Alex Ribeiro

For the Brazilian surfer, see Alex Ribeiro (surfer).
Alex Ribeiro
Born (1948-11-07) 7 November 1948
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality Brazil Brazilian
Active years 1976 - 1977, 1979
Teams Hesketh, March, Fittipaldi
Entries 20 (10 starts)
Career points 0
First entry 1976 United States Grand Prix
Last entry 1979 United States Grand Prix

Alexandre "Alex" Dias Ribeiro (born in Belo Horizonte, November 7, 1948[1]) is a former racing driver from Brazil. He entered in 20 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, but scored no World Championship points.

Career

After a solid graduation from the lower formulae (he placed fifth in the 1976 European Formula Two season), Ribeiro paid for his drive in the March Formula One team for the 1977 season (main sponsors were Caixa Econômica Federal-a Brazilian bank and Souza Cruz-a tobacco company).

However, the season turned into a nightmare. March owner Max Mosley (later FIA president) hired four drivers, and the team simply did not have the capability to provide for them all. Ribeiro's reputation as a driver suffered.

In 1978, he tried to save his credentials as a racing driver and set up a privately owned F2 team to enter the 1978 European Formula Two season, a year dominated by the March factory team. His car was painted with the words "Jesus Saves". Ribeiro managed to win the Nürburgring round in a dramatic way, after favorites Bruno Giacomelli and Marc Surer retired from the race. The rest of the season, however, bore no fruit.

Then, in 1979, the fellow Brazilian Fittipaldi team offered him two chances to qualify a second car, for the Canadian and American Formula One Grands Prix. However, the team was concentrating on former F1 champion Emerson Fittipaldi, and Ribeiro failed to qualify for both events.

Ribeiro was perhaps best known for his proclamation of faith in the form of 'Jesus Saves' slogans on his Formula One cars.[2]

He subsequently went on to perform Chaplaincy at the F1 events he attended as the driver of the Medical Car and is arguably the most accomplished driver in the 'Christians In Motorsport' group.

In 1994, he joined the Brazil national football team as a pastor at the FIFA World Cup in the United States. He held worship services for the team and later wrote a book about the team's journey to victory, titled "Who won the '94 World Cup?" (¿quién Ganó La Copa Mundial?).[3]

At the 2002 Brazilian Grand Prix, Ribeiro was involved in a potentially serious incident. During the morning warm-up on race day Sunday, Enrique Bernoldi crashed his Arrows in Turn 2. When Ribeiro, the driver of the Medical Car, went out to check on Bernoldi, he opened the door to the car. Just as he opened it, Nick Heidfeld came along in his Sauber, and smashed into the open door. Both Ribeiro and Heidfeld were uninjured.

In 1981, Ribeiro wrote an autobiographical book called "Mais Que Vencedor" (translation goes something like "More Than A Winner"), in which he names March owner Max Mosley "Mack Mouse" and March engineer Robin Herd "Robin Hood".

Racing record

Complete European Formula Two Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Pts
1975 March Engineering Ltd March 752 BMW EST
THR
HOC
NÜR
PAU
HOC
SAL
ROU
MUG
PER
SIL
ZOL
NOG
VAL
Ret
0
1976 BMW Motorsport March 762 BMW HOC
13
THR
2
VAL
3
SAL
5
PAU
6
HOC
Ret
ROU
Ret
MUG
4
PER
2
EST
3
NOG
5
HOC
Ret
5th 31
1977 March Racing Ltd March 772P BMW SIL
THR
3
HOC
NÜR
VAL
14
PAU
MUG
DON
8
14th 4
Fred Opert Racing Chevron B40 Hart ROU
7
NOG
PER
MIS
DNQ
EST
1978 Alex Ribeiro March 782 Hart THR
15
HOC
6
NÜR
1
PAU
12
MUG
10
VAL
NC
ROU
10
DON
Ret
NOG
Ret
PER
7
MIS
13
HOC
8th 11

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key)

Yr Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 WDC Points
1976 Hesketh Racing Hesketh 308D Cosworth V8 BRA
RSA
USW
ESP
BEL
MON
SWE
FRA
GBR
GER
AUT
NED
ITA
CAN
USA
12
JPN
NC 0
1977 Hollywood March Racing March 761B Cosworth V8 ARG
Ret
BRA
Ret
RSA
Ret
USW
Ret
ESP
DNQ
MON
DNQ
BEL
DNQ
SWE
DNQ
FRA
DNQ
GBR
DNQ
GER
8
AUT
DNQ
NED
11
ITA
DNQ
USA
15
CAN
8
JPN
12
NC 0
1979 Fittipaldi Automotive Fittipaldi F6A Cosworth V8 ARG
BRA
RSA
USW
ESP
BEL
MON
FRA
GBR
GER
AUT
NED
ITA
CAN
DNQ
USA
DNQ
NC 0

References

  1. Jenkins, Richard. "The World Championship drivers - Where are they now?". OldRacingCars.com. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
  2. "Presents Alex Ribeiro". Thegoal.com. Retrieved 2011-12-28.
  3. "Who Won the '94 World Cup?". Amazon.com. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
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