Gonzalo Rodriguez

[John Turner]

Originally Posted by knowlesy

.... please, let us not forget the tragic loss of Gonzalo Rodriguez just over a month before Greg at Laguna Seca, ironically driving a Penske. RIP Gonzalo.

Agreed Knowlesy; he deserves his own thread. I believe that this occurred at his very first CART race after he graduated from F3000. Please correct me if any of that is wrong.

Another very sad loss of a driver just beginning to get into his stride.

[Kicking-back]

It was his 2nd or 3rd CART race - he was doing them on "weekends off" from his F3000 campaign.

Two of the stars of F3000 1999 were Gonzalo and Jason Watt.

Gonzalo lost his life in that ChampCar qualifying session, then weeks later Jason was paralysed after a road accident.

Tragic.

[chunterer]

I found the event of Autumn '99 quite distressing as 'Gonzo', Greg were all drivers that i enjoyed watching on telly or trackside.

They were both massive talents and Jason still is!

Gonzo, i particularly had a lot of time for because when i was doing some junior writing in the mid 90's he gave me plenty of time to tell me his story (mind you he had the gift of the gab!) at an end of season F3 race.

He told me his motto was 'Never give up, keep the spirit and fight!!'

That summed up his attitude towards racing and he was a real hard charger.

His Monaco drive in '98 and the Spa '99 3000 races stand out. He was miles quicker than anyone else through Eau Rouge in his chase of Jason - he was unbeleivably committted that day really turning it on in front of the GP boys!!

He was destined for a good few years in CART and then onto F1 i'm sure.