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Celebrating 100 Years of Juan Manuel Fangio

Juan Manuel Fangio in Mercedes-Benz W196S

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.

Reims 1954, in full racing pose: Juan Manuel Fangio (starting number 18) pilots the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Streamliner racing car around the circuit in Reims with supreme skill.
French Grand Prix in Reims, July 4, 1954, in full racing pose: Juan Manuel Fangio (starting number 18) pilots the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Streamliner racing car around the circuit in Reims with supreme skill. (photo credit: Mercedes-Benz)
French Grand Prix, Reims 1954. The Mercedes-Benz team of racing drivers, starting from the left: Hans Herrmann, Juan Manuel Fangio and Karl Kling.
French Grand Prix, Reims 1954. The Mercedes-Benz team of racing drivers, starting from the left: Hans Herrmann, Juan Manuel Fangio and Karl Kling. (photo credit: Mercedes-Benz)
French Grand Prix in Reims, July 4, 1954. The winner, Juan Manuel Fangio (start number 18), at the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Formula One racing car with streamlined bodywork.
French Grand Prix in Reims, July 4, 1954. The winner, Juan Manuel Fangio (start number 18), at the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Formula One racing car with streamlined bodywork. (photo credit: Mercedes-Benz)
Italian Grand Prix in Monza, 5 September 1954. Juan Manuel Fangio with the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Formula 1 racing car with Streamliner body.
Italian Grand Prix in Monza, 5 September 1954. Juan Manuel Fangio with the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R Formula 1 racing car with Streamliner body. (photo credit: Mercedes-Benz)

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.

Argentinean Grand Prix in Buenos Aires, 16 January 1955. Winning driver Juan Manuel Fangio in the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R racing car. Fangio was the only top driver to go the duration of the race without being relieved and won easily.
Argentinean Grand Prix in Buenos Aires, 16 January 1955. Winning driver Juan Manuel Fangio in the Mercedes-Benz W 196 R racing car. Fangio was the only top driver to go the duration of the race without being relieved and won easily. (photo credit: Mercedes-Benz)
Buenos Aires Grand Prix, formula-free race in Buenos Aires on 30 January 1955. The eventual winner Juan Manuel Fangio (starting number 2) at the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S) with an engine derived from the Formula 1 W 196 model.
Buenos Aires Grand Prix, formula-free race in Buenos Aires on 30 January 1955. The eventual winner Juan Manuel Fangio (starting number 2) at the wheel of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR (W 196 S) with an engine derived from the Formula 1 W 196 model. (photo credit: Mercedes-Benz)
Juan Manuel Fangio at the Italian Grand Prix on 11 September 1955. Fangio wins the race ahead of Piero Taruffi.
Juan Manuel Fangio at the Italian Grand Prix on 11 September 1955. Fangio wins the race ahead of Piero Taruffi. (photo credit: Mercedes-Benz)
End of the 1955 motor racing season: Stirling Moss, Alfred Neubauer and Juan Manuel Fangio put the covers on the cars.
End of the 1955 motor racing season: Stirling Moss, Alfred Neubauer and Juan Manuel Fangio put the covers on the cars.

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.

Juan Manuel Fangio at wheel of Maserati 250F
Juan Manuel Fangio at wheel of Maserati 250F, 1957 German Grand Prix at Nurburgring. (photo credit: Maserati)
Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio with a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR from the car museum in Balcarce, the champion’s home town, in 1993.
Juan Manuel Fangio with a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR from the car museum in Balcarce, the champion’s home town, in 1993.

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]