Carlos Reutemann facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carlos Reutemann
Reutemann at Monza in 1981
National Senator for Santa Fe
In office 10 December 2003 – 7 July 2021
Preceded by	Oscar Lambert
Succeeded by	Alexandra Vucasovich
In office 10 December 1995 – 10 December 1999
Preceded by	Louis Rubeo
Succeeded by	Arturo Rolando di Pietro
Governor of Santa Fe
In office 10 December 1999 – 10 December 2003
Lieutenant	Marcelo Muniagurria
Preceded by	Jorge Obeid
Succeeded by	Jorge Obeid
In office 10 December 1991 – 10 December 1995
Lieutenant	Miguel Angel Robles
Preceded by	Víctor Reviglio
Succeeded by	Jorge Obeid
Personal details
Born	(1942-04-12)12 April 1942 Santa Fe, Argentina
Died	7 July 2021(2021-07-07) (aged 79) Santa Fe, Argentina
Political party	Justicialist Party
Other political affiliations	Cambiemos (2015–2019)

Carlos Alberto "Lole" Reutemann (born April 12, 1942 – died July 7, 2021) was a famous Argentine racing driver. He competed in Formula One races from 1972 to 1982. After his racing career, he became a politician in his home province of Santa Fe, Argentina. He even served as the governor of the province.

As a race car driver, Reutemann was one of the top competitors in Formula One. He won 12 Grand Prix races and earned six pole positions (starting first on the grid). In 1981, while driving for the Williams team, he almost won the World Drivers' Championship. He finished second by just one point in the very last race of the season. Reutemann also finished third overall three times with different teams: Brabham in 1975, Ferrari in 1978, and Williams in 1980. He was the last Argentine driver to win a Grand Prix race.

His best year for race wins was 1978 with Ferrari, where he won four times. However, the Lotus team was very consistent that year, and he couldn't catch up to Mario Andretti for the championship. Carlos Reutemann was also one of the few Formula One drivers to finish on the podium (top three) in a World Rally Championship event. He came in third place twice at the Rally Argentina in 1980 and 1985.

Later in his life, as a popular governor and a senator, many people thought he would run for President. He thought about it for the 2011 election but decided not to run. Reutemann passed away in Santa Fe, Argentina, on July 7, 2021, at 79 years old, after dealing with various health problems.

Carlos Reutemann's Racing Journey

Starting Out in Racing

Carlos Reutemann was the first successful Argentine Formula One driver since the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio retired in 1958. Carlos started racing in 1965 with a Fiat car. After racing touring cars and Formula 2 in Argentina, he moved to Europe in 1970. He joined the European Formula 2 series, driving for the Automobile Club of Argentina Team.

He quickly got noticed. In his very first race at Hockenheim, he accidentally bumped into Austrian Formula One driver Jochen Rindt. Even after that, he managed to finish fourth. The next year, he came in a close second in the series to Sweden's Ronnie Peterson.

His Early Formula One Years

Reutemann's first Formula One race in Argentina, 1972.

Reutemann driving his Brabham BT44 in England, 1974.

Brabham F1 team boss Bernie Ecclestone hired Reutemann for the 1972 season. In his very first Grand Prix race, the 1972 Argentine Grand Prix, he started in pole position (first place on the starting grid). This was a huge achievement, as only one other driver had done this before. He finished that race in seventh place.

In 1973, Reutemann got two podium finishes (top three) and ended up seventh in the Drivers' Championship. For 1974, he drove the improved BT44 car. He won his first three F1 races that year in South Africa, Austria, and the United States. He almost won the first race of the year in Argentina but ran out of fuel near the end. Even with three wins, he finished sixth overall because of some inconsistent performances.

In 1975, he had five podium finishes, including a win in Germany at the famous Nürburgring track. This helped him finish third in the championship that year. In 1976, the Brabham team switched to a new engine, which caused many problems. After many race retirements, Reutemann left Brabham to join Ferrari.

Reutemann with racing legend Juan Manuel Fangio in 1981.

For the 1977 season, Ferrari decided to keep Reutemann. In the first two races, he finished third in Argentina and won in Brazil. He even led the championship for a short time. However, his teammate Niki Lauda eventually became the team leader and won the championship. Reutemann finished fourth that year. He didn't have a great relationship with Ferrari's chief engineer, who found Reutemann's mood difficult.

Reutemann winning the 1978 USA Grand Prix.

Reutemann driving for Lotus at the 1979 Monaco Grand Prix.

In 1978, Reutemann became the main driver for Ferrari, joined by young Canadian Gilles Villeneuve. Reutemann won four races that year. His win in Britain was very memorable. However, the Lotus team was very strong, and Reutemann finished third in the championship. He also had a big crash in Spain after a tire problem.

In 1979, Reutemann moved from Ferrari to Lotus. The start of the season was good, with several second and third place finishes. But as the season went on, the team struggled. This move turned out to be bad timing, as Ferrari had a great comeback that year, with their drivers finishing first and second.

Racing with Williams

Joining the Williams team for 1980 put him back in a very fast car. The season started tough for him. He failed to win his home Grand Prix in Argentina after his engine broke down. He was so upset that he cried next to his car in front of everyone. But the season got much better! He won in Monaco and had eight podium finishes, ending up third in the championship. His partnership with teammate Alan Jones helped Williams win their first Constructors' Championship.

Two moments of Reutemann during the 1981 F1 season: (left): holding the "Reut-Jones" sign at the Argentine Grand Prix; (right): with Frank Williams at the Dutch Grand Prix

In 1981, his relationship with teammate Alan Jones became difficult. Reutemann didn't follow team orders in Brazil and refused to let Jones win. Jones never forgave him. Reutemann felt Jones didn't appreciate his help. Reutemann continued to score more points than Jones and was fighting for the championship until the very last race in Las Vegas.

He started the Las Vegas race in pole position, ahead of Jones. But during the race, Reutemann's car had gearbox problems, and he started losing positions. He finished eighth, and the championship went to Nelson Piquet. If an earlier non-championship race in South Africa had counted for points, Reutemann would have won the championship.

He returned with Williams for 1982 and finished second in South Africa. However, the Falklands War created tension between Argentina and the United Kingdom. Reutemann decided to leave the team and retire from racing after the Brazilian race. Many people thought he retired to focus on his political future.

Rallying Adventures

In 1980, while still in F1, Fiat asked Reutemann to drive a Fiat 131 in the first-ever Codasur Rally (now Rally Argentina). He finished in an impressive third place! In 1985, he raced in the Argentinian Rally again, this time for Peugeot. Driving a 205 T16, he once again finished in third place.

Carlos Reutemann's Political Career

Reutemann in 2003.

After retiring from racing, Carlos Reutemann was very popular. The Justicialist Party in Santa Fe asked him to run for governor. He won the election and served as governor for one four-year term (1991–1995). Because of the rules, he couldn't be re-elected right away. But he ran again in 1999 and won, serving another term until 2003. During these years, he became a very important politician in Santa Fe and Argentina.

His second term as governor happened during a tough time for Argentina. The country faced big economic problems. Reutemann's government in Santa Fe managed money carefully. They froze public workers' salaries and pensions to save money. Santa Fe was one of the few provinces that didn't borrow a lot of money, so it didn't get heavily into debt.

After the economic crisis in 2001, many people wanted Reutemann to run for president. He surprised many by saying no several times. Finally, in the 2003 election, he ran for and won a seat in the National Senate.

In 2006, he was honored by the President of Italy, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, and given the title Commendatore della Repubblica. In 2008, he presented a different plan for agriculture in the Senate. When his plan didn't pass, he created his own political group called "Santa Fe Federal." This group aimed to protect the interests of his home province.

He was re-elected to the Senate in 2009 and again in 2015. He supported Mauricio Macri in the presidential election that year. Carlos Reutemann passed away while still serving as a senator.

His Final Years

In May 2021, Carlos Reutemann was hospitalized due to internal bleeding. His health got worse, and he suffered from other issues like low blood count and dehydration. He passed away on July 7, 2021, at the age of 79. His daughter shared the sad news on social media.

Many important Argentine politicians, including former presidents Mauricio Macri, Alberto Fernández, and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, shared their condolences on Twitter.

Images for kids

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  Reutemann's debut in Formula One, the 1972 Argentine Grand Prix in Buenos Aires

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  Reutemann at the wheel of the Brabham BT44 during the 1974 Race of Champions at Brands Hatch, England

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  Reutemann with Juan Manuel Fangio at the 1981 Argentine Grand Prix

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  Reutemann driving his Ferrari 312T3 to victory at the 1978 USA Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, New York

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  Reutemann driving the Lotus 79 at the 1979 Monaco Grand Prix

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  Reutemann during the 1981 F1 season.

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  Reutemann with Frank Williams at the Dutch Grand Prix

See also

In Spanish: Carlos Reutemann para niños