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.
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