Maserati honoured one of its favourite ‘sons’ with a reminder of what would have been the 100th birthday of Juan Manuel Fangio
Celebrations are to continue here in the UK at the Goodwood Revival 2011, for me still the best event on the calendar 16-18 September 2011, Maserati a proud sponsor of the Goodwood Revival 2011 will have a feature tribute to Juan Manuel Fangio, on the centenary of his birth and 60th anniversary of the legend winning the first of his five world championships.
Fangio, nicknamed El Maestro or El Chueco (“knock- kneed”) was born in Balcarce, Argentina on 24 June 1911. Fangio’s name will be forever linked with some of the greatest of motorsport’s accomplishments. A winner of Five Formula One World Championships, Fangio took two of his titles in Maseratis, Taking the trophies 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. You can always see a Maserati 250F hurtling around the circuit at Goodwood Revival and the sound is incredible.
On August 4, 1957, Fangio 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 min 48 s 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.
Maserati are at the Salon Prive this week with the launch of the Gran Turismo MC Stradale and are always in attendance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed July 1-3rd July 2011
The home of Maserati cars and the Maserati Story App for iPad or iPhone (in Italian only but Great Pics)
