Al Unser, four times Indy 500 winner, dies at 82

[December 10, 2021] (Reuters) - Four times Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser has died at the age of 82 after a long illness, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway said on Friday.

Unser was one of only four drivers to win the 'Greatest Spectacle in Racing'. His older brother Bobby, a three-times winner, died in May.

They remain the only brothers to win the race.

Al Unser won in 1970, 1971, 1978 and 1987 while Bobby Unser won in 1968, 1975 and 1981.

"Rest in peace big Al. 4 time winner of the Indianapolis 500, an absolute master of the Brickyard and a gentleman," said three times winner Dario Franchitti on Twitter.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Toby Davis)

[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.

An aerial view of Indianapolis Motor Speedway May 3, 2008. The famous racetrack, known as the "Brickyard", is home to the annual Indy 500 car race. REUTERS/Jason Reed