Maserati honours one of
its favourite ‘sons’ by reminding motor racing fans
around the world of what would have been the 100th
birthday of the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio, today,
June 24.
Celebrations will be held in the UK at the Goodwood
Revival (16-18 September), of which Maserati is a
sponsor. Their annual feature tribute will be to Juan
Manuel Fangio, on the centenary of his birth and 60th
anniversary of him winning the first of his five world
championships. A daily track parade will include a
variety of his most famous cars, to honour the life and
achievements of this incredible man.
Born in Balcarce,
Argentina on 24 June 1911, Fangio’s name will be forever
linked with some of the greatest accomplishments in the
history of motorsport.
A winner of five
Formula One World Championships, Fangio took two of his
titles in Maseratis, bringing the most coveted prize in
racing back to Maserati’s Modena home in 1954 and 1957.
Fangio will forever be
remembered for saving the greatest drive of his life to
win his fifth and final World Championship in a Maserati
250F. On August 4, 1957, he lost the lead at the
Nürburgring by pitting to refuel – an unheard-of
strategy at the time – but went on to drive an
incredible race, repeatedly smashing the lap record,
closing a 1 minute 48 second gap and overtaking the two
leading Ferraris to achieve his final grand prix
victory. At the end of the race, Fangio confessed that
he had driven "in a state of grace" and that it was the
best he had ever driven in his life.
The son of Italian
emigrants to Argentina, Fangio always maintained a
special relationship with Italy and, in particular, with
Modena and Maserati.
The echo of one of his
famous statements still resounds at Maserati’s
headquarters in viale Ciro Menotti in Modena: "I raced
and won with cars of all makes, but I always had a
special relationship with Maserati. Not only were they
safe and reliable cars always on the cutting edge of
technology, but there was a relationship of friendship
and a special atmosphere between the brand and I...felt
at home."