Tributes Flood In as Adrian Campos Dies Aged 60

January 28, 2021 James Gregory Formula Three, Formula Two 4

(Image credit: Campos Racing)

Tributes have flooded in for Campos Racing team owner, Adrian Campos following his death aged 60. 

In a statement on their Twitter page, Campos tweeted; ‘Today is the saddest day in the history of Campos Racing. Our President and founder, Adrian Campos Suner, has left us. His heart stopped beating, but his memory will be the engine that will keep us all fighting to continue his legacy… Rest in Peace.’

Campos also released an emotional tribute on their website in which the team and family spoke of feeling Adrian’s ‘terrible loss’ yet ‘immense privilege’ to have worked alongside him because motorsport was his way of life, with Adrian’s ‘determination and human quality’ forever serving as a model for all.

Concluding their online tribute, Campos’ team and family vowed to ‘always protect’ his enormous legacy in the motorsport community.’

 

‘You were so kind, true to your word…’

Campos was a former racer who competed with Minardi in F1 across 20 races between 1987-88 with a best finish of 14th at the 1987 Spanish Grand Prix.

After departing F1, Campos got involved in team management and set up Campos Racing in 1997 and has guided numerous drivers on their paths up to F1, of which the most recent graduate was Jack Aitken who drove for Williams at 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix as an emergency replacement.

Aitken in the early hours of the morning posted tribute to Campos, picking out the Spaniard’s wisdom as his favourite quality from their time together, tweeting;

Williams in turn paid tribute in describing Campos as a ‘pleasure to deal with’, especially when he allowed Aitken to make the emergency step up to F1 for the Sakhir GP weekend and forgo the F2 season finale.

2020 Campos F3 driver, Sophia Floersch described Adrian as a ‘great teacher’ for young drivers in a tribute tweet, saying;

2008 Campos’ GP2 driver, Lucas Di Grassi meanwhile tweeted that the world of motorsport has lost an icon.

Argentina’s Juan Cruz Alvarez was one of Campos’ first-ever drivers in GP2’s inaugural season in 2005, with the Argentinean tweeting his thanks for having had the opportunity to race for the team.

Alex Palou drove for Campos in 2014 Euroformula before joining their GP3 team from 2015-16, with the now IndyCar driver tweeting his tribute as a thanks for helping him get to where he currently is in motorsport;

Formula E driver, Maximilian Guenther often battled in rival teams against Campos but the German tweeted of his sadness at hearing of Campos’ passing.

Ex GP2 driver, Giedo van der Garde hailed Adrian as ‘a special human’ who contributed so much to motorsport in terms of not just managing Campos but also helping talented drivers across all generations get their chance to impress.

Drivers however weren’t the only people lining up to pay their respects with some of Campos’ F2 rivals past and present also paying tribute, including Arden, Virtuosi Racing and MP Motorsport.

F2 and F3 also paid tribute with a selection of images featuring Adrian across both series whilst vowing that his ‘fighting spirit’ and ‘passion for racing’ will never be forgotten.

F2 and F3 CEO, Bruno Michel meanwhile penned an open letter tribute jointly released on both websites, in which he spoke of F2 and F3 having a ‘never will be the same’ feeling following Adrian’s death, also commenting on the Spaniard’s wisdom, humour and passion.

F1 meanwhile tweeted of their sadness at Campos’ death and stated that the Spaniard has left ‘an incredible legacy’ in the world of motorsport.

Formula E also took a moment to offer their condolences to Adrian’s family and friends, of which Campos was ‘one of driving forces’ for Mahindra Racing in the series, with the team themselves also paying tribute.

Campos’ death however hasn’t just been felt in motorsport with La Liga’s football team, Valencia CF also paying their respects, tweeting;

Finally, two-time F1 world champion –  Fernando Alonso who won Euro Open by Nissan in his maiden single-seater season in 1999 with Campos paid tribute, describing the news as ‘one of the saddest days’ in motorsport noting Campos’ belief in young drivers and dreaming of F1.

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