A stunning F1 talent tragically nipped in the bud

As everyone knows, the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is named after two revered characters of Mexican motorsport, Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez.

Max Verstappen has had a stunning ascent through the ranks of motorsport and remains F1's youngest winner, but Ricardo Rodriguez enjoyed a mercurial rise of his own, winning his first international event - a sportscar race at Riverside in 1957 - at just 15!

His talent in sportscar racing eventually earned him an F1 race debut, with Ferrari at the 1961 Italian Grand Prix. As the youngest man ever to race in F1, Rodriguez qualified an astonishing second, just one tenth behind team mate Wolfgang von Trips and in front of future world champion Phil Hill.

He retired in the race but Ferrari took notice and duly signed the youngster for a full season in 1962.

The Scuderia's cars had lost their edge unfortunately that year and the team took a pass on the season-ending races and the inaugural non-championship event in Mexico City.

Desperate to race on home soil, Ricardo Rodriguez was recruited by Rob Walker's private Lotus team.

Alas, in his quest to beat his rivals in qualifying, the small Mexican lost it for an unknown reason at the track's daunting Peraltada turn.

Ricardo Rodriguez was killed on this day in 1962 at the age of 20, and Formula 1 had lost one of its brightest talents.

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