Roberto Mieres facts for kids
Mieres in 1953
|
|
| Born | 3 December 1924 Mar del Plata, Argentina |
|---|---|
| Died | 26 January 2012 (aged 87) Punta del Este, Uruguay |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  Argentine |
| Active years | 1953–1955 |
| Teams | Gordini, Maserati |
| Entries | 17 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Career points | 13 |
| Pole positions | 0 |
| Fastest laps | 1 |
| First entry | 1953 Dutch Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1955 Italian Grand Prix |
Roberto Casimiro Mieres (born December 3, 1924 – died January 26, 2012) was a cool racing driver from Mar del Plata, Argentina. He competed in 17 Formula One races, starting his first one on June 7, 1953. He earned a total of 13 championship points during his career.
Contents
Roberto Mieres: From Sports to Speed
Roberto Mieres was an amazing athlete who loved many different sports. He was good at rowing, sailing, rugby, and tennis. But he found his true passion in car racing!
Early Racing Days
Mieres started his racing journey in Argentina with an MG car. Later, he drove a powerful Mercedes-Benz SSK. He even raced a Bugatti that once belonged to a famous driver named Achille Varzi. With this Bugatti, he won the Argentine sports car championship!
His success led to an exciting trip to Europe. He went with other famous Argentine drivers like Juan Manuel Fangio. In 1950, he finished fourth in a race in Geneva, Switzerland. He was driving a Maserati 4CLT/48 Formula Two car.
Joining Formula One
After returning to Argentina, Mieres got a big chance. He joined the Gordini racing team. This allowed him to make his first appearance in a Formula One World Championship race. This was at the 1953 Dutch Grand Prix. He also raced in the French and Italian Grands Prix. His best finish that year was sixth place at Monza.
Mieres also did well in other races that weren't part of the championship. He finished fourth in the Grand Prix de l'Albigeois in France. In 1953, he came in third in a sports car race in Caen.
Exciting Moments on Track
In January 1954, Mieres took second place at the Buenos Aires Grand Prix. Later that year, something dramatic happened at the 1954 Belgian Grand Prix. The back of his Maserati caught fire! Luckily, he quickly stopped the car and jumped out to safety.
He continued to race well, finishing fifth at the 1954 British Grand Prix in his Maserati. In 1957, he drove a Jaguar to a fourth-place finish in a sports car race in Buenos Aires. Mieres even won a big race in 1959, the Daytona 1,000 km, which was a very important sports car event.
A Difficult Race Incident
At the 1958 Cuban Grand Prix, a serious accident happened. It's thought that an oil slick from Mieres' Porsche might have caused it. Mieres had to stop earlier in the race to fix an oil leak. A Ferrari driver later skidded on the oil and crashed.
Life After Racing: Sailing to the Olympics
After his racing career slowed down in the late 1950s, Roberto Mieres went back to another sport he loved: sailing! He was so good that he represented Argentina in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. He even competed against another former racing driver, Prince Bira. Mieres finished 17th, doing better than his old rival.
It's very rare for someone to compete in both Formula One and the Olympics. Only a few people have ever done it! Roberto Mieres passed away in Uruguay at the age of 87.
Images for kids
-
Mieres in 1953
