Gil De Ferran Obituary – Death: Brazilian-French Indy 500 Champion Passed Away At 56, Cause Of Death

Gil de Ferran, a Brazilian race car driver born in Paris, France, on November 11, 1967, passed away at the age of 56. The news of his death was confirmed by the Brazilian Automobile Confederation (CBA) after he suffered a stroke in Opa-Locka, Florida.

On December 29, Gil de Ferran was rushed to the hospital following a medical emergency, but unfortunately, he did not survive. In a statement shared online, Giovanni Guerra, the CBA president, expressed condolences, saying, “On behalf of myself and the entire CBA family, we pray to God to receive our brother with all the glories and support his family, friends, and millions of fans around the world.”

Gil de Ferran achieved notable success in racing, securing the British Formula 3 championship in 1992 and winning the CART World Series Champion titles in 2000 and 2001. In 2003, he claimed victory at the Indianapolis 500 for Team Penske, surpassing his Brazilian teammates Hélio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan.

Roger Penske from Team Penske mourned the loss, stating, “We are terribly saddened to hear about today’s tragic passing of Gil de Ferran. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Angela, Anna, Luke, and the entire de Ferran family.”

“Gil defined class as a driver and as a gentleman. As an Indycar champion and an Indianapolis 500 winner, Gil accomplished so much during his career, both on and off the track,” the statement continued. “Gil was beloved by so many. He was a great friend to the Team Penske and Indycar Family, as well as the entire international motorsport community. Gil’s passing is a terrible loss, and he will be deeply missed.”