Mexican · Mexico City, Mexico · Born 20 April 1963Adrián Fernández is a Mexican former racing driver who won 11 races across a 12-year CART/IndyCar career, finishing runner-up in the 2000 championship, before founding his own successful team and winning an American Le Mans Series title.
Adrián Fernández's runner-up finish in the 2000 CART championship, combined with 11 victories across a 12-year career in North American open-wheel racing, made him the most successful Mexican driver in the sport's history until the generation that followed him. He progressed through Mexican Formula Vee, Formula K, and British Formula Ford before winning the Mexican Formula 3 championship in 1991 and moving to the United States to compete in Indy Lights, where he was named Rookie of the Year in 1992. Fernández made his CART IndyCar World Series debut in 1993 with Galles Racing, and built a 12-year career in the top level of American open-wheel racing, taking his first win at the 1996 Toronto street race for Tasman Motorsports. His finest season came in 2000, when he finished runner-up in the championship to Gil de Ferran, part of an overall career total of 11 CART/IndyCar victories, four pole positions, and 21 podiums. Fernández co-founded Fernández Racing with Tom Anderson in 2001, transitioning into a driver-owner role that saw his team compete across CART, the IRL IndyCar Series, and sports car racing. His team won the 2009 American Le Mans Series LMP2 title with Fernández and Luis Díaz sharing driving duties, and Fernández himself finished runner-up in his class at the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans. He remains a leading advocate for developing young Mexican racing talent and has been recognised as Mexico's Athlete of the Year.
A 12-year CART/IndyCar career with 11 wins and a runner-up championship finish in 2000
How They Played
Consistent, versatile racer excelling across open-wheel and sports car disciplines
Lasting Impact
One of the most successful Mexican racing drivers in American open-wheel history, later a respected team owner who helped develop the next generation of Mexican drivers
Career Honours
- CART/IndyCar World Championship runner-up (2000)
- 11x CART/IndyCar race winner
- American Le Mans Series LMP2 champion (2009, as driver-owner)
- 24 Hours of Le Mans class runner-up (2007)
- Mexican Formula 3 champion (1991)
| Constructor | Season(s) | Races |
|---|---|---|
| Galles Racing | 1993–1995 | — |
| Tasman Motorsports | 1996–1999 | — |
| Fernández Racing | 2001–2012 | — |
| Career Total | — | 0 |
Mexican Athletes