Tribute to Fangio (Upd. check his fluid style)

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Nearly 100 years ago, on June 24th 1911, a legend was born in Argentine: Juan Manuel Fangio, five times World Champion Formula I. In 1936, aged 25, he competed in his first race in a converted Ford taxi, but after WW II made the switch from rebuilt standard passenger cars to thoroughbred racing cars. In 1950, he came second in the World Championships driving for Alfa Romeo, and earned his first world title with the Alfa in 1951. His second World Championship title came in 1954 with Mercedes; three more followed, in 1995, with Ferrari in 1956 and again Maserati in 1957. The following year, the Argentinean called an end to his racing career at the age of 47. He died in Buenos Aires on July 17th 1995. Today, tributes to Juan Manuel Fangio include five identical life-size bronze sculptures depicting Fangio together with the W 196 R. They can be found in front of the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, outside the Mercedes-Benz headquarters in Buenos Aires, as well as at the Nürburgring, Monza and Monaco circuits. There is also a Fangio Museum in his birthplace Balcarce, run by a local association. Featuring numerous vehicles and other exhibits, it is dedicated to Fangio’s life story.

(photo statue by editor RB; the other photo of Fangio at Reims in 1954 with the streamlined W 196 R courtesy Daimler AG)

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