NOVEMBER 24, 2002

Cheever to retire?

Eddie Cheever, one of the stalwarts of Formula 1 in the 1980s, says that he is considering retiring as a racing driver after the Indianapolis 500 next year.

Eddie Cheever, one of the stalwarts of Formula 1 in the 1980s, says that he is considering retiring as a racing driver after the Indianapolis 500 next year.

Eddie Cheever is (incredibly) still only 44 years of age despite the fact that he has been racing in top level competition since 1978 when he made his Grand Prix debut at the age of 18. He became a fulltime member of the Formula 1 circus in 1980 with Osella and then moved on to Tyrrell, Ligier, Renault and Alfa Romeo. He was then out of F1 for 1986 apart from a guest appearance with the Haas Lola team but returned for three years with Arrows between 1987 and 1989. Despite all his efforts he never scored a Formula 1 victory and despite being only 31 he left F1 for a new career in CART. He failed to win in CART but in 1998 won the Indianapolis 500, which was by then an Indy Racing League event. Cheever has been one of the mainstays of IRL and now runs a two-car Red Bull-sponsored team in the series.

Before moving to America Cheever was a winner in a variety of classes, his victories in Formula 2 including a win at the Pau Grand Prix in 1979 and series of wins in sports car racing with Lancia and Jaguar, including three wins in the Silverstone 1000.

Cheever says that he wants to concentrate on team management in the future but would like to finish his driving career with another victory at Indianapolis.