Grand Prix Rejects

Gonchi trailer on wtf1.com
YouTube trailer

There will be a new Senna-like documentary film on Uruguayan racer Gonzalo Rodriguez, a great young spark from the late-1990s tragically taken from us. No release date announced, but this film will show the world more aware of one of the future motor racing talents who died before he could truly make his name.

This should be interesting as I know little about the guy, other than that he tragically died in a ChampCar accident at the end of the last century (RIP). Hoping that it will be on general release.

Who knows what he could have gone on to achieve. Seems like an interesting documentary.

Have to be honest and say that when I saw the title, I thought "who"?

Obviously for Uruguay, a country of some 3 million people, his successes must have been enormous, but I get the feeling that this pudding is definitely being over-egged. Taking nothing away from the guy - he clearly had talent - but it seems his untimely death has resulted in a bit of an inflation in his abilities over time as the rose-tinted glasses have been put on. Nevertheless the story itself looks interesting so if it's about in Britain I'd definitely like to check it out, and be proven wrong in my assessment!

This looks brilliant, totally gonna have to watch it when it comes out. I loved Senna, so I will probably love this!

Gonzalo Rodriguez was a championship contender for most of his time in Formula 3000. He was likely to move up to F1 sooner or later, given his racecraft.

Roger Penske was looking for a short-term replacement for the injured Al Unser, Jr. in 1999, a season in which Penske was mostly merely a single-car team in CART. They had a revolving door of drivers that year. Penske probably chose F3000 race winner Rodriguez because CART's then championship contender Juan Montoya had gone through the same feeder series of F3000, auditioning Rodriguez for the following year.

Too soon gone indeed.

wmetcalf7 4 wrote:This looks brilliant, totally gonna have to watch it when it comes out. I loved Senna, so I will probably love this!

+1. Who knows what Gonzalo would have achieved had he survived the accident...

I enjoyed watching Gonzalo in F3000, the guy was a great talent and he most likely would have haven taken a title or two had he made it to F1.

Yannick wrote:Gonzalo Rodriguez was a championship contender for most of his time in Formula 3000. He was likely to move up to F1 sooner or later, given his racecraft.

Roger Penske was looking for a short-term replacement for the injured Al Unser, Jr. in 1999, a season in which Penske was mostly merely a single-car team in CART. They had a revolving door of drivers that year. Penske probably chose F3000 race winner Rodriguez because CART's then championship contender Juan Montoya had gone through the same feeder series of F3000, auditioning Rodriguez for the following year.

Too soon gone indeed.

Made all the more tragic in that the driver selected to replace Gonzalo in 2000 was Greg Moore.

Moore was already contracted when Rodriguez died. I don't remember that but GR's Wikipedia tells him having contract with Patrick Racing. That place was then taken by F1 Rejects hero Roberto Moreno.

Is there any more news on when this might be released? His Wikipedia page (in English) says nothing about the film, and a quick Google search only came up with the trailer and nothing about a release date.

Is this the guy who went straight through the barriers at the famous corkscrew and landed on his roof? Remember seeing youtube footage of that, horrible crash. Seemed like he was destined for an excellent career.

BUMP

Gonchi was given a screening in London earlier today. Adam Cooper and Will Buxton were in attendance.