place finish in Sweden — but the effort was undermined by Firestone’s sudden withdrawal from motorsport and the escalating costs of competing in Europe. VPJ abruptly shut down its F1 program after the third race of 1976, ending a brief but promising venture. For Andretti, the VPJ years were both formative and frustrating. He believed the team had the technical foundation to become a long‑term F1 contender, and his performances often exceeded the car’s development pace. Yet the abrupt collapse of the program left him stranded mid‑season and strained his relationship with Jones. Even so, the experience sharpened his understanding of F1 operations and set the stage for his later success with Lotus, where he would become World Champion in 1978.Collection
Simeone - PhotographCategory
Race Car Drivers