Gonzalo Rodriguez
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Gonzalo Rodríguez (born January 22, 1972 in Montevideo, Uruguay; died September 11, 1999) was a racing driver. He showed promise in Formula 3000 for three seasons, taking his first win in 1998 at Spa-Francorchamps and winning the following season at the Monaco Grand Prix. Following a rotation of drivers as team mates to Al Unser Jr. in CART Roger Penske's second car, he was given his opportunity at the Detroit street circuit in 1999 and scored a point his first race.
At the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca raceway during the practice session for his CART race, he was fatally injured after crashing. His car went off the track at more than 140 mph and slammed into a concrete barrier at the notorious 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 small layer of tires). How the crash happened remains unknown, whether it was a mechanical failure or due to driver error.
Rodríguez was only 27 years old at the time of the accident.
[edit] External links
- Fundación Gonzalo Rodríguez - a foundation which promotes physical education
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