Date of birth 20th
September 1975
Birthplace Bogota, Colombia
Nationality Colombian
Lives Monaco (MC)
Marital status Single
Height 1.68 m
Weight 72 kg
Hobbies Computer games
Favourite food Pasta
Favourite drink Orange juice
First drove a car At the age of 14
First drove a racing car At the age
of 5 in a go-kart
First race At the age of 5 in a go-kart
First win At the age of 5 in a go-kart
Career Highlights
1981 Began kart racing
1984 National Kart Champion in the children?s
division
1985 Second in the Children?s Kart Championship
1986 Kart Champion in the local and national
junior division
1987-1989 Several local and national titles
in the Kart Komet category
1990 Kart Junior World Championship, Lonato,
Italy
1991 Kart Junior World Championship, Laval,
France
1992 Took part in the Skip Barber Course
(USA);
Copa Formula Renault in Colombia, four
wins in eight races, five pole positions
1993 Nationale Tournement Swift GTI Championship,seven
wins in eight races, seven poles
1994 Karting ? Sudam 125, class win;
Third in the Barber Saab Championship,
USA;
pole position and circuit record prototype
class Mexico; Formula N class Mexico, three wins in five races, four pole positions
1995 Third in the British Formula Vauxhall
Championship;
class win in the Bogota Six Hours
1996 4th in the Marlboro Masters in Zandvoort
(NL);
British Formula 3 Championship, two wins;
First in the Bogota Six Hours;
Took part in the ITC Race at Silverstone
(GB), Mercedes
1997 Second in the FIA International Formula
3000Championship (Marko Team);
WilliamsF1 test driver
1998 First in the FIA International Formula
3000 Championship (Team Super Nova) with record points total (65 points);
Moved to North America to join Target Chip
Ganassi Racing
1999 First in the CART FedEx Championship
Series, seven wins, seven pole positions, youngest champion in the history of
the series
2000 9th in the CART FedEx Championship
Series, three wins, seven pole positions;
Winner of the Indianapolis 500 on his first
attempt