Many still consider him to be the greatest driver of all time.[1]
Early life and racing
Fangio was born on San Juan's day in 1911 in Balcarce, to Italian immigrants.[2] He began his racing career in Argentina in 1934, driving a 1929 Ford Model A which he had rebuilt.[3] During his time racing in Argentina, he drove Chevrolet cars and was Argentine National Champion in 1940 and 1941.[3] He first came to Europe to race in 1948, funded by the Argentine Automobile Club and the Argentine government.[3]
Formula One racing
.
1957
"I have never driven that quickly before in my life and I don't think I will ever be able to do it again".
1958
He won 24 World Championship Grands Prix from 51 starts - a winning percentage of 47.06%, the best winning percentage in the sport's history.[5]
Later life and death
The incident was dramatized in a 1999 Argentine film directed by Alberto Lecchi, Operación Fangio.[6]
This led to the creation of the Museo Juan Manuel Fangio, which opened in Balcarce in 1986.[7]
Denied a renewal of his card, Fangio reportedly challenged Traffic Bureau personnel to a race between Buenos Aires and seaside Mar del Plata, a 400 km (250 mi) distance, in two hours or less, following which an exception was made for the five-time Grand Prix winner.[8]
Formula One Statistical Overview
F1 Career Record
Note: Italics indicates non-championship events only.
| Year | Entrant | Team | WDC Points | WDC Pos. | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Equipe Gordini | Simca-Gordini | Pre-championship | ||
| 1949 | Automovil Club Argentina | Maserati | Pre-championship | Report | |
| Squadra Argentina | |||||
| Scuderia Achille Varzi | Simca-Gordini | ||||
| 1950 | Alfa Romeo SpA | Alfa Romeo | 27 | 2nd | Report |
| Scuderia Achille Varzi | Maserati | ||||
| 1951 | Alfa Romeo SpA | Alfa Romeo | 31 (37) | 1st | Report |
| Equipe Gordini | Simca-Gordini | ||||
| 1952 | Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 0 | NC | Report |
| BRM | BRM | ||||
| Juan Manuel Fangio | |||||
| 1953 | Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 28 (29 1⁄2) | 2nd | Report |
| Equipe Gordini | Gordini | ||||
| BRM | BRM | ||||
| 1954 | Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 42 (57 1⁄7) | 1st | Report |
| Diamler Benz AG | Mercedes | ||||
| 1955 | Diamler Benz AG | Mercedes | 40 (41) | 1st | Report |
| 1956 | Scuderia Ferrari | Ferrari | 30 (33) | 1st | Report |
| 1957 | Officine Alfieri Maserati | Maserati | 40 (46) | 1st | Report |
| 1958 | Scuderia Sud Americana | Maserati | 7 | 14th | Report |
| Juan Manuel Fangio | |||||
| Novi Auto Air Condition | Kurtis Kraft-Novi | ||||
Statistics
Template:Statbox
Wins
* Shared drive.
Non-Championship Wins
| Win Number | Grand Prix |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1949 San Remo Grand Prix |
| 2 | 1949 Pau Grand Prix |
| 3 | 1949 Rousilllon Grand Prix |
| 4 | 1949 Marseille Grand Prix |
| 5 | 1949 Albigeois Grand Prix |
| 6 | 1950 Pau Grand Prix |
| 7 | 1950 San Remo Grand Prix |
| 8 | 1950 Nations Grand Prix |
| 9 | 1950 Coppa Acerbo |
| 10 | 1951 Bari Grand Prix |
| 11 | 1953 Modena Grand Prix |
| 12 | 1955 Buenos Aires Grand Prix |
| 13 | 1956 Buenos Aires Grand Prix |
| 14 | 1956 Syracuse Grand Prix |
| 15 | 1957 Bueno Aires Grand Prix |
Career Results
| Complete Formula One Results | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Pts | Pos
Template:1950 Results/11 Template:1951 Results/11 Template:1952 Results/11 Template:1953 Results/11 Template:1954 Results/11 Template:1955 Results/11 Template:1956 Results/11 Template:1957 Results/11 Template:1958 Results/11 | ||||||||||||
| Key | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symbol | Meaning | Symbol | Meaning | ||
| 1st | Winner | Ret | Retired | ||
| 2nd | Podium finish | DSQ | Disqualified | ||
| 3rd | DNQ | Did not qualify | |||
| 5th | Points finish | DNPQ | Did not pre-qualify | ||
| 14th | Non-points finish | TD | Test driver | ||
| Italics | Scored point(s) for Fastest Lap | DNS | Did not start | ||
| 18th† | Classified finish (retired with >90% race distance) | NC | Non-classified finish (<90% race distance) | ||
| 4thP | Qualified for pole position | [+] More Symbols | |||
Notes
- ↑ The Official Formula 1 Website
- ↑ F1 Fanatics: Juan Manuel Fangio
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Rendall, Ivan (1995) [1993]. The Chequered Flag: 100 years of motor racing. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. pp. 166. ISBN 0-297-83550-5.
- ↑ "MASERATI AND FANGIO F1 WORLD CHAMPIONS IN 1957". www.greatcarstv.com. http://www.greatcarstv.com/history/maserati-and-fangio-f1-world-champions-in-1957.html. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ↑ Although technically beaten by Lee Wallard, who competed in only two Indianapolis events counting towards the World Championship
- ↑ Cine Nacional: Operación Fangio Template:Es
- ↑ "Op bezoek bij Juan Manuel Fangio: de mythe". Autovisie 1991 nr 1: Page 44–51. date 5 January 1991.
- ↑ La Nación: Cuándo los mayores no deben manejar
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