View source for Luis Pérez-Sala

{{short description|Spanish racing driver (born 1959)}}
{{BLP sources|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox F1 driver
| name        = Luis Pérez-Sala
| image       = 
| nationality = {{flagicon|ESP}} Spanish
| birth_name  = Luis Pérez-Sala Valls-Taberner
| birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1959|05|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Barcelona]], Spain
| Years       = {{F1|1988}}–{{F1|1989}}
| Team(s)     = [[Minardi]]
| Races       = 32 (26 starts)
| Points      = 1
| First race  = [[1988 Brazilian Grand Prix]]
| First win   = 
| Last win    = 
| Last race   = [[1989 Australian Grand Prix]]
}}

'''Luis Pérez-Sala Valls-Taberner''' (born 15 May 1959) is a Spanish retired racing driver who competed in [[Formula One]], [[Formula 3]], [[Formula 3000]] and [[Touring Cars]]. He was also the team principal of [[HRT F1|HRT Formula 1 Team]] during the [[2012 Formula One season|2012 F1 season]].

Pérez-Sala started his racing career in [[karting]] before graduating to racing production-based cars in the early 1980s, initially competing in [[Renault 5]]s before competing internationally in the [[Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint]] Cup in 1983.<ref name=com>{{cite web |url=https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-profile-of-hrt-team-principal-luis-perez-sala/415497/ |title=Profile of HRT Team Principal Luis Perez-Sala |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=15 December 2011 |website=[[motorsport.com]] |access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref> He competed in the [[1984 FIA European Formula 3 Championship]] in a [[Ralt]]-[[Alfa Romeo]], steadily improving across the season and taking a second place at [[Ring Knutstorp|Knutstorp]] and a fifth at [[Circuito del Jarama|Jarama]] to place tenth in the season standings. In 1985 he switched to the [[Italian Formula Three Championship|Italian Formula 3 Championship]], finishing seventh overall and scoring a win. The following year he moved to [[International Formula 3000|Formula 3000]] with great success, winning races at [[Birmingham Superprix|Birmingham]] and [[Autodromo di Pergusa|Enna]] in 1986 and finishing fourth in [[1986 International Formula 3000 Championship|that year's championship]]. He remained in F3000 for [[1987 International Formula 3000 Championship|the following year]], joining the [[Factory-backed|factory]] [[Lola Cars|Lola]] team, taking wins at [[Donington Park]] and the [[Bugatti Circuit|Le Mans Bugatti Circuit]] and finishing as runner-up to [[Stefano Modena]] in the championship.<ref name=motorsport>{{cite web |url=https://database.motorsportmagazine.com/database/drivers/luis-perez-sala |title=Luis Perez Sala |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=[[Motor Sport (magazine)|Motor Sport]] |access-date=25 June 2020}}</ref> He became famous for his arguments with [[Alfonso de Vinuesa]], caused by political views:{{citation needed|date=June 2020}} the pair were involved in a spectacular crash in the F3000 race at [[Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps|Spa-Francorchamps]] in 1987.<ref name=motorsport />

The [[Minardi]] Formula One team signed Pérez-Sala for the {{f1|1988}} season, alongside compatriot [[Adrián Campos]] - the first time two Spanish drivers had raced together as team-mates in F1.<ref name=com /> He made his debut for them on 3 April 1988, at the season's opening race in [[1988 Brazilian Grand Prix|Brazil]], where he qualified 20th but failed to finish the race when his rear wing collapsed. Over the next five rounds, he continually outpaced Campos, who was replaced by [[Pierluigi Martini]] (Pérez-Sala's F3000 team-mate in 1986)<ref name=motorsport /> from round six of the Championship in [[1988 Detroit Grand Prix|Detroit]].

Martini and Pérez-Sala were teammates in both 1988 and {{f1|1989}}, with Martini outqualifying, outracing and outscoring Pérez-Sala. Pérez-Sala's only point came from a sixth place in the [[1989 British Grand Prix]]. This was the first F1 points score by a Spanish driver in thirty years, and the first race in Minardi's history in which both of the team's cars finished in the points.<ref name=motorsport /> Along with the two points Martini scored for finishing fifth in the same race, the pair scored enough points to keep Minardi out of pre-qualifying for the rest of the season. At the end of the 1989 season, after failing to qualify for the season ending [[1989 Australian Grand Prix|Australian Grand Prix]] (while Martini qualified a brilliant 3rd behind only the [[McLaren]]-[[Honda F1|Honda]] cars of [[Ayrton Senna]] and [[Alain Prost]]), he left Formula One having started 26 of the 32 Grands Prix that he entered. After his retirement from Formula One, Pérez-Sala became a regular in the [[Campeonato de España de Turismos|Spanish Touring Car Championship]], winning the series in 1991 and 1993,<ref name=motorsport /> before moving into sportscar and endurance racing. He and team-mate Manel Cerqueda won the GTB class title in the [[Spanish GT Championship]] in 2003 and 2004, and finished second overall in the championship in 2008 - his last season in competition before retiring.<ref name=com />

Since 1990, Pérez-Sala has worked as a [[Sports commentator|commentator]] and [[Color commentator|analyst]] for a number of media outlets, including [[RTVE]], ''[[El País]]'' and [[TV3 (Catalonia)|TV3]]. In addition he is an instructor for racing drivers, and is involved in the ''Joves Pilots del Circuit de Catalunya'' programme, an initiative backed by the [[Generalitat de Catalunya]], the [[Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya]] and the motorsport authorities in Catalonia whose graduates include [[Jaime Alguersuari]], [[Miguel Molina (racing driver)|Miguel Molina]], [[Dani Clos]], [[Albert Costa (racing driver)|Albert Costa]] and [[Miki Monrás]].<ref name=com />

In July 2011, he was recruited as a consultant for the [[Hispania Racing|Hispania]] F1 team, which was founded by former Minardi teammate Campos.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mills |first=Peter |title=Former GP driver Luis Perez Sala joins HRT as advisor |publisher=[[Haymarket Group|Haymarket Publications]] |work=autosport.com |url=http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/93203 |date=2011-07-21 |access-date=2011-08-03}}</ref> On 15 December 2011, it was announced that he would become team principal of HRT, replacing [[Colin Kolles]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Luis Pérez-Sala, appointed as new Team Principal of HRT F1 Team |url=http://www.hispaniaracing.com/news.php?nid=610 |work=hispaniaracing.com |publisher=[[HRT F1]] |date=15 December 2011 |access-date=15 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Luis Perez-Sala appointed HRT team principal |work=[[BBC Sport]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |date=15 December 2011 |access-date=15 December 2011 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/formula_one/16194591.stm}}</ref>

His nephew, [[Daniel Juncadella]], is also a racing driver, best known for winning the [[2011 Macau Grand Prix Formula Three|2011 Macau Grand Prix Formula Three race]], and has also competed in the [[Formula 3 Euro Series]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Mortara takes pole in Spain |work=gpupdate.net |url=http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f3-news/235260/mortara-takes-pole-in-spain/ |date=2010-05-21 |access-date=2011-07-14}}</ref>
{{-}}

==Racing record==

===Complete International Formula 3000 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
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! {{Tooltip|Pos.|Championship position}}
! Pts
|-
| [[1986 International Formula 3000 season|1986]]
! nowrap| Pavesi Racing
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Silverstone Circuit|SIL]]<br />{{small|12}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[ACI Vallelunga Circuit|VAL]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Pau Grand Prix|PAU]]<br />{{small|5}}
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps|SPA]]<br />{{small|4}}
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari|IMO]]<br />{{small|5}}
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[Mugello Circuit|MUG]]<br />{{small|DNQ}}
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[Autodromo di Pergusa|PER]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Österreichring|ÖST]]<br />{{small|5}}
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| [[Birmingham Superprix|BIR]]<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Bugatti Circuit|BUG]]<br>{{small|5}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Circuito Permanente Del Jarama|JAR]]<br />{{small|8}}
! 4th
! 24.5
|-
| [[1987 International Formula 3000 season|1987]]
! nowrap| [[Lola Racing Cars|Lola Motorsport]] 
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Silverstone Circuit|SIL]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| [[ACI Vallelunga Circuit|VAL]]<br />{{small|2}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| ''[[Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps|SPA]]''<br />{{small|18}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Pau Grand Prix|PAU]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''[[Donington Park|DON]]'''<br />{{small|1}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[Autodromo di Pergusa|PER]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[Brands Hatch|BRH]]<br />{{small|9}}
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Birmingham Superprix|BIR]]<br />{{small|4}}
|style="background:#FFDF9F;"| [[Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari|IMO]]<br />{{small|3}}
|style="background:#FFFFBF;"| '''''[[Bugatti Circuit|BUG]]'''''<br>{{small|1}}
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[Circuito Permanente Del Jarama|JAR]]<br />{{small|5}}
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''2nd'''
|style="background:#DFDFDF;"| '''33'''
|}

===Complete Formula One results===
([[:Template:F1 driver results legend 2|key]])
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:85%"
! Year
! Team
! Chassis
! Engine
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! 16
! WDC
! Points
|-
| [[1988 Formula One season|1988]]
! nowrap| [[Minardi|Lois Minardi Team]]
! nowrap| [[Minardi]] [[Minardi M188|M188]]
! nowrap| [[Cosworth DFZ]] [[V8 engine|V8]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1988 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1988 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]<br />{{small|11}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1988 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1988 Mexican Grand Prix|MEX]]<br />{{small|11}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1988 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br />{{small|13}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1988 Detroit Grand Prix|DET]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1988 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br />{{small|NC}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1988 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[1988 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br />{{small|DNQ}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1988 Hungarian Grand Prix|HUN]]<br />{{small|10}}
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[1988 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br />{{small|DNQ}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1988 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1988 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br />{{small|8}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1988 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br />{{small|12}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1988 Japanese Grand Prix|JPN]]<br />{{small|15}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1988 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
! NC
! 0
|-
|rowspan=2| [[1989 Formula One season|1989]]
!rowspan=2 nowrap| [[Minardi|Lois Minardi Team]]
! nowrap| [[Minardi]] [[Minardi M188|M188B]]
!rowspan=2 nowrap| [[Cosworth DFR]] [[V8 engine|V8]]
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1989 Brazilian Grand Prix|BRA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1989 San Marino Grand Prix|SMR]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1989 Monaco Grand Prix|MON]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|colspan=13|
!rowspan=2| 28th
!rowspan=2| 1
|-
! nowrap| [[Minardi]] [[Minardi M189|M189]]
|colspan=3|
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[1989 Mexican Grand Prix|MEX]]<br />{{small|DNQ}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1989 United States Grand Prix|USA]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1989 Canadian Grand Prix|CAN]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[1989 French Grand Prix|FRA]]<br />{{small|DNQ}}
|style="background:#DFFFDF;"| [[1989 British Grand Prix|GBR]]<br />{{small|6}}
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[1989 German Grand Prix|GER]]<br />{{small|DNQ}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1989 Hungarian Grand Prix|HUN]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1989 Belgian Grand Prix|BEL]]<br />{{small|15}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1989 Italian Grand Prix|ITA]]<br />{{small|8}}
|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| [[1989 Portuguese Grand Prix|POR]]<br />{{small|12}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1989 Spanish Grand Prix|ESP]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#EFCFFF;"| [[1989 Japanese Grand Prix|JPN]]<br />{{small|Ret}}
|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| [[1989 Australian Grand Prix|AUS]]<br />{{small|DNQ}}
|}

=== Complete Spanish Touring Car 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
! Team
! Car
! 1
! 2
! 3
! 4
! 5
! 6
! 7
! 8
! 9
! 10
! 11
! 12
! 13
! 14
! 15
! 16
! 17
! 18
! 19
! 20
! DC
! pts
|-
| [[1995 Campeonato de España de Turismos|1995]]
! nowrap| Team Repsol Nissan
! nowrap| [[Nissan Primera]]
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito de Jerez|JER<br>1]]<br><small>7</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito de Jerez|JER<br>2]]<br><small>5</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito del Jarama|JAR<br>1]]<br><small>4</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito del Jarama|JAR<br>2]]<br><small>9</small>
| bgcolor="#FFFFFF" |[[Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya|BAR<br>1]]<br><small>DNS</small>
| bgcolor="#FFFFFF" |[[Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya|BAR<br>2]]<br><small>DNS</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito do Estoril|EST<br>1]]<br><small>8</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito do Estoril|EST<br>2]]<br><small>6</small>
| bgcolor="#FFFFBF" |[[Circuito de Albacete|ALB<br>1]]<br><small>1</small>
| bgcolor="#EFCFFF" |[[Circuito de Albacete|ALB<br>2]]<br><small>Ret</small>
| bgcolor="#DFDFDF" |'''[[Circuit de Calafat|CAL<br>1]]'''<br><small>2</small>
| bgcolor="#FFFFBF" |[[Circuit de Calafat|CAL<br>2]]<br><small>1</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito de Albacete|ALB<br>1]]<br><small>5</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito de Albacete|ALB<br>2]]<br><small>4</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |'''[[Circuito de Jerez|JER<br>1]]'''<br><small>7</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito de Jerez|JER<br>2]]<br><small>6</small>
| bgcolor="#FFFFFF" |[[Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya|BAR<br>1]]<br><small>DNS</small>
| bgcolor="#FFFFFF" |[[Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya|BAR<br>2]]<br><small>DNS</small>
| bgcolor="#DFDFDF" |[[Circuito del Jarama|JAR<br>1]]<br><small>2</small>
| bgcolor="#DFDFDF" |[[Circuito del Jarama|JAR<br>2]]<br><small>2</small>
! 6th
! 144
|-
| [[1996 Campeonato de España de Turismos|1996]]
! nowrap| Team Repsol Nissan
! nowrap| [[Nissan Primera]]
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito del Jarama|JAR<br>1]]<br><small>8</small>
| bgcolor="#FFFFFF" |[[Circuito del Jarama|JAR<br>2]]<br><small>DNS</small>
| bgcolor="#DFDFDF" |[[Circuito de Albacete|ALB<br>1]]<br><small>2</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito de Albacete|ALB<br>2]]<br><small>4</small>
| bgcolor="#FFDF9F" |[[Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya|BAR<br>1]]<br><small>3</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya|BAR<br>2]]<br><small>6</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito do Estoril|EST<br>1]]<br><small>5</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito do Estoril|EST<br>2]]<br><small>5</small>
| bgcolor="#FFFFBF" |'''[[Circuit de Calafat|CAL<br>1]]'''<br><small>1</small>
| bgcolor="#FFFFBF" |[[Circuit de Calafat|CAL<br>2]]<br><small>1</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito de Jerez|JER<br>1]]<br><small>5</small>
| bgcolor="#FFDF9F" |[[Circuito de Jerez|JER<br>2]]<br><small>3</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |'''[[Circuito del Jarama|JAR<br>1]]'''<br><small>6</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuito del Jarama|JAR<br>2]]<br><small>7</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya|BAR<br>1]]<br><small>6</small>
| bgcolor="#DFFFDF" |[[Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya|BAR<br>2]]<br><small>4</small>
|colspan=4|
| bgcolor="#FFDF9F" |'''3rd'''
| bgcolor="#FFDF9F" |'''153'''
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.grandprix.com/gpe/drv-sallui.html Luis Pérez-Sala] at ''grandprix.com''
*{{official website|http://www.luisperezsala.com/}} {{in lang|es}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box|title= [[Formula One Indoor Trophy]]<br />Winner |before=Inaugural |after= [[Gianni Morbidelli]]|years= [[1988 Formula One Indoor Trophy|1988]]–[[1989 Formula One Indoor Trophy|1989]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Formula One drivers from Spain}}
{{Hispania Racing F1 Team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perez-Sala, Luis}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Spanish racing drivers]]
[[Category:Catalan Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Spanish Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:Italian Formula Three Championship drivers]]
[[Category:Minardi Formula One drivers]]
[[Category:International Formula 3000 drivers]]
[[Category:World Touring Car Championship drivers]]
[[Category:Porsche Supercup drivers]]
[[Category:World Sportscar Championship drivers]]
[[Category:24 Hours of Spa drivers]]
[[Category:FIA European Formula 3 Championship drivers]]
[[Category:Motorsport announcers]]
[[Category:Formula One team principals]]
[[Category:Racing drivers from Barcelona]]