RODRIGUEZ, Gonzalo

[chunterer]

A driver who's general demeanour and attitude was from a much earlier time.

The Uruguayan was a front runner in the 1994 British Formula Renault series with Minister Racing, finishing runner up to James Matthews.

Then spent a season and a half in British F3 with ADR, including a famous DQ from the '95 British GP support race where he won at a canter only to find his airbox restrictor had come off!

Then a front runner in F3000 in 1998/99 before Marlboro helped him get a couple of late season rounds with Roger Penske's crack CART team.

The second drive, at Laguna Seca was the venue where he tragically lost his life in qualifying at the Corkscrew.

One of my own favourite drivers and 3 memories stick out.

1/ Side by side with Helio Castro Neves all the way down the Craner Curves on the 2nd lap of a British F3 race in 1995 (serious guts from both!!)

2/ Utterly dominating the final round of 1998 F3000 series at Nurburgring.

3/ The speed he carried through Eau Rouge in the 1999 F3000 race during a recovery drive from 10th to 2nd.