Marques De Portago

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Marques De Portago La aristocracia en el automovilismo: El marqués Alfonso de Portago Entre las curiosidades de la historia del automovilismo, encontramos en ciertas ocasiones, la presencia de personalidades extravagantes, como lo fueron los aristócratas, pilotos de sangre azul. Entre ellos encontramos hacia los años 50 al marqués de Portago, cuyo nombre completo era Alfonso Antonio Vicente Eduardo Angel Blas Francisco Borja Cabeza de Vaca y Leighton, quien había nacido en Londres en 1928 y fue apadrinado por el rey Alfonso XIII de España. Su trayectoria en el automovilismo no fue muy extensa, ya que debutó en 1953, y murió en un accidente en 1957. No obstante, y a pesar de que no era un piloto demasiado efectivo, conquistó algunas victorias, mayormente compitiendo con Ferrari. Al principio, participó de carreras como copiloto, debutando en la carrera Panamericana de México en 1953, aunque poco después competiría él en otros autos, sin problema alguno para adquirirlos, dada su estirpe noble y su riqueza. Disputó pocas carreras en F1, pero participó en competencias de coches sport, de larga duración, como las 24 horas de Le Mans, y la Mille Miglia. Anduvo también por Argentina, participando en los 1000 kms. de la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Si había algo que caracterizaba al noble español, esto era ser un gran velocista, aunque en muchas ocasiones no terminaba las carreras por su ímpetu. No obstante, triunfó en una carrera para coches no oficiales en las islas Bahamas, sobre una Ferrari 750 Monza que había adquirido, para luego obtener un segundo puesto en ese mismo sitio. El marqués de Portago siempre fue admirador de los Ferrari, aunque tardó en convencer a don Enzo para que lo contrate como piloto. Pero en 1956 logró competir en algunas carreras de F1, debido a la lesión del piloto titular, Luiggi Musso durante unas prácticas, por lo que estuvo como compañero de equipo de Juan Manuel Fangio con los Lancia-Ferrari D50. Hasta llegó a disputar los primeros puestos con los pilotos de primera línea, aunque fue obligado a parar para entregarle el auto a Peter Collins, otro de sus compañeros de equipo que disputaba el campeonato. Para 1957 se había instalado, ya por mérito propio, en la escudería italiana. De esta manera, triunfó en el Tour de Francia, en Roma, en Montlhery y en Oporto. Lamentablemente, todo terminaría en forma trágica durante las 1000 millas italianas, a bordo de una Ferrari, y marchando tercero detrás de sus compañeros de equipo, Piero Taruffi y Wolfgang Von Trips. Cuando faltaba poco para finalizar la competencia, un reventón a 250 km/h le hizo perder el control de su auto, el cual se trabó en la tierra para dar una gran cantidad de tumbos. En el accidente murió el marqués y su copiloto y amigo, Edmund Nelson, además de matar a 9 espectadores y herir a otros 30. Este accidente le valió a don Enzo Ferrari una campaña de desprestigio como “verdugo de pilotos”, poniéndose gran parte de la prensa en su contra. En el automovilismo hubo también otros pilotos pertenecientes a la aristocracia, como el príncipe Bira, de Tailandia, lo que le dio un toque elitista al deporte de los años 50. Hoy en día, el mismo rey de España, Juan Carlos de Borbón, disfruta de las competencias de F1 cuando se disputan en la península. .
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