Pedro Rodríguez (racing driver)

Pedro Rodríguez
Rodríguez at the 1968 German Grand Prix
Born
Pedro Rodríguez de la Vega

(1940-01-18)18 January 1940
Mexico City, Mexico
Died11 July 1971(1971-07-11) (aged 31)
Spouse
Angelina Damy
(m. 1961)
RelativesRicardo Rodríguez (brother)
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality Mexican
Active years19631971
TeamsLotus, Ferrari, Cooper, BRM, Parnell
Entries55
Championships0
Wins2
Podiums7
Career points71
Pole positions0
Fastest laps1
First entry1963 United States Grand Prix
First win1967 South African Grand Prix
Last win1970 Belgian Grand Prix
Last entry1971 French Grand Prix
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years19581971
TeamsNART, OSCA, Ferrari, Ford
Best finish1st (1968)
Class wins2 (1965, 1968)

Pedro Rodríguez de la Vega (18 January 1940 – 11 July 1971) was a Mexican racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 1963 to 1971. Rodríguez won two Formula One Grands Prix across nine seasons. In endurance racing, Rodríguez won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1968 with Ford, and was a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona with Porsche.

Born and raised in Mexico City, Rodríguez was the older brother of racing driver Ricardo Rodríguez, who became the first Mexican driver to compete in Formula One in 1961. Both brothers started racing at an early age, first on motorbikes and then moving to cars. Following his brother's death in a racing accident in 1962, Pedro briefly considered retiring from racing, but decided to carry on. In sportscar racing his first major win was with his brother in the 1961 Paris 1000km, driving a Ferrari 250 GT. He began his Formula One career in 1963, won the 1967 South African Grand Prix in a Cooper and the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix in a BRM. He won the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Ford GT40 and won eight races in the Porsche 917 across 1970 and 1971.

In July 1971, Rodríguez was killed at the Norisring in West Germany, driving a Ferrari 512 M in an Interserie sportscar race.