Luis Pérez-Sala

Luis Pérez-Sala Valls-Taberner (15 May 1959 - Present): Spanish racing driver from Barcelona who participated in 26 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix from 1988 to 1989 with Minardi, scoring one championship point with sixth place at the 1989 British Grand Prix—the first World Championship point scored by a Spanish driver in thirty years. Pérez-Sala later won the Spanish Touring Car Championship in 1991 and 1993, and served as team principal of HRT Formula 1 Team during the 2012 season. Pérez-Sala began his racing career in karting before moving to production-based cars, including the Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint Cup in 1983. He progressed to the 1984 FIA European Formula 3 Championship and then the Italian Formula 3 Championship in 1985, finishing seventh overall with a race victory.

His performances earned promotion to Formula 3000 in 1986, where he immediately made an impact, winning races at Birmingham and Enna and finishing fourth in the championship. In 1987, Pérez-Sala was runner-up to Stefano Modena in the F3000 championship, establishing himself as one of Europe's top young drivers. His F3000 success attracted Formula One attention, and Minardi signed him for the 1988 season alongside compatriot Adrián Campos—marking the first time two Spanish drivers raced together as Formula One teammates. Pérez-Sala made his debut on 3 April 1988 at the season-opening Brazilian Grand Prix at Rio de Janeiro.

He qualified 20th but retired when his rear wing collapsed, a frightening failure that fortunately did not cause a serious accident. Over the first five rounds of 1988, Pérez-Sala consistently outpaced Campos, demonstrating he deserved his place in Formula One. However, Campos brought more sponsorship money, and when Campos was replaced after round five, it was due to performance rather than Pérez-Sala's superiority. Pierluigi Martini joined as Pérez-Sala's new teammate for the remainder of 1988, and the Italian comprehensively outperformed the Spanish driver.

Martini regularly outqualified and outraced Pérez-Sala, scoring points while Pérez-Sala struggled. The comparison was harsh but clear—Pérez-Sala was adequate but not exceptional against top-tier competition. For 1989, Pérez-Sala continued with Minardi alongside Martini. The season followed a similar pattern, with Martini generally faster, but Pérez-Sala finally scored his first and only World Championship point at the 1989 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Finishing sixth in the Minardi M189-Cosworth, Pérez-Sala crossed the line behind Martini (who finished fifth), giving Minardi both cars in the points for the first time in the team's history. The result was celebrated—Pérez-Sala's point was the first scored by a Spanish driver since the 1950s, ending three decades of Spanish absence from Formula One scoring. The British Grand Prix would prove to be the highlight of Pérez-Sala's Formula One career. He continued with Minardi for the remainder of 1989 but failed to score again.

At the season-ending Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide, Pérez-Sala failed to qualify, a humiliating end to his Formula One career. Over 32 race entries across two seasons, Pérez-Sala started 26 races, scoring one point and achieving a best qualifying position of 15th. Following his Formula One disappointment, Pérez-Sala returned to Spain and found immediate success in the Spanish Touring Car Championship. He won the championship in 1991 driving for the works Nissan team, demonstrating that his talents were better suited to touring car racing than Formula One's intense competition.

He successfully defended his title in 1993, establishing himself as one of Spain's leading touring car drivers. Pérez-Sala continued racing in various series through the 1990s and early 2000s before transitioning into team management and driver coaching. His experience across multiple disciplines made him a valuable advisor to younger drivers. In 2012, Pérez-Sala was appointed team principal of Hispania Racing Team (HRT), the Spanish Formula One team that had competed since 2010.

Taking over a team that was Formula One's backmarker and perpetually struggling financially, Pérez-Sala faced an impossible task. HRT was consistently slowest, regularly failing to qualify within the 107% rule, and lacked resources to develop the car. Despite Pérez-Sala's efforts, HRT remained uncompetitive throughout 2012. At season's end, the team folded, unable to secure the funding needed to continue.

HRT's collapse marked the end of Spain's presence as a Formula One constructor. Following HRT's demise, Pérez-Sala returned to driver management and racing consultancy. He remained active in Spanish motorsport circles, occasionally providing commentary and analysis for Spanish racing broadcasts. Known for his smooth driving style, touring car success, historic achievement as the first Spanish points-scorer in Formula One for three decades, and later efforts to support Spanish motorsport through HRT, Luis Pérez-Sala represents Spain's ongoing efforts to establish itself in Formula One.

While his driving career produced limited success, his championship point at Silverstone and subsequent touring car titles demonstrate competence and determination.