Adrián Fernández

Adrián Fernández Mier (born April 20, 1963) is a Mexican retired racing driver and co-owner of the Fernandez Racing team.

Adrián Fernández
Fernández at 12 hours of Sebring 2008
NationalityMexican
Born (1963-04-20) 20 April 1963
Mexico City
Years active32
Previous series
1981
1981–1983
1984–1986
1987
1987–1989
1990–1991
1992
1993–2003
2004–2005
2006
2007–2010
2010
2011
Mexican Touring Car Racing
Mexican Formula Vee
Mexican Formula K
Benelux Formula Ford
British Formula Ford
Mexican Formula Three
Indy Lights
CART World Series
IndyCar Series
Rolex Sports Car Series
American Le Mans Series
Le Mans Series
Intercontinental Le Mans Cup
Championship titles
1983
1991
2009
Mexican Formula Vee
Mexican Formula Three Championship
American Le Mans Series (LMP2 class)
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012
Teams Barazi-Epsilon
Aston Martin Racing
Best finish2nd (2007)
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
10 races run over 4 years
Best finish74th (2005)
First race2005 Telcel Motorola 200 (Mexico City)
Last race2008 Corona Mexico 200 (Mexico City)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 2 0

Racing career

Early career

Born in Mexico City, Fernández began his career by racing motocross at age eight. He entered his first auto race in 1981 at the "24 Hours of Mexico" and at the age of 15 he made the permanent move to cars in 1982. From 1982 to 1984 Fernández competed in the Formula Vee Championship taking the title in '83 and '84. He also raced in the Formula K Series in 1984, competing in that series through 1986. He finished in the top four in the standings all three years in Formula K.

In 1987, he ran one race in the Benelux Formula Ford 1600 Championship, one British RAC Formula Ford 1600 Championship race and competed in the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch. From 1988-89 he ran the British RAC and Esso Formula Ford 1600 Championship series before moving to the Mexican F3 Championship for 1990 and 1991, winning the title in '91.

In 1992, Fernández came to the United States to compete in the Firestone Indy Lights Championship (now the PPG-Dayton Indy Lights Championship). He finished third in the points winning four races, a rookie record, and took the "Indy Lights Rookie of the Year" honors and made more than two million dollars in prize earnings.

CART and IRL (1993–2004)

His talent apparent, Fernández made the jump to the CART IndyCar World Series in 1993, competing in five races for Galles Racing International. He ran his first full CART season in 1994 with Galles finishing 13th and capturing the "Marco Magaña" and "Luchador Olmeca" awards and the "JAC" trophy for "Best Driver" outside Mexico. Competing again with Galles in 1995, Fernández finished 12th in the standings placing in the top ten nine times.

Fernández moved to Tasman Motorsports in 1996. He had six top ten finishes, including his first career CART victory at Toronto. Unfortunately his delight at taking his first win was dampened by the fatal accident suffered by Jeff Krosnoff late in the race. The win in Toronto made him the first Mexican to win a CART event since Héctor Rebaque in 1982, and Fernández went on to finish 12th in the season points tally. However, 1997 was a disappointing season for Fernández. The Tasman team ran a Lola chassis which failed to perform to expectations. Through force of will, determination and talent, Fernández battled to three top ten finishes and 18th place in the PPG Cup standings.

Fernández joined Patrick Racing for the 1998 season and proved his ability to challenge for the championship. He enjoyed 14 top ten finishes with eight top five placements and two victories, Japan and Mid-Ohio, en route to a fourth place showing in the PPG Cup race during the 1998 FedEx Championship. He captured his first career pole at Michigan and led the championship race for the first time in his career. Unfortunately once again Fernández was touched by tragedy — a crash at Michigan resulted in an errant wheel from his car flying into the stands and killing three spectators.[1] However, it was his victory during the Miller Lite 200 that gave Patrick Racing one of its most memorable moments when Fernández stood atop the podium next to his teammate Scott Pruett. Fernández was also named the "Athlete of the Year" in Mexico.

In 1999, enjoying his most successful season so far in the CART series, Adrián Fernández behind the wheel of the #40 Tecate/Quaker State Reynard Ford-Cosworth completed the year sixth in the championship battle. He led the points series early in the season for the first time in his CART career, however an accident at Detroit resulted in a fracture in one of his hands, forcing him to sit out for several races. However he won at Motegi, Japan at the Firestone Firehawk 500 and at the Marlboro 500 at Fontana, California — a race marred by the death of good friend Greg Moore. In addition, he was selected to participate in the IROC series during 1999 where he competed against other top-named drivers including NASCAR drivers Jeff Gordon, Terry Labonte and Dale Earnhardt. Fernández solid racing career which began in 1993, now has 80 total starts in the series. Of those starts he has finished in the top ten 41 times throughout his seven-year career.

Adrián Fernández

In 2000 Fernández had his best season in the CART series, coming close to winning the championship despite not starting on the front row all season. He scored points in 17 of the 20 races including 2 wins at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Australia, and 3 further podium results. He finished second to Gil de Ferran in the championship.

In 2001 he founded Fernandez Racing, with former Ganassi manager Tom Anderson as his partner, and ex-F1 driver Shinji Nakano as his teammate. He finished 3rd twice and took 2 poles that year, but his team's first victory came at Portland in 2003, the first win for an owner-driver since Bobby Rahal achieved the feat in 1992. That year he also ran an IRL entry for Asian-American Roger Yasukawa, in partnership with Aguri Suzuki, and for 2004 he moved the whole team to the series. Despite taking 3 wins and 4th overall in the 2004 IRL, he was unable to secure funding to race in 2005 - Delphi was driver Scott Sharp's personal sponsor while engine suppliers Honda insisted on Japanese driver Kosuke Matsuura in the second car.

Busch Series (2005–06)

In 2005, he drove the No. 5 Lowe's / Hitachi Chevrolet in Mexico for Hendrick Motorsports in the first NASCAR Busch Series race held outside the United States. In this race (called the Telcel-Motorola 200), Fernández raced in a one-time ride to help promote NASCAR racing to the local fans. He led several laps in the race before giving up the lead to eventual race winner Martin Truex Jr.. It was announced that he would run four more races in the Busch Series for Hendrick Motorsports, but he did not run up front at any of those races. In 2006, he competed in two Busch races for Hendrick and competed full time in the Grand-Am series for his own team with Lowe's sponsorship.

ALMS (2007–present)

Adrián Fernández in the Acura ARX-01B in 2008

In 2007, Fernández moved the team to the American Le Mans Series LMP2 class as an Acura factory team. His teammate was fellow Mexican and Grand-Am veteran Luis Díaz.

On October 10, 2009, Fernández and his co-driver Luis Díaz won at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. With this victory the Lowe's Fernandez Racing Acura ARX-01B concludes the season with the drivers' championship and teams' championship of the American Le Mans Series in the LMP2 category.

24 Hours of Le Mans

In the 2007 Fernández debuts with a second place in the LMP2 category in the famous race with the Barazi-Epsilon team Zytek aboard a 07S/2 a 3.4-liter V8 prototype. His teammates were Haruki Kurosawa and Robbie Kerr. This was the first podium of a Mexican at the Circuit de la Sarthe in many years to remember those achieved by Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez in 1962 and 1968 respectively. The English-French team took pole position on its category.

After three years of absence Fernández back in the 2010 now competing in LMP1 class with Aston Martin Racing finished fifth in his category (sixth absolute) with a Lola-Aston Martin B09/60, his co-drivers were Harold Primat and Stefan Mücke.

The luck did not favor Adrian in 2011, when his team the Aston Martin Racing in LMP1 class can barely afford 2 laps with their Aston Martin AMR-One and leave the test due to problems with the engine running at the 56th site.

In the 80th., edition of the 2012, Fernández and the Aston Martin Racing Team got the third place in the GTE-Pro class along with his co-drivers the Stefan Mücke and Darren Turner, their Aston Martin Vantage 4.5 L-V8 covered a total of 332 laps (2,811.65 miles), in the Circuit de la Sarthe without failure or serious mechanical problems. Also the team achieved the fastest lap of the category with 3 minutes and 54,928 seconds. Adrián had the honor to drive the last stage of the competition.[2][3]

On September 12, 2012 Fernández announced that his participation in the FIA World Endurance Championship concludes at the end of the season, as well his relationship with the Aston Martin Racing team that started in 2010. The Mexican driver will focus on competitions in the United States.[4]

Sergio Pérez's manager

On September 28, 2012 Formula One driver Sergio Pérez announced that Férnandez will be his manager.[5]

Turn 12 Adrián Fernández

On September 20, 2016 Fernández's achievements have been recognised by the naming of Turn 12 of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in his honour.[6]

Personal life

Fernández retired from motorsports in 2012. He has two children: Valentina and Niko Fernandez, and he married long time girlfriend and former beauty queen, author and retired actress Priscila Perales on October 21, 2017. They got married[7] on May 4, 2018 in Miami Beach, Florida. The happy couple announced their son Adrián Fernandez Jr. was born on October 29, 2020.

Motorsports career results

American Open-Wheel

(key)

CART results

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Rank Points
1993 Galles SRF PHX LBH
23
INDY MIL
21
DET
7
POR CLE TOR MIS
DNS
NHM ROA
29
VAN MDO NZR LS
12
24th 7
1994 Galles SRF
13
PHX
10
LBH
8
INDY
28
MIL
16
DET
23
POR
10
CLE
7
TOR
13
MIS
23
MDO
6
NHM
8
VAN
22
ROA
5
NZR
21
LS
7
13th 46
1995 Galles MIA
11
SRF
26
PHX
12
LBH
18
NZR
9
INDY
21
MIL
10
DET
6
POR
9
ROA
6
TOR
7
CLE
12
MIS
3
MDO
4
NHM
26
VAN
22
LS
10
12th 66
1996 Tasman MIA
11
RIO
14
SRF
23
LBH
6
NZR
10
500
DNS
MIL
11
DET
4
POR
12
CLE
6
TOR
1
MIS
20
MDO
6
ROA
13
VAN
8
LS
11
12th 71
1997 Tasman MIA
13
SRF
11
LBH
11
NZR
23
RIO
26
STL
8
MIL
24
DET
27
POR
10
CLE
17
TOR
14
MIS
26
MDO
23
ROA
12
VAN
19
LS
23
FON
3
18th 27
1998 Patrick MIA
6
MOT
1*
LBH
4
NZR
26
RIO
3
STL
18
MIL
9
DET
2
POR
24
CLE
5
TOR
9
MIS
23
MDO
1
ROA
5
VAN
15
LS
7
HOU
6
SRF
6
FON
4
4th 154
1999 Patrick MIA
20
MOT
1*
LBH
4
NZR
5
RIO
20
STL
21
MIL
5
POR
4
CLE
19
ROA
3
TOR
6
MIS
6
DET
DNS
MDO
Inj
CHI
Inj
VAN
Inj
LS
5
HOU
12
SRF
3
FON
1
6th 140
2000 Patrick MIA
21
LBH
24
RIO
1
MOT
10
NZR
5
MIL
8
DET
21
POR
12
CLE
7
TOR
2
MIS
6
CHI
5
MDO
6
ROA
2
VAN
3
LS
12
STL
10
HOU
7
SRF
1
FON
5
2nd 158
2001 Fernández MTY
19
LBH
16
TXS
NH
NZR
19
MOT
16
MIL
5
DET
12
POR
19
CLE
21
TOR
3
MIS
25
CHI
10
MDO
22
ROA
3
VAN
21
LAU
24
ROC
23
HOU
14
LS
10
SRF
19
FON
18
18th 45
2002 Fernández MTY
13
LBH
10
MOT
7
MIL
2
LS
18
POR
14
CHI
13
TOR
9
CLE
11
VAN
8
MDO
Inj
ROA
18
MTL
12
DEN
4
ROC
14
MIA
7
SRF
17
FON
Inj
MXC
Inj
14th 59
2003 Fernández STP
15
MTY
4
LBH
2
BRH
12
LAU
15
MIL
6
LS
7
POR
1
CLE
11
TOR
9
VAN
12
ROA
12
MDO
7
MTL
8
DEN
5
MIA
8*
MXC
8
SRF
12
FON
NH
8th 105

IndyCar Series results

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Rank Points
2004 Aguri-Fernández Racing HMS PHX
20
MOT
18
INDY
7
TXS
5
RIR
7
KAN
6
NSH
10
MIL
8
MIS
12
KTY
1
PPIR
2
NZR
7
CHI
1
FON
1
TX2
5
5th 445
2005 Aguri-Fernández Racing HMS PHX STP MOT INDY
14
TXS RIR KAN NSH MIL MIS KTY PPIR SNM CHI WGL FON 29th 16

Complete American Le Mans Series results

Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine Tires 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank Points
2007 Lowe's Fernández Racing LMP2 Lola B06/43 Acura 3.4L V8 M SEB
ovr:3
cls:2

STP
ovr:6
cls:4

LNB
ovr:8
cls:7

TEX
ovr:8
cls:7

UTA
ovr:7
cls:5

LIM
ovr:Ret
cls:Ret

MID
ovr:4
cls:3

AME
ovr:8
cls:6

MOS
ovr:8
cls:6

DET
ovr:6
:cls:4

PET
ovr:Ret
cls:Ret

MON
ovr:5
cls:3

11th 102
2008 Lowe's Fernandez Racing LMP2 Acura ARX-01b Acura 3.4L V8 M SEB
ovr:DSQ
cls:DSQ

STP
ovr:10
cls:7

LNB
ovr:8
cls:6

UTA
ovr:5
cls:5

LIM
ovr:5
cls:4

MID
ovr:5
cls:3

AME
ovr:Ret
cls:Ret

MOS
ovr:4
cls:2

DET
ovr:23
cls:9

PET
ovr:Ret
cls:Ret

MON
ovr:9
cls:7

12th 88
2009 Lowe's Fernández Racing LMP2 Acura ARX-01b Acura 3.4L V8 M SEB
ovr:4
cls:1

STP
ovr:2
cls:1

LNB
ovr:3
cls:1

UTA
ovr:3
cls:1

LIM
ovr:7
cls:2

MID
ovr:3
cls:1

AME
ovr:3
cls:1

MOS
ovr:3
cls:1

PET
ovr:21
cls:2

MON
ovr:2
cls:1

1st 217
2010 Aston Martin Racing LMP1 Lola-Aston Martin B09/60 Aston Martin 6.0 L V12 M SEB
ovr:3
cls:3
PET NC -
LMP LNB
ovr:2
cls:2
MON UTA LIM MID AME MOS
2011 Aston Martin Racing LMP1 Lola-Aston Martin B09/60 Aston Martin 6.0 L V12 M SEB LNB LIM MOS MID AME BAL MON
ovr:1
cls:1
PET
ovr:3
cls:3
7th 25
2012 Aston Martin Racing LMGTE Pro Aston Martin Vantage GTE Aston Martin 4.5 L V8 M SEB
ovr:34
cls:3
NC -
GT LNB
ovr:11
cls:5
MON
ovr:17
cls:8
LIM MOS MID AME BAL VIR PET

24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2007 Barazi-Epsilon
Zytek Engineering
Haruki Kurosawa
Robbie Kerr
Zytek 07S/2 LMP2 301 27th 2nd
2010 Aston Martin Racing Harold Primat
Stefan Mücke
Lola-Aston Martin B09/60 LMP1 365 6th 5th
2011 Aston Martin Racing Harold Primat
Andy Meyrick
Aston Martin AMR-One LMP1 2 DNF DNF
2012 Aston Martin Racing Stefan Mücke
Darren Turner
Aston Martin Vantage GTE GTE
Pro
332 19th 3rd

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Nationwide Series

NASCAR Nationwide Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 NNSC Pts
2005 Hendrick Motorsports 5 Chevy DAY CAL MXC
10
LVS ATL NSH BRI TEX PHO TAL DAR RCH CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA PPR GTY IRP GLN MCH BRI CAL
28
RCH DOV KAN CLT
40
MEM TEX
43
PHO
28
HOM
42
74th 411
2006 57 DAY CAL MXC
12
LVS ATL BRI TEX NSH PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW DAY CHI NHA MAR GTY IRP GLN
17
MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 87th 239
2007 5 DAY CAL MXC
9
LVS ATL BRI NSH TEX PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 115th 138
2008 JR Motorsports DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI NSH TEX PHO MXC
14
TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV NSH KEN MLW NHA DAY CHI GTY IRP CGV GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 110th 121

International Race of Champions

(key) (Bold – Pole position. * – Most laps led.)

International Race of Champions results
Year Make 1 2 3 4 Pos. Points
1999 Pontiac DAY
7
TAL
6
MCH
10
IND 10th 28

References

  1. "Major incidents of fan deaths". Tampa Bay Times. 2005-06-11. Archived from the original on 2012-10-11. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
  2. "LeMans TV Live". Live.lemans-tv.com. Archived from the original on 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
  3. "Aston Martin Vantage GTE Scores Podium on Le Mans Debut". Fernandezracing.net. Archived from the original on 2013-12-04. Retrieved 2012-06-18.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-11-11. Retrieved 2012-09-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-05-25. Retrieved 2012-09-29.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/adrian-fernandez-has-corner-named-after-him-in-mexico-city-829213/
  7. Boda de Priscila Perales & Adrian Fernandez
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Carlos Guerrero
Mexican Formula Three Champion
1991
Succeeded by
César Tiberio Jiménez
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