Alfonso de Portago
Spanish aristocrat and racing driver (1928–1957)
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Key Takeaways
- Alfonso Antonio Vicente Eduardo Ángel Blas Francisco de Borja Cabeza de Vaca y Leighton, 11th Marquess of Portago , GE (11 October 1928 – 12 May 1957), best known as Alfonso de Portago , was a Spanish aristocrat, racing and bobsleigh driver, jockey and pilot.
- His grandfather, the 9th Marquess of Portago, had been Minister of Public Instruction & Fine Arts and Mayor of Madrid, while his father, who was President of Puerta de Hierro and a prolific golfer, died of a heart attack while showering after a polo match.
- At age 17, de Portago began displaying his flamboyant lifestyle by winning a $500 bet after flying a borrowed plane under London Tower Bridge.
- In 1953, de Portago was introduced into the Scuderia Ferrari team, competing at the Carrera Panamericana, 1000 km Buenos Aires and several Grand Prix, including a win and second place at the 1956 Tour de France Automobile and 1956 British Grand Prix respectively.
- Several tributes and landmarks were named after him, most notably the "Portago curve" at Jarama racetrack.
Alfonso Antonio Vicente Eduardo Ángel Blas Francisco de Borja Cabeza de Vaca y Leighton, 11th Marquess of Portago, GE (11 October 1928 – 12 May 1957), best known as Alfonso de Portago, was a Spanish aristocrat, racing and bobsleigh driver, jockey and pilot.
Born in London to a prominent family in the peerage of Spain, de Portago was named after his godfather, King Alfonso XIII. His grandfather, the 9th Marquess of Portago, had been Minister of Public Instruction & Fine Arts and Mayor of Madrid, while his father, who was President of Puerta de Hierro and a prolific golfer, died of a heart attack while showering after a polo match. His mother, Olga Leighton, was an Irish nurse.
At age 17, de Portago began displaying his flamboyant lifestyle by winning a $500 bet after flying a borrowed plane under London Tower Bridge. He twice rode the Grand National as "gentleman rider" and formed the first Spanish bobsleigh team with his cousins, finishing 4th in the 1956 Winter Olympics, missing the bronze medal by 0.14 seconds.
In 1953, de Portago was introduced into the Scuderia Ferrari team, competing at the Carrera Panamericana, 1000 km Buenos Aires and several Grand Prix, including a win and second place at the 1956 Tour de France Automobile and 1956 British Grand Prix respectively.
De Portago's promising career was cut short in May 1957 after his renowned Ferrari 335 S crashed near the village of Guidizzolo when a tyre burst while driving along a dead straight road at 150 mph (240 km/h) in the 1957 running of the Mille Miglia, killing Portago, his navigator, and nine spectators. The young age of the marquess, who was 28 at the time of his death, combined with his status as a sex symbol, caused a shock amongst many. Several tributes and landmarks were named after him, most notably the "Portago curve" at Jarama racetrack.
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