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.png) Rodriguez at the Kiwanis Grand Prix, Riverside, California, July 1959 | |
| Born | (1942-02-14)14 February 1942 Mexico City, Mexico |
|---|---|
| Died | 1 November 1962(1962-11-01) (aged 20) Mexico City, Mexico |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  Mexican |
| Active years | 1961–1962 |
| Teams | Ferrari |
| Entries | 6 (5 starts) |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Careerpoints | 4 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 1961 Italian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1962 Italian Grand Prix |
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
|---|---|
| Years | 1959–1962 |
| Teams | OSCA Automobili N.A.R.T. SpA Ferrari SEFAC |
| Best finish | 2nd (1960) |
Ricardo Valentín Rodríguez de la Vega (14 February 1942 – 1 November 1962)[1] was the first Mexican driver ever to take part in aFormula One Grand Prix, competing in the1961 and1962 Formula One seasons.
At the age of 19 years and 208 days, when first racing forFerrari at the1961 Italian Grand Prix, Rodríguez became the youngest Formula One driver to race for the Italian team, a title he held until the2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where his record was broken by BritonOliver Bearman at 18 years and 305 days old. At this Italian Grand Prix, he also became the youngest driver to start a Formula One race until the1980 Canadian Grand Prix, and the youngest driver to start from the first row until the2016 Belgian Grand Prix, and at the1962 Belgian Grand Prix he also became the youngest driver to score points in Formula One, a record he held until the2000 Brazilian Grand Prix. His death at the age of 20 in a crash during practice for the1962 Mexican Grand Prix made him the youngestFormula One driver to die.[2]
Rodríguez's elder brother,Pedro, was also a noted racing driver who had much success in bothsports car racing and Formula One, including a season with Ferrari in 1969, who was killed in a crash during a sportscar race at theNorisring in 1971.[3]
Rodríguez was born inMexico City and was a childcycling champion who switched tomotorcycles in domestic competition from the age of 11. He was the third son from the marriage of Pedro Natalio Rodríguez and Concepción "Conchita" (née de la Vega), he had three brothers and one sister, Pedro, Federico, Conchita and Alejandro.
Rodríguez was married to Sara (née Cardoso) in July 1961 but left no children. In the summer of 1962, his close friend,Jo Ramírez, would accompany him to his adventure inEurope.[4]
Rodríguez won several national motorcycle titles, before taking upsaloon car racing in his ownFiat Topolino. In 1957 he made his international debut atRiverside, beating all comers in the under 1.5 litre class in aPorsche RS. He then won his class in aPorsche Spyder in theNassau Tourist Trophy. He often raced for theNorth American Racing Team (NART) with his brother Pedro, although he would also enter cars under his own team's name, Scuderia Rodríguez.
Rodríguez was refused an entry atLe Mans in1958 because he was too young (16 years and 106 days), but went back in1959 to race anOSCA in the 750cc class. In the edition of24 Hours of Le Mans in 1960 he partneredAndré Pilette to second place. At 18 years and 133 days of age, he is the youngest driver ever to stand on the podium at Le Mans.[5]
Rodríguez was given a guest drive byFerrari for the1961 Italian Grand Prix,[6] qualifying a surprise second and becoming the youngest driver in history to start from front row (19 years and 208 days), a record that would not be beaten until the2016 Belgian Grand Prix byMax Verstappen. In the race he exchanged the lead withPhil Hill andRichie Ginther many times, until a fuel pump failure ended his race. 1962 saw a full works drive with Ferrari, who used him sparingly considering his age and rough edges. Whenever used, Rodríguez shone, taking second at thePau Grand Prix, fourth at theBelgian Grand Prix and sixth at theGerman Grand Prix in a tough year in Formula One for Ferrari. He also won the1962 Targa Florio edition withOlivier Gendebien andWilly Mairesse in aFerrari 246 SP.
Rodríguez was considered a potential future champion already, but was left without a drive when Ferrari opted not to enter the non-Championship1962 Mexican Grand Prix at theMagdalena Mixiuhca Circuit, Mexico City. He signed to driveRob Walker'sLotus 24, but died during the first day of unofficial practice, when the Lotus' rear right suspension failed at the fearsome Peraltada turn, and it hit the barriers, killing him almost instantaneously. He was 20 years old and his death provoked national mourning in Mexico.
The Scuderia Rodríguez A.C. (a friends and family foundation) keeps his memory and that of his brother alive. It serves as register for Rodríguez memorabilia and cars, certifying them, and its Secretary General Carlos Jalife published their biography in 2006, and a second edition came in 2015. He did an English translation that was published in 2009 and won the Motor Press Guild Book of the Year.[7]
(key)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari156 | FerrariV6 | MON | NED | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | ITA Ret | USA | NC | 0 | |
| 1962 | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari156 | FerrariV6 | NED Ret | MON DNS | BEL 4 | FRA | GBR | GER 6 | ITA 14 | USA | RSA | 13th | 4 |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position)(Races initalics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari156 | FerrariV6 | CAP | BRX | LOM | LAV | GLV | PAU 2 | AIN | INT | NAP | MAL | CLP | RMS WD | SOL | KAN | MED | DAN | OUL | |||
| Rob Walker Racing Team | Lotus24 | ClimaxV8 | MEX DNS | RAN | NAT |
| Year | Team | Num. | Car | Cat. | Co-driver | Grid | Laps | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | Hours | |||||||
| 1958 |  North American Racing Team | 25 | Ferrari 500 TR58 | S 2.0 |  José Behra | – | – | Did not start* |
| Ferrari 2.0L4 | – | |||||||
| 1959 |  OSCA Automobili | 51 | OSCA Sport 750TN | S 750 | Pedro Rodríguez | 11° | 32 | Retire (Water pump) |
| OSCA 0.7LL4 | 5h | |||||||
| 1960 |  North American Racing Team | 17 | Ferrari 250 TRI/59 | S 3.0 |  André Pilette | 9° | 310 | 2nd |
| Ferrari 3.0LV12 | 24h | |||||||
| 1961 |  North American Racing Team | 17 | Ferrari 250 TRI/61 | S 3.0 | Pedro Rodríguez | 2° | 305 | Retire (Engine) |
| Ferrari 3.0LV12 | 23h | |||||||
| 1962 | SpA Ferrari SEFAC | 28 | FerrariFerrari 246 SP | E 3.0 | Pedro Rodríguez | 32° | 174 | Retire (Gear box) |
| Ferrari 2.4L V6 | 13h |
| Preceded by | Formula One fatal accidents 1 November 1962 | Succeeded by |
| Records | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Youngest driver to start a Formula One race 19 years, 208 days (1961 Italian Grand Prix) | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Youngest driver to score points in Formula One 20 years, 123 days (1962 Belgian Grand Prix) | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
