View source for Alex Ribeiro

{{short description|Brazilian racing driver (born 1948)}}
{{for|the Brazilian surfer|Alex Ribeiro (surfer)}}
{{Portuguese name|Dias|Ribeiro}} 
{{BLP sources|date=August 2025}}
{{Infobox F1 driver
|  name = Alex Ribeiro
| image = Alex Ribeiro.jpg
| caption = Ribeiro in 2021
|  nationality = {{flagicon|BRA|1968}} [[Brazil]]ian
|  birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|11|07|df=y}} 
| birth_place = [[Belo Horizonte]], Brazil
|  Years = {{F1|1976}} - {{F1|1977}}, {{F1|1979}} |
  Team(s) = [[Hesketh Racing|Hesketh]], [[March Engineering|March]], [[Fittipaldi Automotive|Fittipaldi]]
|  Races = 20 (10 starts)
|  Points = 0
|  First race = [[1976 United States Grand Prix]]
|  Last race = [[1979 United States Grand Prix]] 
}}
'''Alex Dias Ribeiro''' (born November 7, 1948)<ref name="WATN">{{cite web |url=http://www.oldracingcars.com/driver/Alex_Dias_Ribeiro |title= The World Championship drivers - Where are they now? |access-date=2007-07-29 |last=Jenkins |first=Richard |publisher=OldRacingCars.com}}</ref> is a former [[Auto racing|racing driver]] from [[Brazil]]. He entered in 20 [[Formula One]] World Championship Grands Prix but scored no World Championship points.

==Career==
[[File:1977 Argentine Grand Prix Ribeiro.jpg|thumb|Ribeiro in the [[1977 Argentine Grand Prix]]]]
After solid graduation from the lower formulae (he placed fifth in the [[1976 European Formula Two season]]), Ribeiro paid for his drive in the [[March Engineering|March]] Formula One team for the {{F1|1977}} season (his main sponsors were [[Caixa Econômica Federal]] and [[Souza Cruz]]).

However, the season turned into a nightmare. March owner [[Max Mosley]] hired four drivers, and the team simply could not provide for them all. Ribeiro's reputation as a driver suffered.

In 1978, he tried to save his credentials as a racing driver and set up a privately owned F2 team to enter the [[1978 European Formula Two season]], a year dominated by the March factory team. His car was painted with the words "Jesus Saves", which he also painted his Formula One cars.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thegoal.com/players/autoracing/riberio_alex/riberio_alex.html |title=Presents Alex Ribeiro |publisher=Thegoal.com |date= |access-date=2011-12-28}}</ref> Ribeiro managed to win the [[Nürburgring]] round dramatically after favorites [[Bruno Giacomelli]] and [[Marc Surer]] retired from the race. The rest of the season, however, bore no fruit.

Then, in 1979, the fellow Brazilian [[Fittipaldi Automotive|Fittipaldi]] team offered him two chances to qualify a second car, for the [[1979 Canadian Grand Prix|Canadian]] and [[1979 United States Grand Prix|American]] Formula One Grand Prix. However, the team was concentrating on former F1 champion [[Emerson Fittipaldi]], and Ribeiro failed to qualify for both events.

He subsequently went on to perform chaplaincy at the F1 events he attended as the driver of the Medical Car and is arguably the most accomplished driver in the [https://web.archive.org/web/20070516172811/http://www.christiansinmotorsport.org.uk/ 'Christians In Motorsport'] group.

In 1994, he joined the [[Brazil national football team]] as a pastor at the [[1994 FIFA World Cup|FIFA World Cup]] in the United States. He held worship services for the team and later wrote a book about the team's journey to victory, titled "Who won the '94 World Cup?" (¿quién Ganó La Copa Mundial?).<ref>{{cite book|title=Who Won the '94 World Cup?|isbn=1900889005|last1=Ribeiro|first1=Alex Dias|year=1995|publisher=Rivers International }}</ref>

At the [[2000 Monaco Grand Prix]], Ribeiro crashed his Medical Car at the Tabac curve before Saturday morning practice, and passenger doctor [[Sid Watkins]] broke three ribs. At the [[2002 Brazilian Grand Prix]], Ribeiro was involved in a potentially serious incident. During the morning warm-up on race day Sunday, [[Enrique Bernoldi]] crashed his [[Arrows Grand Prix International|Arrows]] in Turn 2. When Ribeiro, driving the Medical Car, went out to check on Bernoldi, he opened the door to the car. Just as he opened it, [[Nick Heidfeld]] came along in his [[Sauber]] and smashed into the open door. Both Ribeiro and Heidfeld were uninjured.

In 1981, Ribeiro wrote an autobiographical book called "Mais Que Vencedor" (rough translation "More Than A Winner"), in which he nicknamed March owner Max Mosley "Mack Mouse" and March engineer [[Robin Herd]] "[[Robin Hood]]". He owned a motorbike shop in Brasilia where both [[Nelson Piquet]] and [[Roberto Moreno]] worked as young mechanics, therefore having the unusual distinction that the same shop produced 3 Formula One drivers.

== Racing record ==

===Complete European Formula Two Championship results===
([[:Template:Motorsport driver results legend|key]]) (Races in '''bold''' indicate pole position; races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
|-
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Championship position}}
! Pts
|-
| {{F2|1975}}
! nowrap| [[March Engineering]]
! nowrap| [[March Engineering|March 752]] 
! [[BMW in motorsport|BMW]]
| [[Autódromo do Estoril|EST]]
| [[Thruxton Circuit|THR]]
| [[Hockenheimring|HOC]]
| [[Eifelrennen|NÜR]]
| [[Pau Grand Prix|PAU]]
| [[Hockenheimring|HOC]]
| [[Salzburgring|SAL]]
| [[Rouen-Les-Essarts|ROU]]
| [[Mugello Circuit|MUG]]
| [[Autodromo di Pergusa|PER]]
| [[Silverstone Circuit|SIL]]
| [[Zolder|ZOL]]
| [[Circuit Paul Armagnac|NOG]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[ACI Vallelunga Circuit|VLL]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
! NC
! 0
|-
| {{F2|1976}}
! nowrap| [[March Engineering]]
! nowrap| [[March Engineering|March 762]] 
! [[BMW in motorsport|BMW]] 
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Hockenheimring|HOC]]<br /><small>13</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[Thruxton Circuit|THR]]<br /><small>2</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[ACI Vallelunga Circuit|VLL]]<br /><small>3</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Salzburgring|SAL]]<br /><small>5</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Pau Grand Prix|PAU]]<br /><small>{{tooltip|6|Received 3 championship points as Jacques Laffite and Jean-Pierre Jarier who finished ahead were ineligible for points}}</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Hockenheimring|HOC]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| '''[[Rouen-Les-Essarts|ROU]]'''<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Mugello Circuit|MUG]]<br /><small>4</small>
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| ''[[Autodromo di Pergusa|PER]]''<br /><small>2</small>
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Autódromo do Estoril|EST]]<br /><small>3</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Circuit Paul Armagnac|NOG]]<br /><small>{{tooltip|5|Received 3 championship points as Jacques Laffite who finished ahead was ineligible for points}}</small> 
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Hockenheimring|HOC]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|colspan=2|
! 5th 
! 31
|-
|rowspan=3| {{F2|1977}}
! nowrap| [[March Engineering]]
! nowrap| [[March Engineering|March 772P]] 
! [[BMW in motorsport|BMW]] 
| [[Silverstone Circuit|SIL]]
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| '''[[Thruxton Circuit|THR]]'''<br /><small>3</small>
| [[Hockenheimring|HOC]]
| [[Eifelrennen|NÜR]]
|colspan=8|
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Donington Park|DON]]<br /><small>8</small>
|
!rowspan=3| 14th
!rowspan=3| 4
|-
! nowrap| AFMP Euroracing	
! nowrap| [[March Engineering|March 772]] 
! 
|colspan=4|
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[ACI Vallelunga Circuit|VLL]]<br /><small>14</small>
| [[Pau Grand Prix|PAU]]
| [[Mugello Circuit|MUG]]
|colspan=7|
|-
! nowrap| [[Fred Opert Racing]]
! nowrap| [[Chevron Cars Ltd|Chevron B40]] 
! [[Brian Hart Ltd.|Hart]] 
|colspan=7|
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Rouen-Les-Essarts|ROU]]<br /><small>7</small>
| [[Circuit Paul Armagnac|NOG]]
| [[Autodromo di Pergusa|PER]]
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Misano Circuit|MIS]]<br /><small>DNQ</small>
| [[Autódromo do Estoril|EST]]
|colspan=2|
|-
| {{F2|1978}}
! nowrap| Alex Ribeiro
! nowrap| [[March Engineering|March 782]] 
! [[Brian Hart Ltd.|Hart]] 
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Thruxton Circuit|THR]]<br /><small>15</small>
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Hockenheimring|HOC]]<br /><small>{{tooltip|6|Received 2 championship points as Jean-Pierre Jarier who finished ahead was ineligible for points}}</small>
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[Eifelrennen|NÜR]]<br /><small>1</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Pau Grand Prix|PAU]]<br /><small>12</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Mugello Circuit|MUG]]<br /><small>10</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[ACI Vallelunga Circuit|VLL]]<br /><small>NC</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Rouen-Les-Essarts|ROU]]<br /><small>10</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Donington Park|DON]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Circuit Paul Armagnac|NOG]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Autodromo di Pergusa|PER]]<br /><small>7</small>
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Misano World Circuit|MIS]]<br /><small>13</small>
| [[Hockenheimring|HOC]]
|colspan=2|
! 8th
! 11
|-
!colspan="20"|{{center|{{small|Source:<ref name=MSportMagResults>{{cite web|title=Alex Ribeiro|url=https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/drivers/alex-ribeiro/|work=[[Motor Sport (magazine)|Motor Sport]]|access-date=18 July 2025}}</ref>}}}}
|}

===Complete Formula One World Championship results===
([[:Template:F1 driver results legend 2|key]])
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
|-
! Year
! Entrant
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! 16
! 17
! WDC
! Points
|-
|align="left"| {{F1|1976}}
!align="left" nowrap| [[Hesketh Racing]]
! nowrap| [[Hesketh Racing|Hesketh]] [[Hesketh 308D|308D]]
! nowrap| [[Cosworth]] [[V8 (engine)|V8]]
| [[1976 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br />
| [[1976 South African Grand Prix|RSA]]<br />
| [[1976 United States Grand Prix West|USW]]<br />
| [[1976 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br />
| [[1976 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br />
| [[1976 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br />
| [[1976 Swedish Grand Prix|SWE]]<br />
| [[1976 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br />
| [[1976 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />
| [[1976 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br />
| [[1976 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]<br />
| [[1976 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]<br />
| [[1976 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />
| [[1976 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br />
| style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1976 United States Grand Prix|USA]]<br /><small>12</small>
| [[1976 Japanese Grand Prix|JPN]]<br />
|
! NC
! 0
|-
|align="left"| {{F1|1977}}
!align="left" nowrap| [[March Engineering|Hollywood March Racing]]
! nowrap| [[March Engineering|March]] [[March 761B|761B]]
! nowrap| [[Cosworth]] [[V8 (engine)|V8]]
| style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1977 Argentine Grand Prix|ARG]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1977 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1977 South African Grand Prix|RSA]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| style="background:#efcfff;"| [[1977 United States Grand Prix West|USW]]<br /><small>Ret</small>
| style="background:#ffcfcf;"| [[1977 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br /><small>DNQ</small>
| style="background:#ffcfcf;"| [[1977 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br /><small>DNQ</small>
| style="background:#ffcfcf;"| [[1977 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br /><small>DNQ</small>
| style="background:#ffcfcf;"| [[1977 Swedish Grand Prix|SWE]]<br /><small>DNQ</small>
| style="background:#ffcfcf;"| [[1977 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br /><small>DNQ</small>
| style="background:#ffcfcf;"| [[1977 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br /><small>DNQ</small>
| style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1977 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br /><small>8</small>
| style="background:#ffcfcf;"| [[1977 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]<br /><small>DNQ</small>
| style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1977 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]<br /><small>11</small>
| style="background:#ffcfcf;"| [[1977 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br /><small>DNQ</small>
| style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1977 United States Grand Prix|USA]]<br /><small>15</small>
| style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1977 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br /><small>8</small>
| style="background:#cfcfff;"| [[1977 Japanese Grand Prix|JPN]]<br /><small>12</small>
! NC
! 0
|-
|align="left"| {{F1|1979}}
!align="left" nowrap| [[Fittipaldi Automotive]]
! nowrap| [[Fittipaldi Automotive|Fittipaldi]] [[Fittipaldi F6A|F6A]]
! nowrap| [[Cosworth]] [[V8 (engine)|V8]]
| [[1979 Argentine Grand Prix|ARG]]<br />
| [[1979 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br />
| [[1979 South African Grand Prix|RSA]]<br />
| [[1979 United States Grand Prix West|USW]]<br />
| [[1979 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br />
| [[1979 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br />
| [[1979 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br />
| [[1979 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br />
| [[1979 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />
| [[1979 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br />
| [[1979 Austrian Grand Prix|AUT]]<br />
| [[1979 Dutch Grand Prix|NED]]<br />
| [[1979 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />
| style="background:#ffcfcf;"| [[1979 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br /><small>DNQ</small>
| style="background:#ffcfcf;"| [[1979 United States Grand Prix|USA]]<br /><small>DNQ</small>
|colspan=2|
! NC
! 0
|-
!colspan="23"|{{center|{{small|Sources:<ref name=MSportStats>{{cite web|title=Alex Ribeiro Results|url=https://motorsportstats.com/driver/alex-ribeiro/results|publisher=Motorsport Stats|access-date=18 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Small|first=Steve|title=Grand Prix Who's Who|chapter=Alex Ribeiro|url=https://archive.org/details/grandprixwhoswho0000smal|year=2000|edition=Third|publisher=Travel Publishing|location=Reading, Berkshire|pages=474–475|access-date=18 July 2025|isbn=978-1-902007-46-5|url-access=registration|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>}}}}
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Formula One drivers from Brazil}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ribeiro, Alex}}
[[Category:1948 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Belo Horizonte]]
[[Category:Racing drivers from Minas Gerais]]
[[Category:Brazilian racing drivers]]
[[Category:Brazilian Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Hesketh Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:March Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Fittipaldi Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Brazilian people of Portuguese descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Portuguese descent]]
[[Category:European Formula Two Championship drivers]]
[[Category:Stock Car Brasil drivers]]
[[Category:Brazilian Christians]]
[[Category:Top Race V6 drivers]]