The two-time CART Series champion and 2003 Indianapolis 500 winner suffered a heart attack while driving with his son in Opa-locka, Fla., on Friday. De Ferran, who is a French-born Brazilian, began his career with British Formula Ford before moving to Formula 3, where he finished third in 1991 behind Rubens Barrichello and David Coulthard. The following year he won the F3 championship, before moving to Formula 3000.

Despite announcements that he would move to Formula 1, De Ferran never tried in this competition, because he moved to the United States and made a great career. He won the CART series titles in 2000 and 2001, and his biggest success came in 2003 when he won the Indianapolis 500, driving for Team Penska.

De Ferran, however, spent some time in Formula 1, not as a driver, but as sporting director of the BAR-Honda team from 2005 to 2007, as well as at McLaren from 2018 to 2021.