Death of Bobby Unser

Legend of American motorsport, Bobby Unser died this Sunday, May 2 at the age of 87. The native of Colorado Springs (Colorado) is the only driver to have won the Indianapolis 500 in three different decades (1968, 1975 and 1981) alongside Rick Mears.

In 1968, Bobby Unser took the opportunity to become the first driver to break the 170 mile average barrier (around 275,5 km/h) in Indiana, aboard an Eagle 68. In 1974, he won. with the Eagle 74 while the race direction interrupted the event 26 laps before the end due to rain.

The latest success coincides with his last race on an oval. The 1981 edition remains today one of the most controversial races at the Indy 500. After taking pole with the Penske PC-9B with a Cosworth DFV engine, Bobby Unser took advantage of a neutralization on lap 149 to win eight competitors , something prohibited by the regulations.

His main competitor Mario Andretti “only” overtook two, which encouraged the commissioners to strip Bobby Unser of his victory the next morning, in favor of Mario Andretti.

It would take five months and a complaint filed by his Penske for Bobby Unser to take back his Borg-Warner Trophy, in exchange for a fine of 40 dollars. Mario Andretti and Bobby Unser did not speak to each other again until the mid-000s, when the world champion of Formula 1 1978 contacted him when Bobby Unser was seriously ill.

Bobby Unser also distinguished himself at Pikes Peak by achieving a record 13 successes, at the time when the hill climb was entirely on land, with various cars, each more extreme than the other (Audi Quattro Group B in 1986 , single-seaters, etc.)

More unknown was his brief stint in Formula 1. In 1968, his only start with BRM, at Watkins Glen, ended in retirement with a broken engine. Due to deadlines for completing the magazine, please find a complete tribute in issue 2311 of AUTOhebdo.

All AUTO editorial staffhebdo sends its condolences to the family and loved ones of Bobby Unser.