(June 24, 1911-July 17, 1995)
Born in Belcarce, Argentina
Formula One driver
Won five world championships (1951,1954-57)
Nicknamed 'the Old Man' and 'the Maestro'

He entered his first race under an alias to keep his parents from learning about his new hobby.
After missing a connecting flight in Paris, he drove all night to make a race in Monza, Italy, then crashed due to fatigue, suffering a broken neck (1952).
He had little compunction about leaving a team after a successful year or during mid-season if he thought it would improve his chances.
This practice particularly ticked off Enzo Ferrari.

He won 24 of the 51 Grand Prix events he entered, which as of 2009 remains the best winning percentage.
With the notable exception of Monza in '52, he avoided unnecessary risks, commenting 'A crazy man finishes in the cemetery.'
While attending the Havana Grand Prix, he was kidnapped by rebels supporting Fidel Castro (1958); he was soon released and became good friends with his former captors.
When Michael Schumacher won a sixth championship to pass Fangio's total, he said 'Fangio is on a level much higher than I see myself.'

Credit: C. Fishel

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