Juan Manuel Fangio

The Maestro of Formula One

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Juan Manuel Fangio (24 June 1911 – 17 July 1995) was an Argentine racing driver, who competed in Formula One. Nicknamed "el Chueco" and "el Maestro", Fangio won five Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles and—at the time of his retirement—held the record for most wins (24), pole positions (29), fastest laps (23), and podium finishes (35), among others.

Quick Facts

Born: 24 June 1911
Birthplace: Balcarce, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Died: 17 July 1995
Place of death: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Children: 3
Relatives: Juan Manuel Fangio II (nephew)

Lore & Background

Fangio won 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.

Reader's Guide

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many championships did he win with Ferrari?

While he secured five world titles in total, his time at Scuderia Ferrari contributed to his championship success in 1956. His strategic intelligence allowed him to extract maximum performance from the red machines even when reliability was challenging.

Is Juan Manuel Fangio still active in racing today?

No, his status is retired, yet he remains a towering figure and legend within the sport's history. His contributions continue to define what it means to be a champion for Scuderia Ferrari.