David Martínez (racing driver)

David Martínez (born December 8, 1981, in Monterrey) is a Mexican racing driver. He holds the record for the best debut ever by a Mexican driver[1] in a premiere open-wheel series (IndyCar, Champ Car World Series, F1) with his 9th place finish at the 2006 Gran Premio Telmex (a record he now shares with Patricio O'Ward, who also finished 9th on debut at the 2018 Indycar Grand Prix of Sonoma).[2]

David Martínez
Nationality Mexico
Born (1981-12-08) December 8, 1981 (age 42)
Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico
Previous series
1991–2002
1996
1997
1999–2001
2002
2002, 05–06, 08
2003
2004
2005–06, 2007–08
2006–2007
2008
2009
2010
Karting
Formula 2 Neon Mexicana
Formula 3000 Mexico
Mexican Formula Three
Formula Renault 2.0 Mexico
Atlantic Championship
Barber Dodge Pro Series
Formula Renault V6 Eurocup
A1 Grand Prix
Champ Car World Series
IndyCar Series
Rolex Sports Car Series
Indy Lights
Championship titles
1996
2002
Formula 2 Neon Mexicana
Formula Renault 2.0 Mexico

Racing career

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Early career in Mexico

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Starting at the age of seven through his early twenties, Martínez raced in Mexico in karts, Mexican Formula 2/Formula 3000, Formula 3, and Formula Renault 2000 de America. At the age of 14 he won his first formula championship (Mexican Formula 2 Neon), in 1997 Martínez was awarded the Rookie of the Year Award in Mexican Marlboro Cup Formula 3000 and in 2002 won the Mexican Formula Renault 2000. Martínez eventually expanded his racing territory, which included a year in the Barber Dodge Pro Series (2003) winning the first race he participated in (at Fundidora Park in Monterrey, Mexico).

Europe and Atlantic Championship (2004-2006)

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In 2004 Martínez migrated to Europe and produced five top-five results in the Formula Renault V6 Eurocup Series. The 25-year-old missed the first race of the year in the 2005 Champ Car Atlantic Championship but still managed to claim fifth in his rookie season. He finished third in his first race in Monterrey, Mexico, captured his first career pole and scored a total of four podiums and seven top-five finishes. Also during 2005, Martínez contested some rounds of the A1 Grand Prix Series.[citation needed]

In 2006 Martínez returned to Atlantics with the US RaceTronics Team, and repeated his fifth place in the championship despite a challenging season in which he switched teams halfway through the year, but still managed to continue his success on Mexican soil by finishing third at the Monterrey, Mexico event.[citation needed]

Champ Car and Indy Lights (2006-present)

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In 2006, Martínez joined Forsythe Championship Racing in Mexico City to pilot the Lola-Ford-Cosworth in his Champ Car debut. Initially announced to race a third car for the team, he ended up replacing an injured Paul Tracy and finished 9th, the best debut by a Mexican driver in a premiere open-wheel series.[citation needed] He was idle throughout most of 2007, but was announced as the driver of Forsythe's #7 car for the final two races of the season, including a return to Mexico City. David started 10th and ran as high as 5th in the race, but during a routine pit stop on lap 45, his gearbox prevented him from returning to the race. The crew managed to repair it, but the job took several minutes and he finished 6 laps down in 14th. Martínez's last Champ Car race came in the series' final race, the 2008 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach where he finished a career-best eighth as one of three Forsythe/Petit entries.

In 2009 his only professional outing was in the 24 Hours of Daytona driving Beyer Racing's Riley-Pontiac to a 10th place DP-class finish. In 2010 he re-entered American open-wheel racing by making two starts for Genoa Racing in Firestone Indy Lights with a best finish of 8th at Infineon Raceway.

Racing record

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Season Series Team Races wins Poles Fast laps Points Pos.
2006 Champ Car Forsythe 1 0 0 0 13 22nd
2007 Champ Car Forsythe 2 0 0 0 18 20th
2007-08 A1 Grand Prix A1 Team Mexico 2 0 0 0 0 16th (1)

*(1) = Team standings.

American open-wheel racing results

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(key)

Barber Dodge Pro Series

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Year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank Points
1998 SEB LRP DET WGI CLE
17
GRA MDO ROA LS1 ATL HMS LS2 40th -
2003
STP
MTY
1
MIL
9
LAG
3
POR
2
CLE
4
TOR
3
VAN
8
MDO
9
MTL
17
4th 103

Atlantic Championship

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Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rank Points
2002 Condor Motorsports-Ariba MTY
15
LBH MIL LGA POR CHI TOR CLE TRR ROA MTL DEN 31st 1
2005 US RaceTronics LBH MTY
3
POR1
6
POR2
4
CLE1
Ret
CLE2
8
TOR
2
EDM
8
SJO
2
DEN
5
ROA
3
MTL
3
5th 238
2006 US RaceTronics LBH
12
HOU
8
MTY
3
POR
7
CLE1
10
CLE2
10
TOR
8
EDM
12
SJO
6
DEN
10
MTL
4
ROA
9
5th 179
2008 Forsythe Racing LBH LGA MTT EDM1 EDM2 ROA1
7
ROA2
7
TRR
7
NJ
8
UTA
13
ATL 16th 74

Champ Car

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Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Rank Points Ref
2006 Forsythe Championship Racing LBH HOU MTY MIL POR CLE TOR EDM SJO DEN MTL ROA SRF MXC
9
22nd 13 [3]
2007 Forsythe Championship Racing LVG LBH HOU POR CLE MTT TOR EDM SJO ROA ZOL ASN SRF
10
MXC
14
20th 18 [4]

IndyCar Series

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Year Team Chassis No. Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Rank Points Ref
2008 Forsythe/Pettit Racing Panoz 37 Cosworth HMS STP MOT1
DNP
LBH1
8
KAN INDY MIL TXS IOW RIR WGL NSH MDO EDM KTY SNM DET CHI SRF 41st 0 [5]
1 Run on same day.

Indy Lights

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Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Rank Points
2010 Genoa Racing STP ALA LBH INDY IOW WGL TOR EDM MDO
14
SNM
8
CHI KTY HMS 25th 40

Complete A1 Grand Prix results

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(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 DC Points
2005–06 A1 Team Mexico GBR
SPR
GBR
FEA
GER
SPR

8
GER
FEA

13
POR
SPR
POR
FEA
AUS
SPR
AUS
FEA
MYS
SPR
MYS
FEA
UAE
SPR
UAE
FEA
RSA
SPR

10
RSA
FEA

Ret
IDN
SPR
IDN
FEA
MEX
SPR
MEX
FEA
USA
SPR
USA
FEA
CHN
SPR
CHN
FEA
10th 59
2007–08 NED
SPR
NED
FEA
CZE
SPR
CZE
FEA
MYS
SPR
MYS
FEA
ZHU
SPR
ZHU
FEA
NZL
SPR
NZL
FEA
AUS
SPR
AUS
FEA
RSA
SPR
RSA
FEA
MEX
SPR
MEX
FEA
SHA
SPR
SHA
FEA
GBR
SPR

20
GBR
SPR

16
16th 22

References

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  1. ^ "Famous Racecar Drivers From Mexico: #3 David Martínez". Ranker.com. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  2. ^ "2018 IndyCar Grand Prix of Sonoma Results". NBC Sports. September 16, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  3. ^ "David Martínez – 2006 Champ Car World Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  4. ^ "David Martínez – 2007 Champ Car World Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  5. ^ "David Martínez – 2008 IndyCar Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
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Sporting positions
Preceded by Mexican Formula Two Champion
1996
Succeeded by
Preceded by
none
Formula Renault 2.0 Mexico Champion
2002
Succeeded by