Auto Race Car Driver. He was born in Balcarce, Provincia de Buenos Aires, son of an Italian inmigrant family. At age of 11 the began to work as an apprentice in a mechanic shop. There he learned the basics of driving. His first race was in 1936, when he and his friends converted a borrowed 1929 Ford A taxi cab in a "racer" for a weekend. His first important victory came in 1940 in the popular Turismo Carretera category. He clinched the Turismo Carretera championship in 1940 and 1941, driving a Chevrolet. The races were stopped in Argentina between 1942 and 1946. In 1949 Fangio made his European debut, winning a total of six out of ten races. In 1950 Fangio joined the Alfa Romeo team, finishing the first Formula One Championship as vice-champion. In 1951, still with Alfa, he clinched his first World Championship. After a terrible accident in 1952, in 1954 he started a series of four consecutive World Championships (1954 with Maserati and Mercedes Benz, 1955 with Mercedes Benz, 1956 with Ferrari and 1957 with Maserati). He retired in 1958 at age 47, of the 51 Grand Prix he started he won 24 of them and placed second in another 10. After his retirement, he was the public image of Mercedes Benz and an ambassador of Argentine motorsport around the world. In 1986 he settled the Fangio Foundation and the Fangio Museum at his hometown, where are displayed many of the cars he drove and all his trophies and awards.
Auto Race Car Driver. He was born in Balcarce, Provincia de Buenos Aires, son of an Italian inmigrant family. At age of 11 the began to work as an apprentice in a mechanic shop. There he learned the basics of driving. His first race was in 1936, when he and his friends converted a borrowed 1929 Ford A taxi cab in a "racer" for a weekend. His first important victory came in 1940 in the popular Turismo Carretera category. He clinched the Turismo Carretera championship in 1940 and 1941, driving a Chevrolet. The races were stopped in Argentina between 1942 and 1946. In 1949 Fangio made his European debut, winning a total of six out of ten races. In 1950 Fangio joined the Alfa Romeo team, finishing the first Formula One Championship as vice-champion. In 1951, still with Alfa, he clinched his first World Championship. After a terrible accident in 1952, in 1954 he started a series of four consecutive World Championships (1954 with Maserati and Mercedes Benz, 1955 with Mercedes Benz, 1956 with Ferrari and 1957 with Maserati). He retired in 1958 at age 47, of the 51 Grand Prix he started he won 24 of them and placed second in another 10. After his retirement, he was the public image of Mercedes Benz and an ambassador of Argentine motorsport around the world. In 1986 he settled the Fangio Foundation and the Fangio Museum at his hometown, where are displayed many of the cars he drove and all his trophies and awards.
Bio by: 380W
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