Mario de Araujo Cabral The First Portuguese Formula One Driver

Mario de Araujo Cabral became Portugal's first Formula One driver when he qualified for the Grand Prix of Portugal in 1959. His name was soon blackened by an incident when he pulled onto the track at Monsanto in front of F1 great Jack Brabham. The incident has been linked with Cabral ever since. A hot sweltering day in Portugal necessitated a later starting time and, even then, driver struggled with the intensity of the late summer heat. Mario finished the race but failed to qualify for other Formula One events until 1964 when he raced a single race in the fledgling and ill-fated Derrington-Francis ATS.