Origins
Newman/Haas began as a partnership between Paul Newman and Carl Haas. The pair had previously competed against each other in sports car racing during the 1970s and early 1980s. In 1983, they combined their efforts to compete in the Indy car ranks. Carl Haas brought Lola into the team as chassis manufacturer, re-introducing the constructor to the sport and spearheading Lola’s full-scale assault on the Indy car market. By the end of the decade, Lola would become a dominating chassis manufacturer, displacing March.
Breakthrough
In 1983, Mario Andretti signed as the team’s primary driver. Andretti won two races in his first season with the team and finished third in points. In 1984, Andretti won six races, nine poles, and scored ten top-ten finishes to win Newman/Haas’s first CART season championship.
Peak Seasons
The team expanded to a two-car outfit in 1989, adding Michael Andretti alongside his father, Mario. The Andretti pairing excelled over the next few years. Michael Andretti won the 1991 CART championship, finishing second in points in 1990 and 1992. In 1993, Nigel Mansell joined the team, winning the CART title in his rookie season, becoming the only driver to hold both the Formula One and Champ Car titles simultaneously. Mario Andretti also won a race that year at Phoenix, his final Indy car victory.
From 2003 to 2007, the team competed in the Champ Car World Series, achieving sustained success with Sébastien Bourdais. Bourdais won four consecutive championships from 2004 to 2007, recording seven wins in 2006 and a career-high eight in 2007. Bruno Junqueira also contributed to the team’s success, finishing second in points in 2003 and 2004.
Defining Incidents
Despite consistent success, the team never achieved victory at the Indianapolis 500. Mario Andretti finished second in 1985, while Michael Andretti finished second in 1991 and led with 11 laps to go in 1992 before dropping out. Nigel Mansell, in his rookie year in 1993, finished third. In 2005, Bruno Junqueira crashed during practice at Indianapolis, fracturing a vertebra and missing the remainder of the season.
Death or Retirement
Both of the team's original owners died within a few years of each other. Paul Newman died in 2008, and Carl Haas died in 2016. After the 2011 season, Carl Haas announced that the team would not run in the IndyCar Series in 2012 due to the economic climate.
Beyond the Primary Series
Newman/Haas briefly returned to the Indianapolis 500 in 2004, entering a single car for Bruno Junqueira. Junqueira led the race but ultimately finished fifth. The team also experimented with a third car entry for Jean Alesi in 2012, but ultimately withdrew before the season began.
Drivers
The team’s drivers over the years included Mario Andretti, Michael Andretti, Nigel Mansell, Paul Tracy, Cristiano da Matta, Sébastien Bourdais, Justin Wilson, and Graham Rahal.
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