A Tribute to Fangio (1959)

Born in the Argentine in 1911, this young man started work in a garage before driving for Ford then Maserati where he won his first F1 Grand Prix in San Remo. To Monaco in 1950 - and despite a nine-car pile up still he went on to win. In 1951, he secured his first world title and from here on his career, despite an injury in 1952, took off delivering consistency regardless of the car he was driving - Ferrari or Alfa Romeo. The Mille Miglia in 1953 then back to Maserati and a duel with Mike Hawthorn. 1954 sees the return of Mercedes with their almost space-age looking cars and his second world title. 1955 and Stirling Moss join Fangio at Mercedes and his third world title is earned. 1956 - Moss is now at Maserati, Hawthorn is at BRM and Fangio, at 45, is still winning the British GP. Even being kidnapped (in Cuba) couldn't stop his fourth title. In 1957 he concludes his full-time career at Maserati again, culminating in an astonishing victory at the Italian GP and a World Championship for the fifth time. He retired in 1958 and then returned to his homeland. Many of these races are covered with some remarkable camerawork that is edited together effectively giving us quite a thrilling sensation of his exhilaration as he drove a steadily improving series of motor cars that evolved aerodynamically and in terms of their ability to go faster. That, too is illustrated well with some on-board images that almost sucks you into the bends and the corners. The narration is a little adulatory, but it's also quite informative and if you're at all interested in the history of this man or of F1, then this is a must watch.

Feb 17, 2024