Dan Gurney

American racing driver and constructor who won the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix in his own Eagle car, the only Formula 1 victory ever achieved in an American-built machine.

Born on 13 April 1931 in Port Jefferson, New York, Dan Gurney made his Formula 1 debut with Ferrari in 1959 before moving through BRM and Porsche, winning the 1962 French Grand Prix in the German manufacturer's car — Porsche's only Grand Prix victory as a constructor. He joined Jack Brabham's fledgling team as its first-ever driver in 1963, winning multiple races over three seasons. In 1964, alongside Carroll Shelby, Gurney founded All American Racers to build his own Formula 1 car, the Eagle, partnering with British engine maker Weslake under the banner 'Anglo American Racers'. The project's crowning achievement came at the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix, where Gurney's Eagle-Weslake took victory — the first win for an American constructor in a Grand Prix since 1921, and to this day the only Formula 1 win for a car built in the United States. Gurney's versatility across motorsport disciplines was remarkable: he became the first driver in history to win races in Formula 1, IndyCar, NASCAR and sports cars, a feat since matched only by Mario Andretti. He also won the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside A.J. Foyt, and finished runner-up twice at the Indianapolis 500 as a driver, later winning it three times as an Eagle constructor. Gurney retired from driving to focus on All American Racers, which went on to win 78 races and eight championships as a constructor across multiple disciplines. He died on 14 January 2018 at age 86, remembered as one of the most versatile and innovative figures in American motorsport history.

Versatile, technically astute racer equally accomplished as driver and engineer

One of the most versatile and innovative figures in American motorsport, as both a driver and constructor