Formula One drivers from Spain
{{Short description|Group of Formula One drivers who competed as Spanish}}
{{Use dmy dates|date = May 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2020}}{{Infobox F1 nationality
|title = Formula One drivers from Spain
| image = Flag of Spain.svg
| caption =
|image_size =
|Drivers = 15
|Grands Prix = {{sum|375|{{F1stat|SAI|entries}}}}
|Entries = {{sum|303|{{F1stat|SAI|entries}}|{{F1stat|ALO|entries}}}}
|Starts = {{sum|269|{{F1stat|SAI|starts}}|{{F1stat|ALO|starts}}}}
|Highest season finish = 1st ({{F1|2005}}, {{F1|2006}})
|Wins = {{sum|{{F1stat|ALO|wins}}|{{F1stat|SAI|wins}}}}
|Podiums = {{sum|2|{{F1stat|SAI|podiums}}|{{F1stat|ALO|podiums}}}}
|Pole positions = {{sum|{{F1stat|ALO|poles}}|{{F1stat|SAI|poles}}}}
|Fastest laps = {{sum|1|{{F1stat|SAI|fastestlaps}}|{{F1stat|ALO|fastestlaps}}}}
|Points = {{sum|82|{{F1stat|SAI|careerpoints}}|{{F1stat|ALO|careerpoints}}}}
|First entry = 1951 Spanish Grand Prix
|First win = 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix
|Last win = 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix
|Last entry = {{Latest F1GP}}
|2025=Fernando Alonso
Carlos Sainz Jr.
|2024=Fernando Alonso
Carlos Sainz Jr.
}}
File:2024-08-24 Motorsport, Formel 1, Großer Preis der Niederlande 2024 STP 3318 by Stepro.jpg
File:2025 Japan GP - Williams - Carlos Sainz - FP1.jpg
There have been fifteen Formula One drivers from Spain, the most successful of them being Fernando Alonso who won the World Drivers' Championship twice. Alonso is the only Spanish champion and one of only two Spanish drivers to win a Grand Prix, the other being Carlos Sainz Jr.{{cite web|url=http://en.espnf1.com/f1/motorsport/page/3421.html|title=Drivers|work=ESPN F1|publisher=ESPN EMEA Ltd|access-date=30 October 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.yallaf1.com/2012/05/12/barcelona-practice-3-vettel-peaking-at-the-right-time/|title=Barcelona Practice 3: Vettel peaking at the right time|work=YallaF1.com|date=12 May 2012|access-date=30 October 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210074913/http://www.yallaf1.com/2012/05/12/barcelona-practice-3-vettel-peaking-at-the-right-time/|archive-date=10 February 2013|url-status=dead}} Two other Spanish drivers have achieved a podium with Pedro de la Rosa and Alfonso de Portago having taken one apiece.{{cite web|url=http://www.formula1.com/news/features/2008/4/7669.html|title=Take 12 Spaniards – a nation's racing history|work=Formula1.com|publisher=Formula One World Championship Limited|date=24 April 2008|access-date=30 October 2012}}
Current drivers
Fernando Alonso debuted in Formula One with Minardi, but the team struggled to produce a competitive car. He moved to Renault to take up a test role and was then given a racing seat with the team in 2003. He won the drivers' championship in 2005 and retained the title the following year. At the time he was the youngest race winner and youngest champion,{{cite web|title=Fernando Alonso (biography)|url=http://www.formula1.com/teams_and_drivers/drivers/30/biography.html|access-date=30 October 2012|work=Formula1.com|publisher=Formula One World Championship Limited}} though the records have since been surpassed by Sebastian Vettel.{{cite web|last=Manishin|first=Glenn|title=All-Time F1 Records|date=19 October 2010 |url=http://f1-grandprix.com/?page_id=3158|access-date=5 September 2012}} He moved to McLaren for the 2007 season but had a tense relationship with the team, returning to Renault for the next two years. In 2010 he became the lead driver for Ferrari, winning five races on the way to second in the championship.{{cite web|title=Fernando Alonso|url=http://en.espnf1.com/ferrari/motorsport/driver/1205.html|access-date=30 October 2012|work=ESPN F1|publisher=ESPN EMEA Ltd}} Alonso again finished 2nd in the championship in both {{F1|2012}} and {{F1|2013}}. An Autosport survey taken by 217 Formula One drivers saw Alonso voted as the 9th greatest F1 driver of all time,{{cite web|title=Fernando Alonso|url=http://f1greatestdrivers.autosport.com/?driver=9|access-date=30 October 2012|work=Autosport}} and he has been labelled as "the greatest all-round driver in the sport". He left Formula One at the end of {{F1|2018}}, but returned for {{F1|2021}}, driving for Alpine.{{Cite web|date=8 July 2020|title=Fernando Alonso to make sensational return to F1 with Renault in 2021|url=https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.fernando-alonso-to-make-sensational-return-to-f1-with-renault-in-2021.70HoQCymKIElIDzHFXkaBB.html|access-date=8 July 2020|website=formula1.com}} He achieved a podium in Qatar,{{Cite web |title=Standings |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/results.html |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Formula 1}}{{failed verification|date=July 2022}} and finished tenth in the championship. Alonso moved to Aston Martin in {{F1|2023}}, where he achieved 8 podiums. As of {{F1|2025}}, he races for Aston Martin.{{Cite web |title=Fernando Alonso - F1 Driver for Alpine |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/drivers/fernando-alonso.html |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Formula 1}}
Carlos Sainz Jr. began his Formula One career in {{F1|2015}}, driving for Scuderia Toro Rosso. He switched to Renault towards the end of {{F1|2017}} and drove for them in {{F1|2018}}, and then moved to McLaren to replace countryman Alonso, where he drove in 2019 and {{F1|2020}}.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.co.uk/f1/story/_/id/27154821/sainz-norris-stay-mclaren-2020|title=Sainz, Norris to stay at McLaren in 2020|date=2019-07-09|website=ESPN.com|language=en|access-date=2019-10-17}} There, he achieved two podiums, and he finished sixth in the championship in both years. Sainz then moved to Ferrari for {{F1|2021}}, where he achieved four podiums to finish fifth in the championship. At the 2022 British Grand Prix, Sainz took his first pole position and his first GP victory, becoming the second Spanish driver to do either. {{Cite web |title=Carlos Sainz - F1 Driver for Ferrari |url=https://www.formula1.com/en/drivers/carlos-sainz.html |access-date=2022-04-09 |website=Formula 1}} Sainz was released from Ferrari at the end of 2024 season and races for Williams in {{F1|2025}}.
File:Formula1Gabelhofen2022 (04).jpg|alt=Carlos Sainz Jr., 2014|Carlos Sainz Jr.
{{f1|{{first word|{{F1stat|UPTO}}}}}} season position: {{F1stat|SAI|seasonposition}}
File:Alonso 2016.jpg|alt=Fernando Alonso, 2016|Fernando Alonso
{{f1|{{first word|{{F1stat|UPTO}}}}}} season position: {{F1stat|ALO|seasonposition}}
==Former drivers==
File:Pedro de la Rosa 2010 Malaysia 2nd Free Practice.jpg at the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix]]
Pedro de la Rosa has had a lengthy career in Formula One having debuted in 1999. He spent two years with Arrows before taking up a testing role at Jaguar. He was given the race seat as a replacement for Luciano Burti after four Grands Prix and remained with the team for the following year. He moved to McLaren as a test driver, only properly returning to racing when Juan Pablo Montoya left the team in 2006. During the remaining eight races he scored 19 points including a second-place finish. He lost his race seat to Lewis Hamilton but stayed as a test driver until 2010 when he signed with BMW Sauber. He was dropped after 14 races and went back to his testing role with McLaren. He once again secured a race seat, driving for HRT in 2012.{{cite web|url=http://en.espnf1.com/hrt/motorsport/driver/1198.html|title=Pedro de la Rosa|work=ESPN F1|publisher=ESPN EMEA Ltd|access-date=30 October 2012}}
File:2011 Canadian GP Friday 12.jpg at the 2011 Canadian Grand Prix]]
Jaime Alguersuari made his debut midway through the 2009 season. He became the youngest driver to compete in Formula One, racing at the age of 19 years and 125 days. Toro Rosso released Sébastien Bourdais from his contract and signed Alguersuari who would also drive for the team in 2010 and 2011. He was dropped at the end of the year and did not pick up a racing seat for the 2012 season.{{cite web|url=http://en.espnf1.com/tororosso/motorsport/driver/1257.html|title=Jaime Alguersuari|work=ESPN F1|publisher=ESPN EMEA Ltd|access-date=30 October 2012}}
File:Marc Gene - Williams FW26 during practice for the 2004 British Grand Prix (50831461116).jpg at the 2004 British Grand Prix]]
Marc Gené started in Formula One in 1999 and drove for two seasons with Minardi. He signed as the test driver for Williams in 2001 and stood in for Ralf Schumacher once in 2003 and twice in 2004.{{cite web|url=http://en.espnf1.com/minardi/motorsport/driver/1197.html|title=Marc Gené|work=ESPN F1|publisher=ESPN EMEA Ltd|access-date=30 October 2012}}
Luis Pérez-Sala was the team principal for Spanish team HRT, taking on the role in December 2011. As a driver Pérez-Sala raced with Minardi for the 1988 and 1989 seasons, finishing fewer than half the races and scoring one point for a sixth-place finish at the 1989 British Grand Prix.{{cite web|url=http://en.espnf1.com/minardi/motorsport/driver/1118.html|title=Luis Perez-Sala|work=ESPN F1|publisher=ESPN EMEA Ltd|access-date=30 October 2012}}
Adrián Campos drove for Minardi in 1987 but had a very poor season, mainly due to mechanical unreliability. He finished just one race, his home Grand Prix, and was dropped in 1988 after failing to qualify for three consecutive races.{{cite web|url=http://en.espnf1.com/hrt/motorsport/driver/1107.html|title=Adrián Campos|work=ESPN F1|publisher=ESPN EMEA Ltd|access-date=30 October 2012}} In 1998 he started Campos Racing which competed in a variety of racing disciplines and achieved success with Marc Gené and Fernando Alonso. He successfully gained a place for the team on the 2010 F1 grid and it evolved, through a takeover led by Jose Ramon Carabante, into HRT.{{cite web|url=http://www.formula1.com/teams_and_drivers/teams/192/|title=HRT (team profile)|work=Formula1.com|publisher=Formula One World Championship Limited|access-date=30 October 2012}}
Roberto Merhi raced for Manor Marussia in {{F1|2015}}.
Alfonso de Portago competed at six race weekends across 1956 and 1957 with Ferrari. He was classified as finishing second in the 1956 British Grand Prix, though he had given up his car to Peter Collins whose own Ferrari suffered a mechanical failure.{{cite web|url=http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/rr054.html|title=Grand Prix Results: British GP, 1956|work=GrandPrix.com|publisher=Inside F1, Inc.|access-date=30 October 2012}}
Emilio de Villota was entered for 14 races over four seasons but only qualified for two of them. Both races were with McLaren in 1977 and de Villota was unable to finish higher than 13th place.{{cite web|url=http://en.espnf1.com/brabham/motorsport/driver/1007.html|title=Emilio de Villota|work=ESPN F1|publisher=ESPN EMEA Ltd|access-date=30 October 2012}} His daughter, María de Villota, was a Formula One test driver but did not compete at a race weekend. In July 2012 she was testing a Marussia when she crashed into a support truck, suffering head injuries that ended her racing career and would contribute to her death in 2013.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-18711127|title=Maria de Villota: Driver loses right eye after crash|publisher=BBC News|date=4 July 2012|access-date=30 October 2012}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/24505702|title=Maria De Villota death linked to 2012 crash injuries, family told|date=12 October 2013|work=BBC Sport|access-date=7 September 2018}}
Paco Godia entered 14 races with Maserati over a career that spanned from 1951 to 1958.{{cite web|url=http://en.espnf1.com/maserati/motorsport/driver/561.html|title=Paco Godia|work=ESPN F1|publisher=ESPN EMEA Ltd|access-date=30 October 2012}} His best result came in 1956 when he finished in 4th place at the Italian and German Grands Prix.
Alex Soler-Roig made his debut in 1970 with Lotus but did not start any of the three races he was entered for. He switched to March for the following year and though he started four Grands Prix he was unable to finish any of them, nor did he complete the two races he began for BRM the following year.{{cite web|url=http://en.espnf1.com/brm/motorsport/driver/920.html|title=Alex Soler-Roig|work=ESPN F1|publisher=ESPN EMEA Ltd|access-date=30 October 2012}}
Juan Jover (1951), Antonio Creus (1960), and Emilio Zapico (1976) all entered for just one Grand Prix each but did not complete their race.
Timeline
class="wikitable sortable" border="1" |
scope="col"|Drivers
!scope="col"|Active Years !scope="col"|Entries !scope="col"|Wins !scope="col"|Podiums !scope="col"|Career Points !scope="col"|Poles !scope="col"|Fastest Laps !scope="col"|Championships |
---|
{{sortname|Juan|Jover}}
|{{F1|1951}} | 1 (0 starts) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
{{sortname|Paco|Godia}}
|{{F1|1951}}, {{F1|1954}}, {{F1|1956}}–{{F1|1958}} | 14 (13 starts) | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | - |
{{sortname|Alfonso|de Portago}}
|{{F1|1956}}–{{F1|1957}} | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | - |
{{sortname|Antonio|Creus}}
|{{F1|1960}} | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
{{sortname|Alex|Soler-Roig}}
|{{F1|1970}}–{{F1|1972}} | 10 (6 starts) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
{{sortname|Emilio|Zapico}}
|{{F1|1976}} | 1 (0 starts) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
{{sortname|Emilio|de Villota}}
|{{F1|1976}}–{{F1|1978}}, {{F1|1981}}–{{F1|1982}} | 15 (2 starts) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
{{sortname|Adrian|Campos}}
|{{F1|1987}}–{{F1|1988}} | 21 (17 starts) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
{{sortname|Luis|Pérez-Sala}}
|{{F1|1988}}–{{F1|1989}} | 32 (26 starts) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - |
{{sortname|Pedro|de la Rosa}}
|{{F1|1999}}–{{F1|2002}}, {{F1|2005}}–{{F1|2006}}, {{F1|2010}}–{{F1|2012}} | 107 (104 starts) | 0 | 1 | 35 | 0 | 1 | - |
{{sortname|Marc|Gené}}
|{{F1|1999}}–{{F1|2000}}, {{F1|2003}}–{{F1|2004}} | 36 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | - |
{{sortname|Fernando|Alonso}}
|{{F1|2001}}–{{F1|2018}}, {{F1|2021}}–{{F1|2025}} |{{F1stat|ALO|entries}} ({{F1stat|ALO|starts}} starts) |{{F1stat|ALO|wins}} |{{F1stat|ALO|podiums}} |{{F1stat|ALO|careerpoints}} |{{F1stat|ALO|poles}} |{{F1stat|ALO|fastestlaps}} | 2 ({{F1|2005}}, {{F1|2006}}) |
{{sortname|Jaime|Alguersuari}}
|{{F1|2009}}–{{F1|2011}} | 46 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | - |
{{sortname|Roberto|Merhi}}
|{{F1|2015}} | 14 (13 starts) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
{{sortname|Carlos|Sainz Jr.}}
|{{F1|2015}}–{{F1|2025}} |{{F1stat|SAI|entries}} ({{F1stat|SAI|starts}} starts) |{{F1stat|SAI|wins}} |{{F1stat|SAI|podiums}} |{{F1stat|SAI|careerpoints}} |{{F1stat|SAI|poles}} |{{F1stat|SAI|fastestlaps}} | - |