Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio was an iconic Argentine racing driver, born on June 24, 1911, in Balcarce, Argentina, to Italian immigrant parents. He developed a passion for automobiles early on, starting his career as a mechanic before venturing into racing in his late twenties. Fangio's breakthrough came with victories in endurance races, notably the Gran Premio Internacional del Norte in 1940 and 1942. His international fame grew in the post-World War II era as he competed in Formula One, where he became known for his exceptional skill and strategy on the track.
Fangio secured his first world championship in 1951, followed by four consecutive championships from 1954 to 1957, showcasing his dominance in the sport. Notably, he achieved a remarkable victory at the Nürburgring in 1957, solidifying his legendary status. Over his career, he won a total of 24 Grand Prix races, a record at the time, and became a national hero in Argentina. After retiring in 1958, Fangio continued to contribute to motorsport as the president of Mercedes-Benz Argentina and established a racetrack in his hometown. His legacy endures as a symbol of excellence and determination in the world of auto racing.
Juan Manuel Fangio
Automobile Racer
- Born: June 24, 1911
- Birthplace: Balcarce, Argentina
- Died: July 17, 1995
- Place of death: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sport: Auto racing
Early Life
Juan Manuel Fangio was born on June 24, 1911, in Balcarce, Argentina. He was the youngest of four children, two boys and two girls. Juan’s parents were Italian immigrants. Because of the family’s poverty, Juan went to work at the age of ten, when he became an apprentice mechanic at a local garage. This job inspired his love of automobiles. Many of the cars in which Juan first raced, he built almost from scratch. Juan’s career as a driver had a late start, partly as a result of illness as a teenager. Success did not come overnight; he was in his late twenties before he began to win races regularly.
The Road to Excellence
In the years leading up to World War II, motor racing grew rapidly as a spectator sport. As a result, competition grew more intense, and the sport became highly organized. The number of cars with different engine capacities and body types grew, so that competition had to be strictly regulated. Technical improvements also meant longer races, making endurance an additional feature of competition.
Juan’s first important win came in 1940, in a race that placed almost impossible demands of endurance on both car and driver. This was the Gran Premio Internacional del Norte, a race from Buenos Aires to Lima, Peru, and back—a distance of approximately six thousand miles. Not even the rough roads on which Juan learned competitive driving prepared him for the race’s forbidding terrain and challenging variations of climate. In 1942, Juan repeated his success in this race; both times, he drove a Chevrolet.
In the period between his two Gran Premio victories, Juan won almost every Grand Prix race in Argentina—including four in 1942—and other endurance races. Beginning in 1942, war interrupted motorsports in Argentina for five years. When racing resumed, the dictator Juan Perón was in power. A reluctant Juan was recruited to be his country’s representative in international Grand Prix racing. At the age of thirty-six, and lacking high-level Formula One racing experience, Juan began to prepare for his greatest professional challenge. In 1949, he raced his sponsors’ Maserati against Europe’s top drivers.
The Emerging Champion
At that time, the world of Formula One racing consisted of a large number of races; of these, only a few awarded points toward the world championship. Largely centered on European tracks and drivers, the Formula One circuit was a test of Juan’s character and skill. In addition, he was more than just a participant in the sport. He was also an ambassador for his country.
Juan’s first season competing for the Formula One World Championship was successful. He had six victories in races that counted for the championship. The next year, 1950, he was invited to drive for the official Alfa Romeo team, and he was equally impressive. In both years, and for the rest of his career, Juan was also phenomenally successful in non-championship Grand Prix and endurance races, such as the Twenty-Four Hours of Le Mans, the Pan-American Road Race, and the Mille Miglia. In 1951, Juan won his first world championship in an Alfa Romeo. A brilliant beginning to the next season came to nothing after he suffered a serious accident, but he returned to place second in the world championship in 1953. In 1954, his skill and nerve began to raise his performances to legendary status, when he won the first of his four consecutive world championships. The Mercedes automobiles in which he won the 1954 and 1955 championships were, he said, his favorites. When Mercedes withdrew from Grand Prix competition, Juan became the number-one driver for Ferrari.
In 1957, his final world championship year, he returned to the Maserati team. He clinched the championship that year by placing first in twelve of the fourteen points-awarding races, and second in the other two. The high point of Juan’s 1957 season, and perhaps his most remarkable single achievement in Grand Prix racing, was in the German Grand Prix at the daunting Nürburgring. His ability to make the most of his car and deal with pressure produced a come-from-behind win. This race was the ultimate reward for all the hard work he had put in over the years. His days of apprenticeship gave Juan a remarkable sensitivity to the power and potential of his car, enabling him to win races when the competition seemed to have superior vehicles. His early experience in endurance races also trained him to respond quickly and decisively to the unexpected. The combination of knowledge, temperament, and skill made Juan a model of consistency and smoothness in one of the most dangerous sports.
Continuing the Story
Juan retired in 1958. He had won twenty-four Grand Prix races, at that time a remarkable achievement, particularly in view of the intense competition between manufacturers, the number of great young drivers in the early postwar period, and the promotion of Formula One racing as an international glamour sport. In terms of overall achievement, Juan’s career is more impressive than any of his competitors’. His number of total victories exceeds anyone else’s, as does his percentage of victories in races started.
Although Juan traveled and raced in some of the most fashionable and famous places in the world, he remained attached to his native Balcarce—and to Argentina. His achievements made him a national hero and brought international respect to his country. After his retirement, he returned home and established a racetrack at Balcarce. Later, he became president of the Argentina division of Mercedes-Benz. When Juan first came to Europe to race, he was not taken seriously because of his short stature and unathletic appearance. Like many other champions, Juan made his response at the proper time and place—in his car, taking the checkered flag.
Summary
Juan Manuel Fangio combined a finely tuned temperament with the courage and determination essential to effective competition at the highest level. His career illustrated how a blend of personality and skill can make an athlete resemble an artist.
Bibliography
Donaldson, Gerald. Juan Manuel Fangio: The Life Behind the Legend. London: Virgin, 2003.
Ludvigsen, Karl E., and Rodolfo Mailander. Juan Manuel Fangio: Motor Racing’s Grand Master. Newbury Park, Calif.: Haynes North America, 1999.
Nygaard, Peter. Juan Manuel Fangio: Photo Album. Hudson, Wis.: Iconografix, 1999.
Walker, Rob. “Nürburgring 1957.” Road and Track 53, no. 3 (November, 2001): 156-157.