Red marquis at 04:34, 26 May 2010

2010-05-26T04:34:02Z

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{{Infobox F1 driver|
Name = Ricardo Rodríguez |
Image = |
Nationality = {{flagicon|Mexico}} Mexican |
Years = {{F1|1961}} - {{F1|1962}} |
Team(s) = [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] |
Races = 6 (5 starts) |
Wins = 0 |
Podiums = 0 |
Points = 4 |
Poles = 0 |
Fastest laps = 0 |
First race = [[1961 Italian Grand Prix]] |
First win = |
Last win = |
Last race = [[1962 Italian Grand Prix]]|
}}
'''Ricardo Rodríguez''' (14 February 1942, Mexico City - 1 November 1962, [[Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez|Magdalena Mixhuca Circuit]], Mexico City <ref name="WATN">{{cite web |url=http://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Ricardo_Rodriguez |title= The World Championship drivers - Where are they now? |accessdate=2007-07-29 |last=Jenkins |first=Richard |publisher=OldRacingCars.com}}</ref>) was a Mexican [[racing driver]] who competed in the [[1961 Formula One season|1961]] and [[1962 Formula One season]]s. His elder brother, [[Pedro Rodriguez|Pedro]], was also a noted racing driver who had much success in [[sports car racing]] and Formula One.

Rodríguez was a child cycling champion who switched to motorcycles in domestic competition from the age of 14. He won several national motorcycle titles, before taking up [[saloon car]] racing in his own [[Fiat Topolino]]. In 1957 he made his international debut at [[Riverside International Raceway|Riverside]], beating all comers in the under 1.5 litre class in a [[Porsche]] RS. He then won his class in a [[Porsche|Porsche Spyder]] in the Nassau Tourist Trophy. He often raced for the [[North American Racing Team]] (NART) with his brother Pedro, although he would also enter cars under his father's name. He was refused an entry at [[24 Hours of Le Mans|Le Mans]] in [[1956 24 Hours of Le Mans|1956]], but went back in 1959 to race an [[O.S.C.A.|OSCA]] in the 750cc. class. In the [[1960 24 Hours of Le Mans]] he partnered [[André Pilette]] to second place; at 18 years of age, the youngest ever to stand on the podium at Le Mans.

Rodríguez was given a guest drive by [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] for the [[1961 Italian Grand Prix]], qualifying a surprise second. In the race he exchanged the lead with [[Phil Hill]] and [[Richie Ginther]] many times, until a fuel pump failure ended his race. He was the youngest ever F1 driver at that time. 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 the [[Pau Grand Prix]], fourth at the [[1962 Belgian Grand Prix|Belgian Grand Prix]] and sixth at the [[1962 German Grand Prix|German Grand Prix]] in a tough year in Formula One for Ferrari. He also won the [[Targa Florio]] with [[Olivier Gendebien]] and [[Willy Mairesse]].

Rodríguez was considered a potential future champion already, but was left without a drive when Ferrari opted not to enter the non-Championship [[1962 Mexican Grand Prix]]. He signed to drive [[Rob Walker Racing Team|Rob Walker's]] [[Team Lotus|Lotus]], but died during the first day of practice, when he inexplicably failed to brake for the fearsome Peraltada corner, and entered the banked turn far too fast, hitting the barriers at the exit. He was 20 years old and his death provoked national mourning in Mexico.

The Scuderia Rodríguez A.C. (a 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. An English translation is to be published in April 2009.
{{-}}

==Complete Formula One World Championship results==
([[:Template:F1 driver results legend 2|key]])
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! WDC
! Points
|-
| [[1961 Formula One season|1961]]
! [[Scuderia Ferrari]]
! [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] [[Ferrari 156|156]]
! [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] [[V6 engine|V6]]
| [[1961 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]] 
| [[1961 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]] 
| [[1961 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]] 
| [[1961 French Grand Prix|FRA]] 
| [[1961 British Grand Prix|GBR]] 
| [[1961 German Grand Prix|GER]] 
|bgcolor="#EFCFFF"| [[1961 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]] Ret
| [[1961 United States Grand Prix|USA]] 
|
! NC
! 0
|-
| [[1962 Formula One season|1962]]
! [[Scuderia Ferrari]]
! [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] [[Ferrari 156|156]]
! [[Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari]] [[V6 engine|V6]]
|bgcolor="#EFCFFF"| [[1962 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]] Ret
|bgcolor="white"| [[1962 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]] DNS
|bgcolor="#DFFFDF"| [[1962 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]] 4
| [[1962 French Grand Prix|FRA]] 
| [[1962 British Grand Prix|GBR]] 
|bgcolor="#DFFFDF"| [[1962 German Grand Prix|GER]] 6
|bgcolor="#EFCFFF"| [[1962 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]] Ret
| [[1962 United States Grand Prix|USA]] 
| [[1962 South African Grand Prix|RSA]] 
! 13th
! 4
|}

{{start box}}
{{succession box|title=[[List of Formula One fatal accidents|Formula One fatal accidents]] |before=[[Wolfgang Von Trips]]|after=[[Gary Hocking]]|years=November 1, 1962}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{succession box| title = [[List of Formula One driver records#Youngest drivers to start a race|Youngest Driver to start a Formula One race]] | years = 19 years, 208 days ([[1961 Italian Grand Prix]]) | before = [[Troy Ruttman]] 20 years, 80 days ([[1950 Indianapolis 500]]) | after = [[Mike Thackwell]] 19 years, 182 days ([[1980 Canadian Grand Prix|1980 Canadian GP]]) }}
{{succession box| title = [[List of Formula One driver records#Youngest drivers to score points|Youngest Driver to score Points in Formula One]] | years = 20 years, 123 days ([[1962 Belgian Grand Prix]]) | before = [[Bruce McLaren]] 21 years, 253 days ([[1959 Monaco Grand Prix|1959 Monaco GP]]) | after = [[Jenson Button]] 20 years, 67 days ([[2000 Brazilian Grand Prix|2000 Brazilian GP]])}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:Mexican racecar drivers]]
[[Category:Mexican Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Ferrari Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Lotus Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Racecar drivers killed while racing]]
[[Category:24 Hours of Le Mans drivers]]

Ricardo Rodriguez - Revision history

Red marquis at 04:34, 26 May 2010