CERTINA is delighted to welcome Pedro de la Rosa, the Spanish racing driver for the BMW Sauber F1 team, as an ambassador for the brand starting this year. De la Rosa is known as one of the drivers with the greatest expertise and a natural capacity for all things technical. After several years as a F1 test driver, the Spaniard feels right at home in his new team and is returning to racing as a driver with a great deal of motivation and a thirst for action.

Pedro de la Rosa was born in Barcelona on 24 February 1971 and, unlike other motorsport drivers, does not have a traditional karting career behind him. He was much more interested in radio-controlled off-roader cars — a hobby at which he excelled, winning the European Championship twice and once finishing as runner-up in the World Championship. In 1988, Pedro joined the world of karting and it quickly became clear that he also possessed a great talent for controlling vehicles that he himself was in. The Spanish Automobile Federation sponsored De la Rosa and put him forward for the “Ofensiva Uno” formula series in which he raced in 1989, taking first place in the championship. After competing in various formula series in Spain, Pedro switched to racing in Britain in 1992 where he competed in various racing classes. In 1995, he moved again to Japan where he raced in Formula 3, Formula 3000 and the GT championship for the next three years, once again excelling and winning the championship title in all three classes.

In 1998, Pedro de la Rosa was ready for Formula 1 and joined Jordan as a test driver. One year later, he moved to Arrows as a regular F1 team driver, then from 2001 spent two years with the Jordan team. In 2003, De la Rosa moved to the McLaren Mercedes team as test driver and reserve driver. It was the Grands Prix in which he got to race that were particular highlights for him during this period; for example in Bahrain in 2005 when he had to jump into the cockpit at short notice but still managed to complete the fastest race lap and finished in 5th place. The year after, he started eight times for the McLaren Mercedes team and secured a podium finish, coming second in Hungary.
In the years that have passed, Pedro has matured and acquired an enormous depth of knowledge. He is convinced that he is a better racing driver today than when he joined McLaren Mercedes in 2003.

This expertise and his motivation to race in F1 again is all to the benefit of his new employer, the BMW Sauber F1 team. This year, De la Rosa is back in the cockpit and ready to lead the fight from the front.
CERTINA is delighted with this partnership with Pedro, as his positive attitude to life, his fighting spirit and his ambition perfectly represent the brand.

 “With his wealth of experience and his speed, Pedro is a safe bet in Formula 1. And he is also a great sportsman, which is the ideal complement to the CERTINA team. I am convinced that he will move the team forward with his great technical expertise,” explains Adrian Bosshard, President of Certina.

Pedro de la Rosa on his partnership with CERTINA: “I am really happy to have such a reliable and dynamic partner as CERTINA on my side for my comeback into racing, and also to be able to wear their sporty and distinguished watches.”