Alfonso de Portago

Alfonso Antonio Vicente Eduardo Ángel Blas Francisco de Borja Cabeza de Vaca y Leighton, 11th Marquess of Portago, GE (11 October 1928 - 12 May 1957), known as Alfonso de Portago, was a Spanish aristocrat, racing driver, bobsledder, jockey, and pilot whose glamorous life and tragic death became one of motorsport's most infamous stories. Born in London to a prominent family in the Spanish peerage, he was named after his godfather, King Alfonso XIII of Spain. Portago participated in five Formula One World Championship races, with his best result being a shared second place at the 1956 British Grand Prix, earning a total of four championship points. His versatility extended beyond motor racing; with Portago steering, the Spanish two-man bobsleigh team finished fourth at the 1956 Winter Olympics, missing a medal by just 0.

16 seconds, an extraordinary achievement for someone without traditional bobsleigh training. Portago embodied the wealthy sportsman-racer of the 1950s, competing in various sports including polo, horse racing, and aviation. He was known for his charm, good looks, and aristocratic lifestyle, socializing with Hollywood celebrities and European nobility. His relationship with American actress Linda Christian was widely publicized, and a famous photograph known as the "Kiss of Death" captured Christian leaning over Portago's Ferrari to kiss him moments before his final, fatal race.

On 12 May 1957, during the Mille Miglia, Italy's legendary open-road endurance race, Portago was driving a Ferrari 335 S when a tire burst on a straight road near the village of Guidizzolo while traveling at approximately 150 mph (240 km/h). The car crashed horrifically, killing Portago, his co-driver Edmund Nelson, and nine spectators, including five children who had been watching the race. Subsequent investigation revealed that Portago had been so desperate to win that he waited too long to replace worn tires, a fatal decision. The tragedy led directly to the discontinuation of the Mille Miglia as a speed event, ending one of motorsport's most famous races.

Enzo Ferrari was put on trial for manslaughter following the accident, though he was eventually acquitted. Portago was 28 years old at the time of his death, and his promising racing career had only begun. The crash became one of motorsport's defining tragedies and contributed to growing awareness of safety issues in racing. Portago is remembered as a glamorous, talented but ultimately reckless figure whose death symbolized the dangers of 1950s motorsport and helped catalyze eventual safety improvements, though these would not come for many years.