Born on 16 August 1980 in Oneşti, in Bacău County, eastern Romania, Adrian Răspopa got behind the wheel for the first time at age of six and learned how to drive at age of nine. During his childhood he interacted with well-known Romanian racing team IDMS and its drivers, including Ludovic Balint, Gheorghe Preoteasa, Ovidiu Scobai, Ovidiu Mazilu, Dacian Barna and others.

Adrian Răspopa has participated in the Romanian National Rally Championship since the 2000s and quickly became one of the most popular racing drivers. Despite never finishing in the top three in the overall championship standings, he became class champion several times - in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2014 and 2017. His first win occurred in July 2021 during Raliul Moldovei Bacăului.

In September 2021 Adrian Răspopa participated in Raliul Iasului. During the second stage, Hadambu 1, held on Saturday, 04 September 2021, he lost control of his Škoda Fabia R5 #8, five kilometers after the start of the stage and crashed into a bridge parapet. The car was completely destroyed on the driver's side and Răspopa was seriously injured. He was transported to Iaşi hospital in Moldavia region, where he died two hours later, during surgery. His co-driver Cosmin Diacu, who accompanied Răspopa since 2015, received injuries but managed to get off the car by himself.

Following the accident, the rally was stopped and eventually it was cancelled after the news of Adrian Răspopa's death reached the paddock.

R.I.P