Formula 1 disputes the Mexican Grand Prix this weekend at the Hermanos Rodríguez Autodrome in Mexico City. A story, that of the Rodríguez Brothers, full of success… and death.
Motorsports is a sport that can be beautiful one moment and tragic a second later. And that itself, the tragedy, ended with the career, and with the life, of two of the most promising drivers of the 60s and 70s, the Rodríguez Brothers, Pedro and Ricardo, authentic myths in Mexico, legends that give their name to the Autodromo where this weekend the Formula 1 Mexican GP is being held. This is the sad story of the two idols of Mexican motorsports, who are only overshadowed by Sergio ‘Checo’ Pérez.
Since they were children, the Rodríguez Brothers knew that speed was their thing, first on bicycles and motorcycles, and then on cars.
PEDRO RODRÍGUEZ (Mexico City, 1940; Nuremberg, Germany, 1971) and RICARDO RODRÍGUEZ (Mexico City, 1942-1962) were the two greatest legends of Mexican motorsport until the arrival in recent years of today’s Red Bull driver ‘Czech ‘Perez. Their names are adored in Mexico, not in vain they give their name to the Mexico City Autodrome, one of the best in the American continent.
Natalio Rodríguez Quijada, the millionaire father and patron of his two pilot sons, Pedro and Ricardo.
NATALIO RODRÍGUEZ QUIJADA, a millionaire Mexican businessman, dedicated a large part of his life to supporting the sports careers of his two sons, Pedro and Ricardo. Thanks to their financial support, the young Mexican drivers always had at hand, rented or owned, units of the best brands of the moment (Ferrari, Porsche…) with which to face the many races, official and unofficial, in those early years of Formula 1 (born in 1950).
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RICARDO, SECOND IN LE MANS. In 1958, when he was only 16 years old, Ricardo signed up, together with his brother Pedro, to compete in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, but he was rejected due to his young age. But two years later, together with the French driver André Pilette, Ricardo Rodríguez achieved nothing less than the second position in the most influential endurance race.
Until his death in 1962, the little brother, Ricardo, was the more popular of the two pilots.
RICARDO, THE MOST POPULAR. The young Ricardo, despite still being almost a teenager, focused all the media attention in Mexico, and in the world of motorsports in general, due to his immense quality as a driver, his winning character, and his attractiveness in all areas.
Ricardo Rodríguez, on his Formula 1 debut with Ferrari, at the 1961 Italian GP.
TO FORMULA 1 IN FERRARI. Such was the fame that Ricardo Rodríguez was reaping race by race, that Ferrari looked at him for the near future in Formula 1. And in this way, he was invited to run the 1961 Italian GP, although he could not finish the race. due to a mechanical problem.
TWO BROTHERS IN LE MANS. That same year, 1961, the Rodríguez Brothers, who alternated speed and endurance tests, were finally able to take part together in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in which Ricardo had been second the previous year. And although they were favorites to win for 22 hours, a breakdown of their Ferrari deprived them of a victory that would have been epic.
In 1962, Ricardo Rodríguez was a pilot Ferrari official, the first and until today the last Mexican who has worn red in F1.
RICARDO, OFFICIAL DRIVER OF FERRARI. After the test in Italy in 1961, Ricardo became an official Ferrari driver in 1962. Although things did not go very well for him, as he was only able to score four points in the five races he competed in.
Ricardo Rodríguez, aboard the Lotus at the who would die minutes later in the first practice session of the 1962 Mexican GP.
Adolfo López Mateos, President of the Republic of Mexico at that time, precedes Pedro Rodríguez in the burning chapel of his brother Ricardo.
RICARDO’S DEATH IN 1962. And Ricardo Rodríguez could not achieve more successes in Formula 1 because on November 1, 1962 death crossed the path of his single-seater. Although Ferrari did not participate in the Mexican GP, since it did not award points for the 1962 World Championship, Ricardo asked the Cavallino for permission to let them compete in the first Grand Prix of his country on the back of a private Lotus 24. But on the first day of practice, when he had set the best time… Ricardo entered, on the last lap of the day, too fast in the parabolic curve of the Autodromo then called Magdalena Mixhuca, he hit the guardrail and they were thrown , the Lotus on the one hand and Ricardo on the other. The young pilot, who was only 20 years old, died on the spot, causing a national drama, as Mexico lost what seemed to be its greatest sports figure in the following years.
The Cooper-Maserati with which Pedro Rodríguez achieved the first Mexican victory in F1 in 1967.
FIRST MEXICAN VICTORY IN F1. After the death of Ricardo Rodríguez, life went on, especially for Pedro, who far from being daunted after the death of his little brother, continued to compete at the highest level, to the point that, on January 2, 1967, he He became the first Mexican to win a Formula 1 race, specifically the South African Grand Prix, the first race of the year, with which he also reached the lead. At the end of that season, Pedro Rodríguez ranked sixth in the World Cup.
The legendary Ford GT with which Pedro Rodríguez achieved victory at Le Mans 1968, along with a commemorative stamp of success.
TRIUMPH AT THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS. Pedro Rodríguez always alternated speed and endurance, and always at the highest level, and in this way in 1968 he achieved the best victory of his career, by winning, together with the Belgian Lucien Bianchi, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and aboard one of the legendary cars of the French race, the Ford GT.