Juan Manuel Fangio

Lore & Background

From childhood, Fangio abandoned his studies to pursue auto mechanics. In 1938, he debuted in the newly-formed Argentine stock car racing series Turismo Carretera, competing in a Ford V8. In 1940, he competed with Chevrolet, winning the Grand Prix International Championship and devoted his time to the Turismo Carretera becoming its champion, a title he successfully defended a year later. Fangio then competed in Europe between 1947 and 1949, where he achieved further success. One of the most successful drivers in Formula One history, Fangio made his debut in the inaugural Formula One season in 1950 to dominate the first decade of the championship. He went on to win the World Drivers' Championship five times—a record that stood for 46 years—and became the only driver in F1 history to win titles with four different teams: Alfa Romeo (1951), Maserati (1954 and 1957), Mercedes-Benz (1954 and 1955), and Ferrari (1956). He holds the highest winning percentage in Formula One at 46.15%, winning 24 of 52 Formula One races he entered. Additionally, Fangio also holds the record for the highest pole percentage at 55.77%, achieving 29 pole positions from 52 entries. Fangio is the only Argentine driver to have won either the World Drivers' Championship or the Argentine Grand Prix. Among his greatest F1 wins is the 1955 Argentine Grand Prix, contested in very hot weather for three hours. While the few other finishing cars were driven by two or three younger drivers who took turns, the 44 year old drove the whole race on his own, and set fastest lap doing so. His last GP win was for Maserati at the 1957 German Grand Prix where he faced better Ferrari cars, and opted to make a pit stop for fuel and tyres. After this stop was delayed by mistakes, and his lead was lost, he patiently drove with new tyres and half full tank, then went all-out and caught up to the leaders by taking unprecedented risks and beating the lap record several times. Fangio also competed in endurance sports car racing, winning the 1953 Carrera Panamericana and the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1956 with Ferrari and in 1957 with Maserati. He finished second in the 1955 Targa Florio, and twice in the Mille Miglia. After retirement, Fangio presided as the honorary president of Mercedes-Benz Argentina from 1987, a year after the inauguration of his museum, until his death in 1995.

In Their Own Story

The rain at Silverstone was coming down in sheets, the kind that turns a grandstand into a river of grey noise. Fangio sat in his pit box, not looking at the track, not at the marshals, but at the hands of the mechanic turning the camber bolt. He said one word — 'more' — and the man turned it another quarter. The car came back out, and for three laps it felt like it was being driven by the tarmac itself. Fangio didn't smile. He never did on track. But in the mirror, the gap to second place was already a memory.

Reader's Guide

Fangio was born in Balcarce on 24 June 1911. He was the fourth of six children. He started his education at School No. 4 of Balcarce, before transferring to School No. 1 and 18 Uriburu Av. When Fangio was 13, he dropped out of school and worked in Miguel Angel Casas auto mechanics' workshop as an assistant mechanic. After recovering from pneumonia, he served compulsory military service at the age of 21. He returned to Balcarce and opened his own garage, racing in local events. He began his racing career in Argentina in 1936, driving a 1929 car that he had rebuilt. In the Tourismo Carretera category, Fangio participated in his first race between 18 and 30 October 1938 as the co-driver of Luis Finocchietti. During his time racing in Argentina, Fangio drove Chevrolet cars and was Argentine National Champion in 1940 and 1941. One particular race, the 1940 Gran Premio del Norte, was almost 10,000 km long, which he won. In 1941, Fangio beat Oscar Gálvez in the Grand Prix Getúlio Vargas in Brazil. In 1942, he took tenth place in the South Grand Prix. In April he won the race "Mar y Sierras", and then had to suspend activity due to World War II. In 1946, Fangio returned to racing with two races in Morón and Tandil driving a Ford T. In February 1947, Fangio competed at National Mechanics (MN) at the Retiro circuit, and on 1 March, he started the race for Rosario City Award. Subsequently, Fangio triumphed in the Double Back Window Race. In October 1948, Fangio suffered a personal tragedy in the 1948 South American Grand Prix.

Did You Know?

• Fangio won five World Drivers' Championships with four different teams: Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, and Ferrari.
• He holds the highest winning percentage in Formula One at 46.15%, winning 24 of 52 races.
• Fangio was Argentine National Champion in 1940 and 1941, not in the late 1940s.
• His 1940 Gran Premio del Norte victory was a 10,000 km race through the Andes and Bolivia to Lima, Peru, and back to Buenos Aires.