Pedro de la Rosa

F1 driver
Name = Pedro de la Rosa

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Nationality = flagicon|ESP Spanish
Years = F1|1999–F1|2002, F1|2005–F1|2006
Team(s) = Jordan, Arrows, Jaguar, McLaren | Team = McLaren
Car number =
Races = 72
Championships = 0
Wins = 0
Podiums = 1
Poles = 0
Fastest laps = 1
Points = 29
First race = 1999 Australian Grand Prix
Last race = 2006 Brazilian Grand Prix
Last season = 2006
Last position = 11th (19 pts)

Pedro Martínez de la Rosa (born February 24 1971 in Barcelona, Spain) is a Spanish Formula One driver, currently the test driver and reserve driver for the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team. De la Rosa has participated in 72 Grands Prix, debuting on March 7, 1999, becoming one of very few drivers to score a point at his first race. He scored a total of 29 championship points, which included a podium finish at the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix.

Early career

Unlike most drivers, de la Rosa started his career in European radio controlled off-road cars. He won the European radio controlled off-road car Championship twice between 1983 and 1987. It was only after that when he started karting in a local Spanish championship in 1988 when he was 17. He then joined the Spanish Formula Fiat Uno and became champion in 1989.

Professional career

In 1990, de le Rosa joined the Spanish Formula Ford 1600 and became champion. He also joined the British Formula Renault 1600 and got two podiums out of six races. In 1991, de la Rosa achieved fourth place in the Spanish Formula Renault Championship with three podium finishes. In 1992 he won both the European and British Formula Renault. However, he slipped down the order in the next two years. In 1995, he was champion of the Japanese Formula 3 series and third in the Macau Grand Prix. In 1996, he finished 8th in both the Formula Nippon F3000 and All Japan GT Championship. The next year he was champion of the Formula Nippon F3000. He was also the Japan All GT Champion.

To Formula One

In 1998, De la Rosa shifted to the Formula One series as a test driver for Jordan. The next year, he joined Arrows and scored only one point in the driver's standings. He picked the point up in the Australian Grand Prix, his début race. In 2000, he bettered his performance by one point scoring at both Hockenheim and Nürburgring. For the next two years, he joined Jaguar Racing, having a difficult relationship with the team's lead driver Eddie Irvine. He scored 3 points in 2001 but went pointless in 2002 and was dropped in 2003 (along with Irvine, who retired).

He became a test driver for McLaren and made a points scoring debut at the 2005 Bahrain Grand Prix when Juan Pablo Montoya injured his shoulder. He came fifth and also set the fastest lap in the race.

On July 11 2006 it was announced that de la Rosa would take over the second McLaren race seat with immediate effect following Juan Pablo Montoya's departure to NASCAR. It was initially unclear whether he would remain in the seat until the end of the season, but some successful results led to him being retained.

At the Hungarian Grand Prix of 2006 de la Rosa scored his first ever podium, coming 2nd behind Jenson Button.

After a long period of speculation as to who would be Fernando Alonso's team-mate in F1|2007, Lewis Hamilton secured the seat. De la Rosa would carry on as the team's test driver. [cite news| title = Lewis Hamilton joins Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes| publisher = mclaren.com| url = http://www.mclaren.com/mediaroom/information/pressreleases/lewis_hamilton.php| date = 2006-11-24| accessdate = 2006-11-24]

For the F1|2005 season he combined his testing duties with providing race commentary for Spanish broadcaster Telecinco. After his absence in 2006 he is once again behind the mic in 2007.

Reports in 2007 consistently linked de la Rosa to a return to F1 racing with the new Prodrive team, which was set to make their debut in the F1|2008 campaign. Speculation suggested that Prodrive would run with support from the McLaren team, and that de la Rosa, along with fellow tester Gary Paffett would race for them in their maiden season. However, the team failed to make the grid for the new season, and for 2008 De la Rosa has remained as a test driver for McLaren.

De la Rosa was also involved in the espionage controversy surrounding his team and rivals Ferrari. With evidence provided by him and team-mate Fernando Alonso, the FIA excluded the team from the 2007 Constructors' Championship, and issued a record breaking fine of $100 million. He was understood to have sent e-mails to Mike Coughlan and Fernando Alonso regarding the Ferrari cars setup. [cite news| title =Letter confirms drivers had new evidence | publisher =autosport.com| url =http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/62097| date =2007-09-07| accessdate =2007-09-07]

Before the Australian Grand Prix of 2008, Pedro de la Rosa was elected as the new chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association after a unanimous vote. De la Rosa was the preferred candidate for GPDA directors Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso. He replaces the retired Ralf Schumacher in the role. [cite news| title =De la Rosa elected GPDA chairman | publisher =autosport.com| url =http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/65711| date =2008-03-14| accessdate =2008-03-14]

Racing record

Career summary

Complete Formula One results

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References

External links

* [http://www.pedrodelarosa.com/ The official website for Pedro de la Rosa]
* [http://www.f1db.com/f1/page/Pedro_de_la_Rosa Pedro de la Rosa profile and statistics]