Juan Manuel Fangio facts for kids
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| Formula One World Championship career | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Argentinian |
| Active years | 1950 - 1951, 1953 - 1958 |
| Teams | Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Mercedes, Ferrari |
| Entries | 52 |
| Championships | 5 |
| Wins | 24 |
| Podiums | 31 |
| Pole positions | 29 |
| Fastest laps | 23 |
| First entry | 1950 British Grand Prix |
| First win | 1950 Monaco Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1957 German Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1958 French Grand Prix |
| Signature |  |
Juan Manuel Fangio Déramo (born June 24, 1911 – died July 17, 1995) was an incredible Argentinian racing car driver. People called him El Chueco ("the bowlegged one") or El Maestro ("The Master"). He was famous for dominating the early years of Formula One racing.
Fangio won the World Drivers' Championship five times. This was a record that stood for 47 years! He achieved this amazing feat with four different teams. Many people consider him one of the greatest F1 drivers ever. He won 24 out of the 53 Formula One races he entered.
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Fangio's Early Life and Career
Juan Manuel Fangio started his journey with cars at a young age. He left school to work as an auto mechanic. This helped him learn a lot about how cars work.
In 1938, he began his racing career in Turismo Carretera in Argentina. He drove a Ford V8. By 1940, he switched to Chevrolet and won the Grand Prix International Championship. He also became the Argentine Turismo Carretera champion, defending his title the next year.
After his success in Argentina, Fangio raced in Europe. He competed there between 1947 and 1949. These races helped him become even more skilled and famous.
A Champion Driver
Fangio won the World Championship of Drivers five times. This was a huge achievement. He won with four different teams: Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, and Maserati. No other driver has done this.
He holds the highest winning percentage in Formula One history. He won 24 of the 53 races he started. This shows how incredibly good he was. Fangio is also the only Argentine driver to win the Argentine Grand Prix. He won it four times, more than any other driver.
The Kidnapping Incident
On February 23, 1958, something very unusual happened. Two gunmen from Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement kidnapped Fangio. This took place at the Hotel Lincoln in Havana, Cuba.
The rebels wanted to get attention for their cause. Kidnapping the most famous racing driver in the world was a way to do this. Fangio was held for 29 hours. He was moved to three different houses.
His captors talked to him about their plans. Fangio said he wasn't interested in politics. He soon realized he was not in danger. He even became friendly with his captors. He was released safely and remained friends with them. This event was later made into an Argentine film called Operación Fangio.
Fangio's Personal Life
In the early 1950s, Fangio was in a road accident. He had to swerve to avoid a truck. His car hit a pole and he was thrown out. He only got some scraped elbows. One person said it was the first time Fangio had been so scared since the Korean War.
Fangio never married. However, he had a son with Andrea Berruet. They separated in 1960. His nephew, Juan Manuel Fangio II, also became a successful racing driver.
Later Life and Legacy
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After retiring from racing, Fangio continued to be involved with cars. He sold Mercedes-Benz cars. He also often drove his old racing cars in special events. He became the President of Mercedes-Benz Argentina in 1974. Later, he was named its Honorary President for Life in 1987.
In 1975, Fangio was the flagman for the Winston 500 NASCAR race. He was also a special guest at the 1978 Australian Grand Prix. There, he drove his 1954 and 1955 World Championship-winning Mercedes-Benz W196.
Fangio loved collecting things from his racing career. This led to the creation of the Museo Juan Manuel Fangio. This museum opened in his hometown of Balcarce in 1986.
In 1990, Fangio was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Juan Manuel Fangio passed away in Buenos Aires in 1995. He was 84 years old. He was buried in Balcarce.
Many people still consider Fangio to be the greatest driver of all time. In Argentina, he is a national hero. People often call him El Maestro, el mejor, which means "The Master, the best one."
Six statues of Fangio can be found at race tracks around the world. These include places like Monte Carlo, Nürburgring, and Monza. His museum in Balcarce continues to celebrate his life.
In 2013, one of his Mercedes-Benz W196R Formula 1 race cars was sold for a record $30 million. This shows how important and valued his legacy is.
Images for kids
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1950 Simca Gordini T15s, as raced, and retired, at the 1950 24 Hours of Le Mans by José Froilán González and Juan Manuel Fangio
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Fangio at the 1954 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring
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Fangio being chased by Alberto Ascari during the 1954 Italian Grand Prix.
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Fangio at the 1957 Argentine Grand Prix in Buenos Aires
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Fangio driving a Maserati 250F.
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Fangio after winning the 1957 German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring.
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Mercedes W196 F1 car in Buenos Aires
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Juan Manuel Fangio driving a Mercedes-Benz W196 in the 1986 Oldtimer Grand Prix at the Nürburgring
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See also
In Spanish: Juan Manuel Fangio para niños
