Brought to you by TJ13 contributor The Grumpy Jackal
On this Day in F1 1957 – Argentina celebrates as Fangio wins at home
On this day, almost sixty years ago, one of the greatest artisans of Formula One opened his season with victory in his home race.
The four time champion, Juan Manuel Fangio had left the Ferrari squad – that he had won the previous years campaign with – and joined the Maserati team.
The iconic 250F, recognised as one the most beautiful machines ever to be entered in competition would carry the Argentinian to his fifth and final world title. This would remain a record until Michael Schumacher surpassed it in 2003.
Fangio would go on to claim a further three victories that season including what is rated as one the greatest ever races – the 1957 German Grand Prix. He retired following the 1958 French GP when he placed fourth but with his legend secured.
Way back in 1989 I went to my first IMSA race in San Diego where his nephew, Juan Manuel Fangio II finished second.
I had never seen anything like those cars live.
In 1958 Cuba organized a F1 race, while Castro’s revolution was well underway. Fangio was picked up by a revolutionary the night before the race. He fibbed the kidnapper that they couldn’t take Stirling Moss “because he was on his honeymoon” (which wasn’t true). Maurice Trintignant took Fangio’s Maserati to complete the race. In the meantime Fangio was released with the apologies of Castro, and was even offered to follow the race on the radio.
And they became friends.