Juan Manuel Fangio

1911–⁠1995

Contents

Part One · The life

  1. IBalcarce
  2. IIThe roads of Argentina
  3. IIITo Europe
  4. IVThe seasons
  5. VThe Nürburgring
  6. VIHavana
  7. VIIAfter racing

Part Two · The man

  1. VIIIRivals and friends
  2. Fangio and Moss
  3. IXIn his words
  4. What they said
  5. XThe machines
  6. XIThe people around him
  7. XIIFangio and Argentina

Part Three · Legacy

  1. XIIILegacy

The seasons

Reference

Reference

Timeline A life in dates, from Balcarce and back

Juan Manuel Fangio’s life in dated events, from his grandfather’s arrival in 1887 to the move of his remains into his museum in 2021, each linked to a chapter.

My luck had protected me that far: I should not rely on it much longer.

Juan Manuel Fangio attributed, on his last race, as quoted in Motor Sport’s obituary (1995)
A lone open touring car climbs a gravel road at the foot of a huge, pale mountainside streaked with dark scrub, two figures standing by the road further back.
A touring car on a mountain road in the Andes during the Gran Premio Internacional, from Caras y Caretas of 19 February 1936, eight months before Fangio’s first race. He is not in the picture. Caras y Caretas / Archivo General de la Nación Argentina · Public domain

Timeline

The civil register of Balcarce gives the date of his birth as 23 June 1911. He was born 10 minutes past midnight, on St John’s Day, the 24th, and the 24th is the date this book keeps.

The dates below run from his grandfather’s arrival from the Abruzzo in 1887 to the moving of his remains into the museum at Balcarce in 2021, one line to an event, and each line leads to the chapter that tells it. They are the dates the research could fix. Where the sources disagree about a date, the event is left out rather than guessed: the year of his military service, 1931 or 1932, is one. An event known only to the month or the year is given to the month or the year. Drawn to scale, his championship years fill barely a tenth of his life.

Timeline

Balcarce, 1887–⁠1934

An Italian family on the pampa, and a boy who swept garage floors and learned to drive there. Balcarce tells his first 23 years.

  1. Grandfather Giuseppe Fangio emigrates from Castiglione Messer Marino (province of Chieti, Abruzzo) and settles near Balcarce, working as a charcoal-burner and harvest hand.

  2. Loreto Fangio marries Herminia Déramo, of Tornareccio (Chieti); they settle at Calle 13 in Balcarce.

  3. Juan Manuel Fangio born at Calle 13 No. 321, Balcarce, on St John’s Day, fourth of six children; the register records 23 June.

  4. Starts primary school at School No. 4, Balcarce; moves to School No. 1 in fourth grade.

  5. At Capettini’s garage he starts a chain-drive Panhard et Levassor to clear the floor when sweeping: his first time at the controls.

  6. Joins Raimundo Carlini’s Rugby dealership and learns to drive.

  7. Moves to the Estévez Ford agency (chief mechanic Guillermo Spain) and, at 13, to Miguel Viggiano’s Studebaker workshop.

  8. Owns his first car, a four-cylinder Overland taken in part-payment of wages; falls ill with pleurisy and rests for almost a year.

  9. Plays inside-right for Club Rivadavia; boxes briefly.

  10. Rides with his brother-in-law José Brujas Font in a 1929 Plymouth on the “La Chata” dirt circuit, Balcarce.

  11. Workshop moves to Boulevard del Valle and Calle 14; Bernardo Duffard joins.

Timeline

Argentina, then Europe, 1936–⁠1949

A first race under an assumed name, two Turismo Carretera titles, the crash in Peru, and a season with Argentina’s team in Europe. The roads of Argentina and To Europe tell them.

  1. First race as a driver, unofficial, at Benito Juárez, under the pseudonym “Rivadavia” in a Ford Model A taxi; retires third, two laps from the end.

  2. Disqualified at Gonzales Chaves for arriving late.

  3. “La Chata”, Balcarce, in a borrowed Buick; the gear lever comes off at the start and he races jammed in third.

  4. Official debut, Necochea, in a Ford V8 bought with friends’ help: third in his heat, seventh in the final.

  5. First Turismo Carretera race, as co-driver to Luis Finocchietti (Ford 1937, No. 28) in the Gran Premio Argentino de Carreteras; drives most of the way; 7th.

  6. Tres Arroyos 400 km, eighth; stopped after a fatal accident.

  7. First Turismo Carretera race as driver, Gran Premio Argentino, in a black 1939 Chevrolet coupé bought by public subscription in Balcarce.

  8. In the restarted “Gran Premio Extraordinario” wins the Catamarca–San Juan stage and finishes fifth.

  9. Gran Premio Internacional del Norte starts at midnight outside the River Plate stadium, 92 starters, 9,445 km in 13 stages.

  10. Wins the Gran Premio Internacional del Norte, green 1940 Chevrolet coupé No. 26, co-driver Héctor Tieri: his first major win, and the title that followed was Chevrolet’s first in the category.

  11. Argentine Turismo Carretera champion.

  12. Wins the Gran Premio Getúlio Vargas in Brazil (3,730 km, seven stages) with Antonio Elizalde, beating Oscar Gálvez.

  13. Wins the Mil Millas Argentinas.

  14. Argentine Turismo Carretera champion for the second time.

  15. Anselmo Aieta’s tango “Fangio” is first performed at the Café Nacional, Buenos Aires.

  16. Wins the first “Mar y Sierras” race.

  17. Racing suspended in Argentina because of the war.

  18. Returns in Mecánica Nacional at the Retiro circuit, Buenos Aires, in “La Negrita” (Ford T chassis, Chevrolet engine): third.

  19. Rosario: wins the Mecánica Nacional race and so qualifies to start the international race won by Achille Varzi, in which he is sixth.

  20. Wins the Gran Premio de Montevideo in the Volpi-Chevrolet.

  21. Wins the Premio Primavera, Playa Grande, Mar del Plata.

  22. Wins the “Doble Vuelta de Sierra de la Ventana” (Turismo Carretera), his first road race after the war.

  23. First drive in a Grand Prix car: a Maserati 4CL, Palermo circuit, Buenos Aires.

  24. Wins the Vuelta de Pringles (Turismo Carretera).

  25. Wins the Vuelta de Entre Ríos (Turismo Carretera).

  26. European debut at Reims for Amédée Gordini: retires from the small-capacity race and from the Grand Prix de l’ACF in a Simca-⁠Gordini.

  27. Start of the Gran Premio de la América del Sur, Buenos Aires–Caracas.

  28. Crashes at night near Huanchaco, north of Lima, on the seventh stage; co-driver Daniel Urrutia killed.

  29. Mil Millas Argentinas, second.

  30. First win against European Grand Prix drivers: “El Torreón”, Mar del Plata, Maserati 4CLT/48 in the blue and yellow of Argentina.

  31. Captain of the Automóvil Club Argentino’s “Achille Varzi” team, based at Varzi’s home town of Galliate, near Novara.

  32. Wins the San Remo Grand Prix (Ospedaletti) on aggregate of two heats: first European win.

  33. Wins the Pau Grand Prix, 110 laps.

  34. Wins the Circuit du Roussillon, Perpignan.

  35. Wins the Marseille Grand Prix (Prado) in a 1.4-⁠litre Simca-⁠Gordini T15.

  36. Belgian Grand Prix: a piston fails while he is leading.

  37. Wins the Gran Premio dell’Autodromo (Formula 2), Monza, in the ACA’s new Ferrari 166 F2.

  38. Wins the Albi Grand Prix.

  39. Last Turismo Carretera race, Gran Premio de la República Argentina: second to Juan Gálvez.

  40. Receives from President Juan Perón a medal “Al Caballero del Deporte” on the balcony of the Casa Rosada.

Timeline

Alfa Romeo, and Monza, 1950–⁠1952

Runner-up in 1950, champion in 1951, then a summer of South American races and, in June 1952, the accident that cost him the season.

  1. Wins the Pau Grand Prix, Maserati 4CLT/48, Scuderia Achille Varzi.

  2. Wins the San Remo Grand Prix in his first race for Alfa Romeo (158).

  3. Mille Miglia, third, Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 with Zanardi.

  4. World Championship debut, British Grand Prix, Silverstone: retires.

  5. First World Championship win, Monaco Grand Prix.

  6. Wins the Belgian Grand Prix.

  7. Le Mans debut, Simca-⁠Gordini with José Froilán González: retires.

  8. Wins the French Grand Prix, Reims.

  9. Wins the Grand Prix des Nations, Geneva.

  10. Wins the Pescara Grand Prix.

  11. Italian Grand Prix: retires twice; runner-up in the championship, 27 points to Farina’s 30.

  12. Premiere of the Argentine feature film Fangio, el demonio de las pistas (Armando Bó, dir. Román Viñoly Barreto).

  13. Wins the 500 Millas de Rafaela in a Talbot-⁠Lago.

  14. Third in the Gran Premio Presidente Perón, Buenos Aires, in a 1939 Mercedes-⁠Benz W154.

  15. Wins the Swiss Grand Prix, Bremgarten.

  16. Le Mans with Louis Rosier, Talbot-⁠Lago: retires.

  17. Wins the French Grand Prix at Reims in Luigi Fagioli’s car.

  18. Wins the Bari Grand Prix.

  19. Wins the Spanish Grand Prix, Pedralbes, and his first World Championship.

  20. Wins the São Paulo Grand Prix, Interlagos, Ferrari 166.

  21. Wins the Quinta da Boa Vista Grand Prix, Rio de Janeiro.

  22. Wins the Premio Presidente Perón on the opening day of the Autódromo 17 de Octubre, Buenos Aires.

  23. Albi Grand Prix, BRM V16: retires.

  24. Ulster Trophy, Dundrod, BRM V16: retires.

  25. After an overnight journey by air and road from Northern Ireland, crashes on the second lap, at Lesmo, in the Monza Grand Prix (Formula 2, non-championship), Maserati A6GCM; broken neck.

  26. Misses the rest of the season: traction, then a plaster cast from torso to neck until 3 September; next race 18 January 1953.

Timeline

Maserati and Mercedes-Benz, 1953–⁠1955

Second to Alberto Ascari in 1953; champion in 1954 with two makes, and in 1955 with Mercedes-⁠Benz alone.

  1. Returns in the Argentine Grand Prix, Maserati: retires.

  2. Mille Miglia, second, Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM with Giulio Sala.

  3. Targa Florio, third, Maserati A6GCS shared with Sergio Mantovani.

  4. Le Mans, Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM with Onofre Marimón: retires.

  5. French Grand Prix, Reims: second, one second behind Mike Hawthorn.

  6. Wins the Gran Premio Supercortemaggiore, Merano, Alfa Romeo 6C 3000.

  7. Wins the Italian Grand Prix; championship runner-up to Ascari.

  8. Wins the Carrera Panamericana, Mexico, Lancia D24 with Gino Bronzoni.

  9. Wins the Argentine Grand Prix, Maserati 250F.

  10. Sebring 12 Hours, Lancia D24 with Eugenio Castellotti: retires.

  11. Wins the Belgian Grand Prix, his last race for Maserati before Mercedes-⁠Benz.

  12. Wins the French Grand Prix, Reims, on Mercedes-⁠Benz’s return, W196 streamliner; Karl Kling second.

  13. Onofre Marimón, his Maserati team-mate of 1953 and early 1954, killed in practice for the German Grand Prix, at Wehrseifen.

  14. Wins the German (European) Grand Prix, Nürburgring.

  15. Wins the Swiss Grand Prix and his second title.

  16. Wins the Italian Grand Prix.

  17. Tourist Trophy, Dundrod: second, sharing Piero Taruffi’s Lancia D24.

  18. Spanish Grand Prix, Pedralbes: third.

  19. Wins the Argentine Grand Prix in extreme heat (air 35°C, track 52°C).

  20. Wins the Buenos Aires Grand Prix (Formula Libre) on aggregate, W196.

  21. Mille Miglia, second, alone in a Mercedes-⁠Benz 300 SLR.

  22. Monaco Grand Prix: retires from the lead.

  23. Wins the Eifelrennen, Nürburgring, 300 SLR.

  24. Wins the Belgian Grand Prix.

  25. Le Mans, 300 SLR with Stirling Moss: withdrawn by Mercedes-⁠Benz after the disaster.

  26. Wins the Dutch Grand Prix.

  27. British Grand Prix, Aintree: second, 0.2 s behind Moss; the result makes him champion for the third time (Moss can no longer catch him).

  28. Wins the Swedish Grand Prix, Kristianstad, 300 SLR.

  29. Wins the Italian Grand Prix, the W196’s last race (the title already his since Aintree).

  30. Tourist Trophy, Dundrod: second with Kling.

  31. Targa Florio: second with Kling.

  32. Wins the Venezuelan Grand Prix, Caracas, Maserati 300S.

  33. Awarded the Tazio Nuvolari prize (a gold tortoise) by the Italian press at Mantua.

Timeline

The last seasons, 1956–⁠1958

A fourth title with Ferrari in 1956, a fifth with Maserati in 1957, and in 1958 a kidnapping, practice at Indianapolis and a last race at Reims.

  1. Wins the Argentine Grand Prix in Luigi Musso’s Lancia-⁠Ferrari.

  2. Buenos Aires 1000 km with Castellotti: retires.

  3. Wins the Buenos Aires Grand Prix, held at Mendoza, Lancia-⁠Ferrari D50.

  4. Wins the Sebring 12 Hours with Castellotti, Ferrari 860 Monza.

  5. Wins the Syracuse Grand Prix.

  6. Mille Miglia, fourth, Ferrari 290 MM.

  7. Monaco Grand Prix: second in Peter Collins’s car.

  8. Nürburgring 1000 km, second with Castellotti.

  9. Wins the British Grand Prix.

  10. Wins the German Grand Prix.

  11. Italian Grand Prix: after his own car’s steering arm breaks, Collins hands over his car on lap 35; second place. The title is his (fourth), secured when Collins’s own slim chance ended; the 3 points for the shared second place were not counted under the best-five rule.

  12. Back at Maserati, wins the Argentine Grand Prix.

  13. Buenos Aires 1000 km, Maserati 450S with Moss: retires (transmission).

  14. Wins the Buenos Aires Grand Prix on aggregate in an intense heatwave.

  15. Wins the Cuban Grand Prix, Havana, Maserati 300S.

  16. Wins the Sebring 12 Hours with Jean Behra, Maserati 450S.

  17. Wins the Monaco Grand Prix.

  18. Wins the Portuguese Grand Prix (sports cars), Monsanto, Lisbon, Maserati 300S.

  19. Wins the French Grand Prix, Rouen-les-Essarts.

  20. Wins the German Grand Prix; fifth title; his last World Championship win.

  21. Pescara Grand Prix: second.

  22. Italian Grand Prix: second.

  23. British motoring writers’ “Driver of the Year” trophy; named “Ring-Meister” of the Nürburgring, with a diamond star, and received as a guest of honour by President Theodor Heuss.

  24. Wins sports-car races at Interlagos and Boa Vista, Brazil, Maserati 300S.

  25. Argentine Grand Prix: fourth, from pole.

  26. Buenos Aires 1000 km, Maserati 300S: retires.

  27. Wins the Buenos Aires Grand Prix on aggregate: his last race win.

  28. Kidnapped from the lobby of the Hotel Lincoln, Havana, by the 26th of July Movement on the eve of the Cuban Grand Prix.

  29. Cuban Grand Prix held without him (Trintignant drives his Maserati 450S); he had been fastest in practice; released to the Argentine embassy late that night, about 27 hours after the kidnapping.

  30. Indianapolis: spins on 4 May, passes his rookie test on 8 May, withdraws on 15 May without attempting to qualify.

  31. “Race of Two Worlds” (500 Miles of Monza), Dean Van Lines Special: retires.

  32. Last race: French Grand Prix, Reims, fourth; retires from racing.

Timeline

After racing, 1958–⁠2021

Mercedes-⁠Benz Argentina, a museum in the old town hall of Balcarce, his death in 1995 and three sons recognised after it. After racing tells them, and Legacy the honours.

  1. Made Commendatore of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.

  2. Honorary president of Argentina’s national motor-sport commission.

  3. Honorary president and co-founder of the Club International des Anciens Pilotes de Grand Prix F1.

  4. Leads the Argentine Torino team at the 84 Hours of the Nürburgring.

  5. Autódromo Juan Manuel Fangio opened at Balcarce.

  6. Death of his father, Loreto.

  7. President of Mercedes-⁠Benz Argentina.

  8. Death of his mother, Herminia.

  9. Cardiac episode after a 300 SLR demonstration in Dubai.

  10. Quintuple coronary bypass by Dr René Favaloro.

  11. Gives trophies and cars to the municipality of Balcarce for a future museum.

  12. Creates the Fundación Juan Manuel Fangio with Juan Manuel Bordeu.

  13. Museo Juan Manuel Fangio inaugurated in Balcarce.

  14. Surgery for a benign kidney tumour; kidney problems worsen; meets Ayrton Senna in Buenos Aires.

  15. Last time at the wheel of a racing car, an Alfa Romeo 159 at a historic event in Sardinia.

  16. Dies in Buenos Aires, aged 84.

  17. Lies in state at the Casa Rosada, the Automóvil Club Argentino and the museum; buried on 18 July in the family pantheon, Balcarce cemetery.

  18. Rubén Vázquez files a paternity claim at La Plata.

  19. Remains exhumed at Balcarce for DNA samples in two paternity cases, then returned to the pantheon.

  20. DNA confirms Óscar “Cacho” Espinosa as his son.

  21. DNA confirms Rubén Vázquez as his son.

  22. A DNA comparison with Espinosa shows Juan Carlos Rodríguez to be his paternal half-brother (97.4%).

  23. The Mar del Plata courts confirm Rodríguez’s filiation: a third son.

  24. “Tributo a Fangio”: remains carried by gun-carriage from the cemetery and placed in a mausoleum inside the museum.

Sources