A tribute to Fangio

[DaveKillens]

A bronze statue of F1's late five time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio has been unveiled in his native Argentina. Although reports in the media said the tribute in capital Buenos Aires came after 'months of delays', the fitting memorial features a life sized Mercedes-Benz W196, Fangio's most famous mount.

http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=103416

What can I say, Fangio was truly one of the greatest drivers of all time. Not only did his exploits on the track be acts of legend, but he conducted himself with grace and as a gentleman. On a personal note, I consider his drive at the 1957 Nurburgring as the greatest drive of all time, by anyone.

http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/fangio_bio.htm

Please folks, do not turn this post into an argument of who's better or anything like a debate. This is just to remember and honor a man who without doubt, set a standard and made an impression on the motor racing world.

I have heroes, this man was one.

[manchild]

That seams to be identical statue as the one in Monaco.

Buenos Aires - http://www.buenosairesherald.com/servle ... edia=32655

Monaco - http://www.andycam.net/albums/monaco03/ ... .sized.jpg

[Belatti]

Today is the 13th anniversary of Juan Manuel Fagio´s death.

Before starting a thread I searched if there was one and I found this little one started 3 years ago. Like Dave, I have Heroes, too. One from Argentina, one from Canada and one from Brazil to be precise. I wanna remark Dave´s quote:

Please folks, do not turn this post into an argument of who's better or anything like a debate

This being said first, I think each one was unique at their era.


To Juan Manuel, some pictures to enjoy



A very young (and haired) Fangio in 1939, with his damaged Chevrolet. The race started Octuber 29th and finished November 5th.



Original (traduced by me ) epigraph:
Fangio´s Chevrolet entering La Plata city. This boy from Balcarce produced a great performance. He is a very good driver in bad roads. It is the first time he races as a Driver. Before he was co-driving Finochetti.


The Silverarrow Mercedes W196 in full color.



Italy GP, 1957.



Driving his 250F, the car of the heroic deed in the green hell.






In La Habana, Cuba, early 80´s visiting his formers kidnappers. That story was amazing: he could not race but he saw it all on TV: 6 deaths and 30 hurt people in than race. He told his kidnapers: "You have saved my life, later I will thank you all". When he was liberated, they say goodbye to each other like if they were friends and more than 20 years later Juan went to Cuba to visit them. Amazing!



"Juan Manuel Fangio" racetrack in his native Balcarce, below La Barrosa hill.

[Belatti]

And some others...


Powerslide?


With his "son".


19 WDC in one picture!

[Spencifer_Murphy]

A truely great driver, I agree we shouldn't get into a debate about who was better than who, but on a personal note Juan Manuel Fangio was the Greatest Formula One Driver of all time.

The Meistro indeed.

[Ciro Pabón]

Thanks, Belatti, nice pictures, they go straight into the "special" album.

"You need great passion, because everything you do with great pleasure, you do well."

"They are races of cars, not of men".

"It's easy: I accelerate more and brake less".

"Senna was the only one, at any time, that asked me for advice".

"He's the best driver I saw" (on Jim Clark). Sorry, Dave, that's him giving his opinion... You know the surefire way to know who's best: the best do not think they're the best.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_Kzlk9HTP8[/youtube]

Actually, you have three kind of geniuses: the geniuses of the first kind, recognized while alive. Then, the geniuses of the second kind, recognized when dead (when humanity reaches their level). Then, of course, you have geniuses of the third kind: we will never understand them, we will never reach their level. That means we will never know who's the best: we are not able to understand his greatness...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zaM-KbXyoo[/youtube]

Rest in peace, Chueco.

[segedunum]

A great driver indeed. He was the reason why Moss could never quite win a championship, always in the way, and even in his forties he never lost his edge and retired as good as he ever was. He also agreed with me about Jim Clark:

"That boy Clark is the greatest driver in the world!" - Monza, 1967

[Belatti]

I have seen Fangio videos lots of times, but this it is the first time that while watching it I think to myself: any simple mistake, a crash and theres no way you can escape death in that track!

What Fangio relates in the video is simply beautiful: his tone denotes humility, he has the accent of a man from the country.

"When a car is good and engine sounds harmoniously, the noise transforms in music and the driver is like a orchest director."

Also os to note the understeer in corners entry and oversteer at the exit.

[Belatti]

Fangio´s last race in 1958 with a Maserati?

Or in 1978 with a Silver Arrow?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeQ_jVjB ... r_embedded[/youtube]

Enjoy this one my friends....

[donskar]

Never had the pleasure of seeing him race (I'm not THAT old). But I can not remembering ever reading ANYTHING that would cause me to rate Fangio anything less than the best ever. (No flames or debate, please. Purely personal belief.) And as I get older, I appreciate more and more what Fangio achieved at his age.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Wow Belatti,

Great post. =D>

Where was it? Australia??

[Carlos]

Pure pleasure to watch Belatti. Enjoyed your comments on Ciro's video post. Thanks to both of you, for the videos.

[Caito]

Other of his famous phrases are:

You have to be the best, but not believe you are the best.

To arrive first, first you have to arrive.

[Gary]

Wow Belatti,

Great post. =D>

Where was it? Australia??

It was at Sandown in 1978. That was quite a show they put on. Lump in the throat stuff, actually.

[lebesset]

wow , thanks for that belatti , wonder who enjoyed that most ...the crowd or the drivers remembering their salad days

of course the cars would have been a little quicker than when they were raced due to small improvements in tyre compounding ...and was the mercedes a sign of things to come ...looked a bit like 18 inch wheels to me

anyone who went to the LM24 last year will tell you who got the biggest reception from the crowd ......a certain sir stirling moss in his OSCA