9 replies to this topic

[Chris Skepis]

Does any one knows where exactely Pedro Rodriguez had his fatal crash at Norisring ? Wasn't he signed to Porsche for Endurance races in 1971 ? How come he died driving a Ferrari ? Was this Norisring race valid for the World Endurance Championship 1971 season ? Was his Ferrari a works team car or private entered ?

[nordschleife]

He "was in the lead, baulked by a slower car, hit a barrier, and was killed." He was contracted to drive John Wyer's Gulf Porsche that year, yes, but apparently wasn't prevented from accepting an offer at the last minute to drive a privately entered Ferrari at a non-championship race on a free weekend.
Had my flight to Europe been a day earlier I could have, would have, seen his great victory at Spa in 1970. He added a lot to every race he was in and to lose him and his great protagonist Jo Siffert in the same year was a major loss to the sport in terms of talent and character.

[Barry Boor]

If you ignore the 'straight' sections at Norisring, which are actually curved! the track has only 4 turns. Two of these are hairpins, one at each end. IIRC, Pedro's crash occurred in the tight right/left chicane that takes the cars behind the concrete edifice from which Herr Hitler addressed the German people some years ago.

[Jeremy Jackson]

Pedro was originally entered in BRM's P167 Can-Am car in this round of the Interserie championship. When this car was withdrawn in the week before with engine problems, Pedro accepted a drive in Herbert Müller's Ferrari 512M Despite John Wyer trying to talk him out of it, Pedro couldn't resist the oppurtunity to race ...

[Chris Skepis]

Thank you very much for all the information .
I recentely downloaded the Norisring track for GPL and I was wondering how a driver like Rodriguez could get killed at this very easy track. How could the king of Spa be killed at this go-kart circuit? How long was this Interserie race ? Which part of the race the accident occured ? ( right after the start/ half way through/ near the end ?). Who won the rece after all ?
All I can think is the headline of the Rodriguez chapter on the Nigel Roebuck's Grand Prix Greats book "Wherever you are" (even Norisring!!). That was very sad indeed.

[CSGPR]

Hi Chris

Try this one here I think you will find what you are looking fore, And he didn't go for the race He did it for the price monny, which was very high compaired with other form of racing.

http://www.autoracin...9Rodriguez1.htm

Otherwise you can orden the article from the Nürberger Nacrichten
on textarchiv.nn@pressenetz.de Monday the 12 july 1971 just ask for the accident.

Best regards

Christian

[Chris Skepis]

Thank you Christian
This is the first time I read an accurate report of the accident.
What a shame a driver like Pedro lost his life at this very much Mickey Mouse silly circuit. A major driver being killed in a minor uninportant race. But anyway he did it for the love of the sport.
Hats off to Pedro Rodriguez.

[rheims]

Thank you Christian
This is the first time I read an accurate report of the accident.
What a shame a driver like Pedro lost his life at this very much Mickey Mouse silly circuit. A major driver being killed in a minor uninportant race. But anyway he did it for the love of the sport.
Hats off to Pedro Rodriguez.

I've seen pictures of the accident. Pedro made contact with the guardrail at the point where it fastened to a bridge abutment. The guardrail gave way and Pedro slammed into the end of the abutment. That would account for the wheel being so far from where the car came to rest. He was in heavy traffic at the time and it appears just went too wide or was forced too wide.

[adminj]

http://www.norisring...orframe4_71.htm

[Fivestripes]

Interesting article by Mick Walsh in the latest C&SC quotes Alain de Cadanet as saying when Rodriguez thumped the barrier at the Norisring 'A suspension arm broke and went through poor old Pedro's trouser leg, which pinned him in the car just before it brewed up'