Pedro Rodríguez (racing driver) facts for kids
Rodríguez at the 1968 German Grand Prix
|
|
| Born | 18 January 1940 Mexico City, Mexico |
|---|---|
| Died | 11 July 1971 (aged 31) Norisring, Nuremberg, West Germany |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  Mexican |
| Active years | 1963–1971 |
| Teams | Ferrari, Lotus, Cooper, BRM |
| Entries | 55 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 2 |
| Podiums | 7 |
| Career points | 71 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 1 |
| First entry | 1963 United States Grand Prix |
| First win | 1967 South African Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1970 Belgian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1971 French Grand Prix |
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
|---|---|
| Years | 1958–1971 |
| Teams | NART OSCA Automobili SpA Ferrari SEFAC John Wyer Automotive |
| Best finish | 1st (1968) |
| Class wins | 1 (1968) |
Pedro Rodríguez de la Vega (born January 18, 1940 – died July 11, 1971) was a famous Mexican racing driver. He was known for his amazing speed and skill, especially when racing in the rain. Pedro started his Formula One career in 1963 and won two Grand Prix races: the 1967 South African Grand Prix and the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix. He was also a champion in sports car racing, winning the tough 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Pedro was the older brother of another talented racer, Ricardo Rodríguez.
Both brothers began racing at a very young age, first on motorbikes and then in cars. After his younger brother Ricardo sadly died in a racing accident in 1962, Pedro thought about quitting. But he decided to keep racing. His first big win in sports car racing was with Ricardo in the 1961 Paris 1000km race. He later won the 1968 Le Mans race in a Ford GT40. In 1970 and 1971, he won eight races driving a powerful Porsche 917. Pedro died in a sports car race in Germany on July 11, 1971.
Contents
About Pedro Rodríguez
Early Life and Family
Pedro Rodríguez was born in Mexico City, Mexico. He was the second son of Pedro Natalio Rodríguez and Concepción De la Vega. He had an older sister, Conchita, and three younger brothers, including Ricardo. When he was 15, Pedro went to a military academy in the United States to learn English and become more disciplined.
The Rodríguez brothers loved racing. They became Mexican national motorcycle champions in 1953 and 1954. Pedro first raced cars internationally in 1957 in Nassau, Bahamas. In 1961, he married Angelina Dammy in Mexico. Pedro did not have any children.
Pedro always carried a Mexican flag and a record of his country's national anthem. This was because when he won the 1967 South African Grand Prix, the organizers didn't have the Mexican anthem. Instead, they played the Mexican hat dance!
Racing Journey
Pedro started racing bicycles at eight years old. By 1950, he was a winner in the Mexican Championship. He then moved to motorcycles, winning national championships in 1952 and 1954. In 1955, at age 15, he began racing cars like the Jaguar XK120 and Porsche 1600S.
In 1958, at just 18, Pedro raced at the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time. He returned to Le Mans 14 times in total. In 1968, he finally won the race with his co-driver Lucien Bianchi, driving a Ford GT40 for the JW–Gulf team.
In 1961, Pedro and his brother Ricardo won the Paris 1000km race. This caught the attention of Enzo Ferrari, who offered them a chance to race in Formula One for his team. Pedro decided not to join Ferrari at that time.
After his brother Ricardo's death in 1962, Pedro won the Daytona Continental race in 1963. He then made his Formula One debut later that year. In 1964, he won the Daytona Continental again and the Canadian Grand Prix for sports cars.
In 1967, Pedro won his first Formula One race at the 1967 South African Grand Prix. This was a huge moment, as it was the first Grand Prix win for a Mexican driver! He showed great skill, especially with his smooth and steady driving.
In 1968, Pedro joined the BRM team. He was excellent in wet weather races, even getting his only fastest lap in F1 at the French Grand Prix. He finished second at the Belgian Grand Prix that year. After a short time with a private BRM team, he joined Ferrari again in 1969 for both Formula One and sports car races.
In 1970, Pedro returned to BRM. He won the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix with his BRM P153 car. This win set a record for the highest average speed in F1 history at that time. He also had a very successful period in sports car racing. From 1970 to 1971, he won eight races driving a Porsche 917 for the JW-Gulf-Porsche team. He helped Porsche win the World Sportscar Championship.
Pedro was a very versatile driver. He raced in many different types of events, including CanAm (a sports car series), NASCAR (stock car racing), and even became the North American Ice Racing champion in 1970.
In 1971, Pedro was having a strong Formula One season with BRM. He nearly won the 1971 Dutch Grand Prix in the rain, finishing second.
His Final Race
.jpg)
Pedro Rodríguez was killed in a sports car race called the Interserie at Norisring in Nuremberg, West Germany. This happened on July 11, 1971. He was driving a Ferrari 512 M for his friend Herbert Müller's racing team. During the race, his right front tire came off, causing the car to crash into a wall and catch fire. He died soon after the accident.
Pedro Rodríguez's Legacy
Pedro Rodríguez was known as one of the best drivers in wet conditions. He was also considered one of the bravest drivers in motorsport. For example, he and Jo Siffert famously raced side-by-side through the dangerous Eau Rouge corner in the rain during the 1970 1000km of Spa-Francorchamps race.
In 2016, a study ranked Pedro as the 24th-best Formula One driver of all time. After winning a class at the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans, Mexican driver Ricardo González said that Pedro Rodríguez was his hero.
How He Is Remembered
The first hairpin turn at Daytona International Speedway in the United States is named the Pedro Rodríguez curve. In 1973, the race track in Mexico City, where Formula One and other races are held, was renamed Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez (Rodríguez Brothers Autodrome) in honor of Pedro and Ricardo.
In July 2006, a bronze plaque was placed at the site of his crash in Nuremberg, Germany, to remember him. A book about the Rodríguez brothers was also published, winning an award in 2009.
More recently, Mexican Formula One driver Sergio Pérez wore a special helmet to honor Pedro Rodríguez at the 2022 Monaco Grand Prix. The helmet had Rodríguez's helmet colors and celebrated the combined wins and podiums of both Mexican F1 drivers. Pérez went on to win that race, adding to their shared legacy.
BRM P153
In 2024, another Mexican driver, Adrián Fernández, bought the actual BRM P153 car that Pedro Rodríguez drove to win the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix. This car is now a special part of racing history.
Images for kids
-
1962 Le Mans-winning Ferrari 330 TRI-LM, a car Rodríguez raced many times.
-
Pedro Rodríguez won eight races in 1970 and 1971 in a similar Porsche 917.
See also
In Spanish: Pedro Rodríguez de la Vega para niños
