Juan Manuel Fangio (June 24, 1911 – July 17, 1995) was a racing car driver from Argentina, who dominated the first decade of Formula One racing. He won five Formula One World Driver’s Championships — a record which stood for 46 years until eventually beaten by Michael Schumacher — with four different teams (Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz and Maserati), a feat that has not been repeated since. Many still consider him to be the greatest driver of all time.
Fangio was born to Italian immigrants on June 24, 1911 in the small country town of Balcarce in Argentina – seemingly a very far cry from a future career as a five-time Formula 1 world champion. But the youngster, who did an apprenticeship as a mechanic, was inspired by his fellow countrymen’s passion for motor racing.He came into contact with the local racing driver scene at an early age, gained some experience at the wheel himself and learned how to rebuild vehicles for racing. In 1932, he opened his own car workshop, and four years later Fangio competed in his first race in a converted Ford taxi.
After the end of World War II, Fangio made the switch from rebuilt standard passenger cars to thoroughbred racing cars, and entered the international racing arena. In 1950, he came second in the World Championship driving for Alfa Romeo, before going on to win his first world title for the Italian car maker in 1951 at the wheel of the Tipo 159 Alfetta.
During the 1952 season, when the World Championship was switched to Formula 2, Fangio suffered a serious accident in Monza. He spent the remainder of the year convalescing from his injuries, most notably from one he sustained to his spine. He was already back in the racing seat in 1953 though, when he finished second in the World Championship driving the A6GCM for Maserati.
The 1954 season saw Fangio drive for both Maserati and Mercedes-Benz. Racing director Alfred Neubauer signed the Argentinean driving ace as the captain of the Silver Arrows racing team. The Stuttgart-based outfit had been developing the W 196 R racing car for the new Formula 1 season since 1953. It was powered by a 257 hp inline eight-cylinder engine with a displacement of 2.5 litres, desmodromic valves and direct petrol injection. Apart from the Streamliner version, a classic Formula racing car with exposed wheels was also created. The new Silver Arrows were not ready for the start of the season, so Fangio still competed in a Maserati 250F in the first three races, winning at Argentina and Belgium.
On 4 July 1954, Fangio lined up for his first ever grand prix in a Mercedes-Benz: exactly 40 years after Mercedes driver Christian Lautenschlager drove to victory in Lyon, the Stuttgart team returned to the fray at the French Grand Prix in Reims. Fangio took the chequered flag ahead of teammate Karl Kling. The apparently effortless switch from Maserati to the W 196 R once again underlined Fangio’s immense ability to adapt: ever since taking part in the tough endurance races in his home country, he seemed to be able to extract the very best from every vehicle. It was this virtuoso improvisational skill that led to victory for the Argentinean time and time again.
The 1954 season turned into a great triumph for Mercedes-Benz and Fangio: he followed up his victory in France with further wins in Germany (Nürburgring), Switzerland (Bremgarten) and Italy (Monza). Fangio was crowned Formula One world champion for the second time, with almost double the points of his nearest rival.
The Argentinean dominated the 1955 season in similar fashion, winning the grand prix races in Argentina, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy, and finishing second behind teammate Stirling Moss at the British Grand Prix. Other exceptional performances by Fangio during this season included second spot at the Mille Miglia, driving solo in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S). Winner Stirling Moss, on the other hand, was accompanied by a co-driver, Denis Jenkinson, as was most of the field.
Following Mercedes-Benz’s withdrawal from motor racing at the end of the 1955 season, Fangio went on to win two more world championship titles with Scuderia Ferrari in 1956 and Maserati in 1957.
Fangio will forever be remembered for saving the greatest drive of his life to win his fifth and final World Championship in a Maserati 250F. Fangio started the 1957 season with a hat-trick of wins in Argentina, Monaco and France, before retiring with engine problems in Britain.
At the next race, the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring circuit, Fangio needed to extend his lead by six points to claim the title with two races to spare. From pole position Fangio dropped to third behind the Ferraris of Hawthorn and Collins but managed to get past both by the end of the third lap. Fangio had started with half-full tanks since he expected that he would need new tyres half-way through the race. In the event Fangio pitted on lap 13 with a 30-second lead, but a disastrous stop left him back in third place and 50 seconds behind Collins and Hawthorn. Fangio came into his own, setting one fastest lap after another, culminating in a record-breaking time on lap 20 a full eleven seconds faster than the best the Ferraris could do. On the penultimate lap Fangio got back past both Collins and Hawthorn, and held on to take the win by just over three seconds. With Musso finishing down in fourth place, Fangio claimed his fifth title. This performance is often regarded as the greatest drive in Formula One history, but it was to be Fangio’s last win. At the end of the race, Fangio confessed that he had driven “in a state of grace” and that it was the best he had ever driven.
The following year, the Argentinean called an end to his racing career at the age of 47. In 1974, he assumed the post of President of Mercedes-Benz Argentina S.A. His five Formula One world championship titles remained a record until Michael Schumacher eclipsed the feat in 2003.
June 24, 2011 would have marked the 100th birthday of the legendary racing great Juan Manuel Fangio. Among others, celebrations will take place in the UK at the Goodwood Revival on 16-18 September 2011. Their annual feature tribute will be to Juan Manuel Fangio, on the centenary of his birth and 60th anniversary of him winning the first of his five world championships. A daily track parade will include a variety of his most famous cars, to honour the life and achievements of this incredible man.
Constant tributes to Juan Manuel Fangio include five identical life-size bronze sculptures depicting the exceptional racing driver together with the W 196 R. They can be found in front of the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, outside the Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Buenos Aires, as well as at the Nürburgring, Monza and Monaco circuits.
There is also a Fangio Museum in Balcarce that is run by a local association. Featuring numerous vehicles and other exhibits, it is dedicated to the racing driver’s whole life story.
[Source: Mercedes-Benz; Maserati; Wikipedia]
Great pictures!
He signed a pic of him when I met him at Road America Wis.
Fastherb—Saw this man race–no question, the VERY best ever.
Nice bio about greatness and the man. Fangio was truly superb!
Ronald Sieber
I’m Argentine as well, and must say that Fangio was and still is the great Formula 1 Champion. Amazing human being and sportman. About the Museum, consider a visit when coming to Argentina. Same o even better standards than Galleria Ferrari at Modena. Cheers!
Too young to have seen this great man race. (I’ll be a hundred only in 2040). Seriously, I never was at the right place at the right moment. But he is an idol in my heart forever. Along with Jim Clark.
Combine gentleman, talent and sportsman and we get Fangio …forever.
Fantastic – I remember reading a report on the famous German GP when I was a young fella and it thrilled me then. Just watched a video of Fangio and Brabham racing on YouTube. Fangio in a Mercedes and Brabham in what looked like a Tasman Brabham Repco. You have just got to watch it!!!!
Thanks for the great find Nick. Here’s the best copy we could find on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoOPXawXpgU
Fast forward to the 25:00 minute mark and you’ll be there.
I met with Fangio and his daughter in Monaco the year when Alan Jones won world championship with Williams….and tailed him to Modena from Monaco.. ..he was in a 500sec,as we were, and we met at DeTomaso Factory….I framed a great photo …and his faded signature on a business card features on the framed photo…that year I had watched Nelson Picquet..Alan Jones in Monaco ..,,but to meet Fangio was the absolute highlight of that trip……he could have driven a refrigerator and won races…
I really enjoy your features.
delighted to Fangio remembered as I watched him at Germanb GP 1957 and hope to see more Art Evans articlesJim Sitz
As a child living in Buenos Aires during Fangio’s winning decade, he was our hero and becuse of him I became enamored with the automobile. Great Champion, great man.
Not just a great driver, but a wonderful gentleman, whewnb he walked into a crowded room, there was a hush. thrilled to see him driving on the Masersti team!
When Fangio was honored at Laguna seca a few years ago he was still in top form.
Even the totally modern SL photo car that was following him on the track could not keep up with him in the old F1 with narrow tires. Leaving the corkscrew and into turn 10 the press car lost it and did a 360 while Fangio serenely blitzed on. At lunch in Carmel’s Casanova restaurant he exuded the charm and friendliness to all who interupted his meal to greet him. Always a very special man.
I loved his philosophy of not beating his cars: “Win, at the slowest possible speed” Moss would drive the guts out of a car, Fangio could make the car last and that is why he was so great. 1957 Nurburgring really shook him up as he felt that he had done the final laps at 12/10ths. That was his last ’emotional” drive.
On Fangio’s passing Forrest Bond penned the following:
“Fangio was from a different time in the broader sense, a time in which honor, duty, ethics, and fair play had meaning in the larger society, which carried over even into racing’s cloistered community.”
A great man and a superb talent.