Ricardo Londoño

Ricardo Londoño-Bridge (22 August 1949 - 18 February 2009): Colombian racing driver who made two Formula One World Championship starts in 1981 and was later murdered in his home country. Born in Medellín, Colombia, Londoño was one of the few Colombian drivers to reach Formula One during the sport's modern era. He began racing in Colombian national events in the 1970s before moving to Europe to pursue an international career. Londoño competed in various European Formula Two and Formula Three races during the late 1970s and early 1980s, showing occasional flashes of speed but lacking the budget to mount a sustained campaign.

His Formula One opportunity came with the Ensign team in 1981, making his debut at the non-championship Questor Grand Prix at Ontario Motor Speedway, where he finished 12th. He then competed in two World Championship races: the United States Grand Prix West at Long Beach, where he failed to qualify, and the Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder, where he qualified 24th but retired after just two laps with gearbox failure. Without points or significant financial backing, Londoño's F1 career ended there. He returned to South America and continued racing in national events through the 1980s and 1990s, becoming a respected figure in Colombian motorsport.

Londoño remained active in the Colombian racing community and worked to promote motorsport in his home country. Tragically, he was murdered on 18 February 2009 in Medellín at age 59 in circumstances related to Colombia's ongoing security challenges. His death shocked the international motorsport community and highlighted the dangers faced by prominent figures in Colombia during that period. Londoño is remembered as a pioneering Colombian racing driver who reached Formula One despite enormous financial and logistical obstacles.

Known for: Being one of the few Colombian drivers to compete in Formula One, making two World Championship starts in 1981, his efforts to promote motorsport in Colombia, and his tragic murder in 2009.