STORY OF THE DAY: Rodríguez Endures a Difficult Monza

Ricardo Rodriguez finished 14th in the 1962 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, driving the number 4 Ferrari 156 F1/120. Graham Hill won for BRM, and Rodríguez was delayed by mechanical trouble before being classified well behind the leaders in a difficult home race for the Scuderia.

Ferrari’s challenge faded as its rivals set the pace and several cars encountered problems. Rodríguez lost ground when his car developed an oil-pressure issue, but he covered sufficient distance to be classified, adding another demanding Grand Prix to a brief season that had already revealed his exceptional promise.

The Ferrari 156 F1/120 used a rear-mounted 1.5-litre V6 with a wide 120-degree cylinder-bank angle, which helped lower the centre of gravity. The design had dominated in 1961, but limited development meant that by late 1962 it struggled against newer British chassis.

Mexican Ricardo Rodriguez was a precocious talent who excelled on motorcycles and in sports cars before racing for Ferrari. He became the first Mexican to contest a World Championship Grand Prix and won the 1962 Targa Florio with the Scuderia; his Monza finish was among his final championship appearances before his death in Mexico City later that year.