Alfonso de Portago began his life of high-stakes risk at age 17 by piloting a borrowed aircraft beneath the London Tower Bridge to win a $500 wager. Born in London in 1928, the Spanish aristocrat utilized his immense inheritance to fund a brief but intense career in motor racing, bobsleighing, and aviation before his death at 28.
Aristocratic Origins and Early Daring
Alfonso Cabeza de Vaca y Leighton, the 11th Marquess of Portago, was the son of a Spanish nobleman and an Irish nurse, Olga Leighton. His father, the 10th Marquess, died suddenly following a polo match. Named after King Alfonso XIII, he moved through elite circles in Madrid and Biarritz. By his late teens, his penchant for danger was already evident; beyond his bridge-flying exploit, he competed as a gentleman jockey in the Grand National at Aintree twice, though he regularly struggled to maintain the required racing weight.
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Portago entered competitive automobile racing in 1953 after an introduction to Luigi Chinetti. His approach to the sport was characterized by intensity and a high rate of mechanical attrition, often necessitating multiple vehicles per event. He competed in five Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting in 1956. His primary success in Formula One was a second-place finish at the 1956 British Grand Prix, achieved as a shared drive with Peter Collins. His sports car achievements included victory at the Tour de France Automobile and the Nassau Governor's Cup.
Olympic Bobsleigh Ventures
Beyond his racing activities, Portago established the first Spanish bobsleigh team for the 1956 Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo. Despite having limited practice time in Switzerland, he steered his two-man sled to a fourth-place finish, missing the bronze medal by a mere 0.16 seconds. He continued his success on ice by securing a bronze medal at the 1957 FIBT World Championships in St. Moritz.
The Mille Miglia Tragedy
On 12 May 1957, Portago entered the Mille Miglia, an endurance race he had previously expressed concern about due to the inherent dangers of traversing 1,000 miles of open public roads. While driving his Ferrari 335 S near Guidizzolo at 150 mph, a tire burst. The car veered off the road into a crowd of spectators. The accident resulted in the deaths of Portago, his navigator Edmund Nelson, and nine spectators, five of whom were children.
Fast facts
- Born: 1928, London
- Died: 1957, Guidizzolo
- Citizenship: Spain
- Olympics: 4th place, 1956 two-man bobsleigh
- Formula One best result: 2nd, 1956 British Grand Prix
- Languages spoken: 4
Questions readers ask
What caused the accident that ended his life?
A tire burst on his Ferrari 335 S while he was traveling at 150 mph during the 1957 Mille Miglia, causing the vehicle to crash into spectators.
Did he participate in multiple sports?
Yes. He was a competitive motorcycle racer, automobile racing driver, Formula One driver, golfer, and a bobsleigh pilot who competed in the Winter Olympics.
