Juan Manuel Fangio

Juan Manuel Fangio (* June 24, 1911 in Balcarce, † July 17, 1995 in Buenos Aires ) was an Argentine racing driver. He shaped the early years of Formula 1 and has been in this class five times world champion - a record which was surpassed only in 2003 by Michael Schumacher. Not least because Fangio is still regarded as one of the most successful and best drivers in the history of Grand Prix racing. At 51 GP starts he won 24 times, this success rate remained unmatched to this day.

• 2.1 Statistics in Formula 1 2.1.1 Grand Prix wins

Life

Childhood and adolescence

He was born on 24 June 1911 in Balcarce, the son of Don Loreto and Herminia Fangio. During his school years he wanted to be a doctor, but he was enthusiastic about getting more for cars and soon took part in a public race.

His schooling began when he was six years old, and ended when he was in a metal shop with eleven trainees. He soon got a job at a car repair shop, where he for the first time contact with these " infernal machines" recorded. With the cleaning and repairing of the parts he acquired a lifelong fascination for car mechanics. At 13, he got a job as a locksmith apprentice. To his delight, this company also prepared race car. In this way he extended his mechanical skills many times. Among his responsibilities was driving on pick-ups and delivering to neighboring cities.

Career

Fangio started before the war rally events in South America, which was in an accident his co-driver, Daniel Urrutia, killed. From then on he went, if possible, only alone, even in sports car races in Europe. In 1949 Fangio to Europe and immediately won the GP of San Remo in 1949. Later that year, he got a contract with Maserati. For this team, he drove his M- 4CLT, his former car, after a short time and was a success for the season 1950, in which for the first time the World Drivers' Championship was held, hired by Alfa Romeo.

In season 1950 he has won three Grand Prix and was behind Giuseppe Farina Vice World Champion.

It soon turned out that " El Chueco ", that was superior in spite of his almost 40 years of competition in driving skill and tactical skill " The bandy-legged ". So it was in 1951 Alfa Romeo type 159 with 37 points for the first time world champion, it was followed by a year of forced break as it turned out at the beginning of the season because of an accident at Monza. In 1953 he ran again for Maserati, but won only one World Championship race for themselves. His toughest competitor this year was Alberto Ascari, who was traveling with a significantly superior Ferrari. Fangio was behind Ascari Vice World Champion 1953. During the same year he was able to Lancia the Carrera Panamericana win.

1954 Fangio was hired by Mercedes -Benz as a driver. However, the new racing car with which the return of the work should take place in the Grand Prix racing were completed, only the GP of France. Since Fangio did not want to risk his chances for the World Cup, he started during the first race of the season in Argentina and Belgium for Maserati. With a total of six wins this season he won superior for the second time the World Cup.

Also in 1955 Fangio drove a Mercedes W 196 and was with 40 points and four wins this season for a third time world champion. At season's end, Mercedes withdrew. The board had made ​​the decision to retreat at the end in the spring of 1955, Fangio moved to Ferrari - Lancia. In 1956, he was with the team for the fourth time world champion.

In 1957 he moved again to the Maserati team, with which he became world champion on a 250F for the fifth time. In the same year he showed his well begeisterndste performance on August 4, 1957 at the Grand Prix of Germany at the Nürburgring when he caused a by a botched pit stop, seemingly hopeless behind its rivals Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins thus caught up that he always new lap records went. Fangio finished the race as the winner, thus securing its fifth world title.

In 1958 he started again, but drove only two championship runs and gave the GP at Reims his retirement from motor sport known. But he continued to participate in vintage racing. In addition, Fangio remained with the Mercedes-Benz brand connected and built in his native Argentina an engine plant for the Stuttgart-based company on. From 1974 he served as President of Mercedes -Benz Argentina SA. On July 17, 1995, he died in Buenos Aires at the age of 84 years from a kidney ailment.

Trivia

On February 26, 1958 Fangio was kidnapped in Cuba from the ' 26th of July Movement ' ( Fidel Castro). Take place at a seminar organized by the Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista race in Havana, he had to spend time among the revolutionaries, saying after his release the next day in front of the world press of his good treatment. Before that Batista had assured especially the foreign press over and over again, there would be no guerrilla army.

Success statistics

Statistics in Formula 1

Grand Prix victories

Individual results

Le Mans results

Quotes

• "One of the best remedies for getting old is dozing at the wheel of a moving car. "
• "How I won? I am always moved slightly faster than that of the runner. "
• To the remark of Enzo Ferrari, it was an honor to drive for Ferrari, " Fangio needs no honor, Fangio has honor enough."