Juan Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio (June 24, 1911-July 17, 1995) was a race-car driver from Argentina, who dominated the first decade of Formula One racing. He won five World Championship titles—a record which stood for 46 years—with four different teams (Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, and Maserati), a feat that has not been repeated since.
Fangio's skill was never more obvious than in the German Grand Prix of 1957, when he drove his ponderous Maserati against for more aerodynamic Ferraris on the dangerous Nurburgring track. Because of his vehicle's weak rear suspension, Fangio decided to take on only a partial load of fuel, a strategy was to build up a big lead over the gas-laden Ferraris, make a pit stop, and still retain his lead even though his opponents could run the race without refueling. However, his pit stop left him 28 seconds behind when he pulled back out on the track. Relentlessly, in a brilliant display of his legendary skill, Fangio finally passed Mike Hawthorn on the final circuit and won by four seconds.
"With most drivers, you figure 25 percent driver, 75 percent car," said American Phil Hill, the 1961 Formula One champion. "With the old man, you know it's 40 percent driver, 60 percent car, so he's already got us beat with that something extra that's inside him." The short, stocky Fangio didn't look the part of a race driver, but with 24 Grands Prix wins and because of the time they were accomplished, he is considered by many as the "greatest driver of all time."
Early life and racing
Juan Manuel Fangio was born on June 24, 1911 near Balcarce, Argentina to Italian parents from the small, central Italian village of Castiglione Messer Marino, near Chieti. He started out as a mechanic, but by age 23, he had driven in his first race in a converted Ford taxi that disintegrated during the event. He began his racing career in Argentina in 1934, mostly in long-distance road races and he was Argentine National Champion in 1940 and 1941. The outbreak of World War II halted his rise, and he did not begin racing in Europe until 1947.
Just before World War II, he moved into stock car racing in a Chevrolet and won the Gran Premio International del Norte, a race from Buenos Aires to Peru and back - a distance of 6,000 miles. He and his Chevrolet became famous overnight. Fangio was 36 and considered "over the hill" by many when he began his assault on Europe. In 1949, he won six times in 10 races and became a national hero in Argentina.
Formula One racing
Fangio, unlike most later Formula One drivers, started his racing career at a mature age and was the oldest driver in many of his races. During his career, drivers raced almost without protective equipment. The notable rivals he had to face consisted of the likes of Alberto Ascari, Giuseppe Farina, and Stirling Moss.
Initially Fangio was not particularly successful until racing an Alfa Romeo in 1950. He finished second in the world championship in 1950 and won his first title in 1951. He was competing well in 1952 in a Maserati until a serious accident at Monza, Italy ended his season with a neck injury. Fangio soon returned to win La Carrera Panamericana, the 2000-mile Mexican road race the following year in a Lancia D24.
In 1954, he raced with Maserati until Mercedes-Benz entered competition in mid-season. Winning eight out of twelve races (six out of eight in the championship) in that year, he continued to race again with Mercedes—driving the superb W196 Monoposto—in 1955 (in a dream team that included Stirling Moss). At the end of the second successful season (which was overshadowed by the 1955 Le Mans disaster in which 81 spectators were killed) Mercedes withdrew from racing.
In 1956, Fangio moved to Ferrari, replacing Alberto Ascari, who had been killed in an accident, to win his fourth title. He finished first in three races and second in all the other championship races. In 1957, he returned to Maserati and won his fifth title, notable for an extraordinary performance to secure his final win at the Nürburgring in Germany. After his series of back-to-back championships he retired in 1958, following the French Grand Prix. He won 24 Grand Prix in 51 starts, the best winning percentage in the sport's history.
Later life and death
During the rest of his life, Fangio represented Mercedes-Benz, often driving his former race cars in demonstration laps. In 1974, he was appointed President of Mercedes-Benz Argentina, and in 1987 he was made Honorary President for Life of that corporation.
Cuban rebels kidnapped him on February 23, 1958, but he was later freed.
In 1990, he was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
Juan Manuel Fangio died in Buenos Aires in 1995, at the age of 84. He was interred in the cemetery of his home town Balcarce, Argentina.
Legacy
According to the official Formula One website, "Many consider him to be the greatest driver of all time."[1]. Many later drivers, such as Jim Clark, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher, have been compared with Fangio. It is generally acknowledged that such comparisons are not realistic, given that the qualities required for success and the levels of competition have varied over time. Additionally, the rules have varied considerably. In Fangio's era, for example, drivers were permitted to use multiple cars in the same race.
His record of five World Championship titles stood for 45 years until German driver Michael Schumacher took his sixth title in 2003. Schumacher said, "Fangio is on a level much higher than I see myself. What he did stands alone and what we have achieved is also unique. I have such respect for what he achieved. You can't take a personality like Fangio and compare him with what has happened today. There is not even the slightest comparison." [2][3]
In his home country, Argentina, Fangio is revered as one of the greatest sportmen the nation has ever produced. Argentinians often referred to as The Maestro[4][5], and a poll of sport journalists and commentators placed him as the second best Argentine sportman of the 20th century, second only to Diego Maradona.
His nephew, Juan Manuel Fangio II, was also a successful racing driver.
Five statues of Fangio, sculpted by catalan artist Joaquim Ros Sabaté, are erected around the world: at Puerto Madero, Buenos Aires; Monte Carlo, Monaco; Montmeló, Spain; Nürburgring, Germany; and Monza, Italy.
As an homage to him, Argentina's former national oil and gas company, Repsol YPF, launched the "Fangio XXI" gas brand. In 2005, the Zonda 2005 C12 F was named after him due to the endorsement from Fangio for Pagani.
Complete Formula One World Championship Results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Team | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Alfa Romeo | GBR Ret |
MON 1 |
INDY |
SWI Ret |
BEL 1 |
FRA 1 |
ITA Ret |
Alfa Romeo | 2nd | 27 | ||||
| 1951 | Alfa Romeo | SWI 1 |
INDY |
BEL 9 |
FRA 1 |
GBR 2 |
GER 2 |
ITA Ret |
ESP 1 |
Alfa Romeo | 1st | 31 | |||
| 1953 | Maserati | ARG Ret |
INDY |
DUT Ret |
BEL Ret |
FRA 2 |
GBR 2 |
GER 2 |
SWI 4 |
ITA 1 |
Maserati | 2nd | 28 | ||
| 1954 | Maserati | ARG 1 |
INDY |
BEL 1 |
FRA 1 |
GBR 4 |
GER 1 |
SWI 1 |
ITA 1 |
ESP 3 |
Mercedes-Benz | 1st | 42 | ||
| 1955 | Mercedes-Benz | ARG 1 |
MON Ret |
INDY |
BEL 1 |
DUT 1 |
GBR 2 |
ITA 1 |
Mercedes-Benz | 1st | 40 | ||||
| 1956 | Ferrari | ARG 1 |
MON 2 |
INDY |
BEL Ret |
FRA 4 |
GBR 1 |
GER 1 |
ITA 2 |
Ferrari | 1st | 30 | |||
| 1957 | Maserati | ARG 1 |
MON 1 |
INDY |
FRA 1 |
GBR Ret |
GER 1 |
PES 2 |
ITA 2 |
Maserati | 1st | 40 | |||
| 1958 | Scd. Sud Americana | ARG 4 |
MON |
DUT |
INDY DNS |
BEL |
FRA 4 |
GBR |
GER |
POR |
ITA |
MOR |
J.M. Fangio | 14th | 7 |
Notes
- ↑ "The Official Formula 1 Website - Juan Manuel Fangio", formula1.com. Retrieved 2006-10-16.
- ↑ "Schumi: Fangio was greater than me", BBC. Retrieved 2006-09-29.
- ↑ "Champion Schumacher Rejects Comparisons To Fangio", usgpindy.com. Retrieved 2006-09-29.
- ↑ "Juan Manuel Fangio", f1-grandprix.com. Retrieved 2006-09-22.
- ↑ "Discovery Channel - Guide Car", discoverychannelasia.com. Retrieved 2006-09-22.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Fangio, Juan Manuel. My Twenty Years of Racing, Temple Press, 1962. ASIN BOOOP8USIG
- Fangio, Juan Manuel, & Carozzo, Roberto. Fangio: My Racing Life, Motorbooks International, 1990. ISBN 978-1852603151
- Hansen, Ronald. The Life Story of Juan Manuel Fangio, Edito, 1956. ASIN B0007JOBOD
- Ludvigsen, Karl. Juan Manuel Fangio: Motor Racing's Grand Master, Haynes Publishing, 1999. ISBN 978-1859606254
- Menard, Pierre, & Vassal, Jacques. F1 Legends: Juan Manuel Fangio, Chronosports, 2003. ISBN 978-2847070453
External links
- Grand Prix History - Hall of Fame, Juan-Manuel Fangio
- Juan Manuel Fangio statistics
- Juan Manuel Fangio Web
- Museum Juan Manuel Fangio
| Preceded by: Nino Farina |
Formula One World Champion 1951 |
Succeeded by: Alberto Ascari |
| Preceded by: Alberto Ascari |
Formula One World Champion 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957 |
Succeeded by: Mike Hawthorn |
Template:Formula One World Drivers' Champions 1950-1969
Credits
New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:
Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.
