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Bobby Rahal

Robert Woodward Rahal (better known under the name of Bobby Rahal) (born 10 January 1953 in Medina in the Ohio ) is a former racing driver U.S. , now converted as director of team.

Biography

Bobby Rahal in 1991 at Laguna Seca

From the ranks of the Formula Atlantic , Bobby Rahal made his first appearance at the highest level at the end of the 1978 season , when he was selected by the team of Formula 1 Racing Wolf for help Jody Scheckter time in two races. But failing to land a flying full time for the next season he continues his career in the United States.

In 1982 , Rahal joined the ranks of CART. In his first season he won his first success. Then in 1986 , he earned the victory in the Indianapolis 500 and his first championship. Two others will follow in 1987 and then 1992.

The title he won in 1992 is even more remarkable that he was as a driver-owner Bobby Rahal, having joined last year with Carl Hogan to mount its own structure. With the departure of Carl Hogan, Bobby Rahal becomes sole owner, before being joined in 1996 by host David Letterman (but not until 2004 that Team Rahal will take the name of Rahal Letterman Racing ).

After his title in 1992, Bobby Rahal's career slowly declining. Late 1998 , he decided to hang up his helmet to concentrate on steering his team. Appointed as interim 2000 to the direction of CART, it creates the surprise this year by agreeing to the request of Ford to head the sports team Jaguar Racing in Formula 1. This second passage Rahal Formula 1 will be equally brief and unproductive as the first in 1978. Victim of power struggles within the British team, and weakened by the transfer aborted engineering Adrian Newey , it is pushed out by Niki Lauda , who takes his place late 2001.

Back in the direction of his racing team, Bobby Rahal takes 2003 decision to move from CART to the Indy Racing League. In 2004 , his driver Buddy Rice Rahal thus enables proxy to win a new victory in the Indianapolis 500. And since 2005 , the emergence at the highest level of well-publicized Danica Patrick (who is protected Rahal for several years) has helped make Rahal Letterman Racing team one of the most prominent American sports car.

The son of Bobby Rahal, Graham Rahal , was also launched in motorsport. In 2006 , he participated in several rounds of the championship A1 Grand Prix for the team from Lebanon (Rahal family is of Lebanese origin), finished runner-up in Formula Atlantic , before making his debut in Champ because in 2007 the powerful team Newman / Haas / Lanigan Racing.