Born today in 1911, Juan Manuel Fangio.
Began racing at age 27 in an Argentine stock car venue in a car he'd built himself. Didn't get to F1 until seven weeks short of his 39th birthday.
Started in 51 GPs, took 29 poles, won 24 races and five WDCs (1951, 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1957). He drove, at different times, for Maserati, Mercedes and Ferrari. His five WDCs have been eclipsed but he won the fifth at an age of 46, a record unlikely ever to be touched.
In the run-up to the 1957 Cuban Grand Prix he was kidnapped by henchmen of Fidel Castro and shuttled around for 29 hours before being released unharmed, except for having missed the race.
Fangio died in 1995 at the age of 84 from kidney failure and pneumonia. His pall bearers included the president of Argentina, Carlos Reuteman, Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart.
¡Qué hombre! They don't make 'em like that any more.
I forgot what quite possibly is the most notable thing Fangio ever did. His drive at the ‘Ring in 1957.
https://us.motorsport.com/f1/news/juan-manuel-fangio-1957-german-gp/4803308/
It was as improbable a win as Greg Lemond overcoming a 50-second deficit in the final stage of the 1989 Tour de France, a time trial, to claim his second yellow jersey.
Jun 29, 1992 — Juan Manuel Fangio II won his fourth race of the season, the Camel Continental IX at Watkins Glen, N.Y. He collected $110,000, including ...