Gonzalo Rodríguez (racing driver)
Gonzalo Rodríguez | |
---|---|
Nationality | Uruguayan |
Born |
Montevideo, Uruguay | January 22, 1971
Died |
September 11, 1999 28) Laguna Seca Raceway, California, U.S. | (aged
CART Championship Car | |
Years active | 1999 |
Teams | Penske Racing |
Starts | 1 |
Wins | 0 |
Poles | 0 |
Previous series | |
1997–1999 1996–1997 1994–1996 1993 |
International Formula 3000 British Formula 3000 British Formula Renault Spanish Formula Renault |
Gonzalo "Gonchi" Rodríguez Bongoll (January 22, 1971 – September 11, 1999) was an Uruguayan racing driver. He showed promise in Formula 3000 for three seasons, taking two wins in 1998 at Spa-Francorchamps and Nürburgring, winning the following season in Monaco and finishing third in both championships. Following a rotation of drivers as team mates to Al Unser Jr. in CART Penske Racing's second car, he was given his opportunity at the Detroit Grand Prix in 1999 and scored a point in his only race.
At the Laguna Seca Raceway during the qualification session for his second CART race, he was fatally injured in a crash. A stuck open throttle caused his car to overshoot the braking point, going off the track at more than 140 mph and slammed into a concrete barrier at the entry of the Corkscrew corner. The impact caused his car to flip over the barrier and land upside down on the other side of the wall. Gonzalo was killed instantly by a basilar skull fracture caused by the impact with the wall, which was lined by only a thin layer of tires. Because of the incident, runoff was installed at the end of the straight.
Gonzalo had a contract in place to compete in the 2000 CART championship with Patrick Racing.
In July 2013, Autosport magazine named Rodriguez one of the 50 greatest drivers to have never raced in Formula One, citing both his mental and physical strength, and his race craft.
In 2014, a Spanish-language documentary of his life, Gonchi, was released.[1]
Racing record
Complete International Formula 3000 results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | Redman & Bright F3000 | SIL DNQ |
PAU | HEL Ret |
NÜR 6 |
PER Ret |
HOC 17 |
A1R 7 |
SPA | MUG 8 |
JER Ret |
22nd | 0.5 | ||
1998 | Team Astromega | OSC Ret |
IMO 3 |
CAT 21 |
SIL Ret |
MON 2 |
PAU Ret |
A1R 4 |
HOC 11 |
HUN 7 |
SPA 1 |
PER Ret |
NÜR 1 |
3rd | 33 |
1999 | Team Astromega | IMO 5 |
MON 1 |
CAT 2 |
MAG Ret |
SIL 15 |
A1R DNQ |
HOC 4 |
HUN Ret |
SPA 2 |
NÜR | 3rd | 27 |
Complete American Open Wheel results
(key)
CART
Year | Team | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Rank | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1999 | Team Penske | Lola B99/00 | Mercedes-Benz IC108E | MIA | MOT | LBH | NZR | RIO | STL | MIL | POR | CLE | ROA | TOR | MIS | DET 12 |
MDO | CHI | VAN | LS WD |
HOU | SRF | FON | 32nd | 1 |
References
- ↑ Got Netflix? Watch Gonchi September 3, 2015.
External links
- Fundación Gonzalo Rodríguez - a foundation which promotes child road safety and physical education
- Profile at HistoricRacing.com
- News report and footage of the crash on YouTube