F1 returns to Mexico at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit, where fans will gather to celebrate the modern heroes of the sport. But in the roar of engines and the cheers of the crowd, the legacy of two renowned Mexican drivers — Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez — will echo loudest.
Even the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez was originally named the Autódromo Magdalena-Mixiuhca. Built in 1959, it quickly became the heart of Mexican motorsport. It was on this track that Pedro and Ricardo first showcased their talent, and why it was renamed in their honor in 1972. The circuit stands today as a monument to their memory — the brothers who were on the brink of Formula 1 stardom, showcasing early brilliance that hinted at the potential they could have unleashed on the sport, had things not ended for them so prematurely.
Born in Mexico City, Pedro Rodríguez (1940) and his younger brother Ricardo (1942) began their racing careers on motorcycles, with Pedro winning Mexico's national championship in 1952 and 1954 on a little 125cc Adler. Their talent behind the wheel of a car, though, quickly outshone their early two-wheeled exploits, and with the financial support of their wealthy father, they shifted to four-wheel racing in their teenage years.
Both were greatly gifted, but Ricardo quickly became the standout driver, turning heads for his prodigious speed. At just 15 years old, he won his first international race, the Riverside Trophy Race in California, driving a Porsche 550 RS.
Ricardo quickly built his reputation as a motorsport prodigy. At 16, he practiced for the 24 Hours of Le Mans but couldn’t race due to his age. He officially debuted at Le Mans in 1959 and competed in events like Sebring and the Targa Florio. In 1961, the dynamic Rodriguez brother duo had a standout year together, finishing 3rd at Sebring and 2nd at the Nürburgring.
That display of skill and maturity far beyond his years earned him a ride with Ferrari at 19, becoming the youngest Formula 1 driver ever at the time, with his debut at the 1961 Italian Grand Prix. Ricardo’s incredible performance — qualifying second in his first-ever F1 race — stunned the motorsport world. The world was his oyster, with many, including motorsport insiders, predicting a future of multiple championships.
Mexico’s first grand prix, and Ricardo’s last
For Ricardo’s 1962 season, Ferrari was tormented by mechanical problems and bad luck, leading to the team’s decision to not participate in the inaugural Mexican Grand Prix. Eager to race in front of his home crowd at the Magdalena-Mixhuca track, he made a fateful decision to drive a Lotus for the Rob Walker Racing Team in the non-championship event.
During a practice session, Ricardo lost control of the Lotus at the infamous Peraltada corner — one of the most treacherous turns on the circuit. A violent crash killed Ricardo on impact at the young age of 20.
Ricardo’s friend and 1984-2001 McLaren team coordinator, Jo Ramirez, believed he could have become one of the greatest drivers in F1 history, possibly another Alain Prost or Ayrton Senna. Ricardo’s death devastated the motorsport world, especially in Mexico, where he had already become a national hero. This was someone who could have become Mexico’s first Formula 1 champion. His untimely passing also had a profound effect on his older brother Pedro, who was at that time preparing to join his brother and make his own F1 debut.
The fearless Pedro's rise
Ricardo was regarded as the more naturally gifted of the two, yet Pedro was no less talented. Following his brother’s death, he pulled back from full-time racing and opened a car import business in his homeland. But he couldn’t stay away from the sport for long, eventually returning to build a stellar career of his own. Pedro made his Formula 1 debut in 1963, but it wasn’t until 1967, when he signed with Cooper, that his career truly began to catch speed.
He won his first Grand Prix in South Africa that year and quickly became known for his mastery of high-speed circuits and his extraordinary abilities in wet conditions. Following that race, Pedro started traveling with a Mexican flag and a recording of the national anthem, as the South African GP organizers had mistakenly played the Mexican hat dance instead of the anthem during his celebration.
In 1968, he secured victory at the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans driving a Ford GT40. His peers recognized his skill, and his daring drives at tracks like Spa-Francorchamps, where he won the 1970 Belgian Grand Prix. At the 1970 Brands Hatch 1000km, he demonstrated his mastery in the rain with a stunning victory in a Porsche 917, only solidifying his reputation.
Pedro’s driving style — calm, precise and fearless — earned him the respect of the racing community. Many believed that only bad luck or mechanical failures stood between him and more race victories.
Yet, Pedro’s continued building success was cut short, when in 1971, a crash while racing a sports car in Germany would end his life. He was 31 years old.
Inspiring half a century of racers
The impact of the Rodríguez brothers on Formula 1, and Mexican motorsport in general, is profound. The two talented drivers were trailblazers, paving the way for future generations of Mexican drivers, like Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez, former F1 driver Esteban Gutierrez and IndyCar veteran Adrián Fernández Mier.
As the drivers take to the track this weekend, they do so in the shadow of two of Mexico’s racing legends, who remain, more than five decades later, Mexico’s first Formula 1 superstars.
