Juan Manuel Fangio

Biography of Juan Manuel Fangio

Juan Manuel Fangio will stand the test of time to remain one of the greats of F1.

The Argentine made his name during F1's first decade of competition, winning five titles in the 1950s with four different manufacturers - a feat that has never been matched.

Fangio is also the oldest F1 champion having taken his last crown aged 46, with only Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton bettering his tally.

In 52 entries, Fangio won 24 times across stints with Ferrari, Maserati, Mercedes and Alfa Romeo, with various analytical studies suggesting he is the greatest driver in the sport's history.

Across seven contested championships, Fangio never once finished lower than second in the championship. In 1950, he missed out to Giuseppe Farina despite taking three victories.

Another three victories would follow in 1951 as he took his first title with Alfa Romeo, before the Italian outfit missed 1952 due to a change in regulations.

Fangio agreed to race for Maserati at Monza that year having missed the start of the season due to Alfa's withdrawal, but a broken neck sustained in a crash at the race would enforce a lay-off.

When the Argentine returned for 1953, three retirements would stop his season from kicking off. Yet a succession of podiums and late victories would still be enough for second in the standings.

Title number two followed a year later, split between Maserati and Mercedes, with Fangio winning seven of the nine events that year. Another three would follow in 1955, 1956 and 1957 with his win ratio still unbeaten as of today.

Fangio retired after the 1958 French Grand Prix, with his legacy everlasting in F1 folklore.