Enrique Bernoldi is a Brazilian former professional racing driver who competed in Formula One with Arrows during the 2001 and 2002 seasons, later serving as a test driver for BAR/Honda until 2006. Though he never scored a championship point in F1, Bernoldi gained notable attention for a determined—and controversial—defensive display at the 2001 Monaco Grand Prix.
| Nationality | Brazilian |
|---|---|
| Born | Enrique Antônio Langue e Silvério de Bernoldi 19 October 1978 Curitiba, Brazil |
Formula One Career
Rookie Season with Arrows: 2001
Bernoldi made his Formula One debut in 2001 with the Arrows team, driving the A22-Asiatech alongside veteran teammate Jos Verstappen. While Verstappen generally outperformed him in races, Bernoldi showed flashes of pace, particularly in qualifying, where he occasionally matched his more experienced teammate.
His most memorable moment came at the 2001 Monaco Grand Prix, where he famously held up David Coulthard’s McLaren for 35 laps. Coulthard, who had started at the back due to a stall on the grid, was unable to pass Bernoldi despite his significantly faster car. The incident drew public criticism from Coulthard and McLaren boss Ron Dennis, but Bernoldi’s team principal Tom Walkinshaw firmly defended his driver’s right to race.
Unfortunately, Bernoldi’s rookie season was plagued by reliability issues and inconsistencies. He retired from 10 of 17 races and never scored a point. His best result was eighth at the 2001 German Grand Prix, which in that era fell just outside the points-paying positions.
Despite these challenges, Bernoldi showed clear improvement as the season progressed, although he was less involved in the technical development of the car than Verstappen.
Final Season and Financial Collapse: 2002
Bernoldi was retained for the 2002 season, this time paired with Heinz-Harald Frentzen, a former race winner. Now driving the A23-Cosworth, Bernoldi had another opportunity to prove himself.
One of the highlights of his season came at Sepang, where he overtook Michael Schumacher, who was recovering from a first-lap incident. The move was impressive, though his overall performance in that race drew criticism from fellow driver Allan McNish.
Unfortunately, Arrows was struggling financially, and the team withdrew from the championship after just 11 races. As a result, Bernoldi again failed to score any championship points.
After Arrows’ collapse, Bernoldi was briefly linked with a potential move to Jordan, but the deal fell through due to legal complications. With no immediate opportunities in F1, he turned to other racing categories to rebuild his career.
Enrique Bernoldi Formula One World Championship career
| Active years | 2001–2002 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Arrows |
| Entries | 29 (28 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 0 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 0 |
| First entry | 2001 Italian Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 2002 German Grand Prix |
Enrique Bernoldi Teammates
| 2 drivers | Involvement | First Year | Last Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jos Verstappen | 17 | 2001 | |
| Heinz-Harald Frentzen | 13 | 2002 |
Enrique Bernoldi Complete Formula One Results
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Orange Arrows Asiatech | Arrows A22 | Asiatech V10 | AUS Ret | MAL Ret | BRA Ret | SMR 10 | ESP Ret | AUT Ret | MON 9 | CAN Ret | EUR Ret | FRA Ret | GBR 14 | GER 8 | HUN Ret | BEL 12 | ITA Ret | USA 13 | JPN 14 | 21st | 0 |
| 2002 | Orange Arrows | Arrows A23 | Cosworth V10 | AUS DSQ | MAL Ret | BRA Ret | SMR Ret | ESP Ret | AUT Ret | MON 12 | CAN Ret | EUR 10 | GBR Ret | FRA DNQ | GER Ret | HUN | BEL | ITA | USA | JPN | 22nd | 0 |
