Profession:Auto Racer

Nationality:

Biography: Juan Manuel Fangio was an Argentine racing car drive, known variously as El Chueco ("the bowlegged") or El Maestro ("the master"). He was renowned for his dominance at the very outset of Formula One racing, during which period he won the championship title five times: 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957.

Fangio held the record for most times having won the World Championship of Drivers for 46 years untilMichael Schumacher overtook him. He is also the only Argentine driver to win the Argentine Grand Prix, a record which he maintains to this day.

In 1958, Fangio was to participate in the non-Formula One Cuban Grand Prix in Havana. Just prior to the event, which he had won the year prior and for which he had set the fastest times during practice runs, Fangio was kidnapped from his hotel. He was held for three days by members ofFidel Castro's movement in an attempt to embarrass the regime of then-PresidentFulgencio Batista.

Born:June 24,1911
Birthplace: Balcarce, Argentina

Generation:Greatest Generation
Chinese Zodiac:Pig
Star Sign:Cancer

Died:July 16,1995 (aged 84)
Cause of Death:Kidney failure

• 1950-09-03 Giuseppe "Nino" Farina wins inaugural Formula 1 World Drivers' Championship by taking out the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in an Alfa Romeo, finishing 3 points ahead of Juan Manuel Fangio
• 1951-10-28 Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina wins Formula 1 World Drivers Championship by taking out the Spanish Grand Prix at Pedralbes in an Alpha Romeo; wins by 6 points fromAlberto Ascari of Italy
• 1953-09-13 Italian Ferrari driverAlberto Ascari retains Formula 1 World Drivers Championship although forced to retire (engine trouble) in season ending Italian Grand Prix at Monza; wins title by 6.5 points from Juan Manuel Fangio
• 1954-08-22 Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina clinches his second Formula 1 World Drivers Championship by winning Swiss Grand Prix at Bremgarten in a Maserati
• 1954-10-24 Britain's Mike Hawthorne wins season ending Spanish Grand Prix at Pedralbes; Argentine Maserati driver Juan Manuel Fangio takes second Formula 1 World Drivers Championship by 17 points from countryman José Froilán González
• 1955-07-16 Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina clinches his third Formula 1 World Drivers Championship by finishing 2nd to fellow Mercedes driver Sterling Moss in the British Grand Prix at Aintree
• 1956-09-02 Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina finishes 2nd in Italian GP at Monza to win his 3rd straight F1 World Drivers Championship by 3 points from EnglishmanStirling Moss
• 1956-09-02 British Ferrari driver Peter Collins sportingly hands over his car to retired teammate Juan Manuel Fangio during season ending Italian Grand Prix at Monza; Fangio finishes 2nd to win F1 World Drivers Championship
• 1957-08-04 Argentine Maserati driver Juan Manuel Fangio clinches his record 5th F1 World Drivers Championship (4th consecutive) in winning the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring
• 1957-09-08 Juan Manuel Fangio confirms his F1 World Drivers Championship, finishing 2nd in the season ending Italian GP at Monza; takes record 5th title by 15 points fromStirling Moss
• 1958-02-23 5-time F1 World Drivers champion Juan Manuel Fangio is kidnapped by Cuban rebels fromFidel Castro's 26th of July Movement; released soon after Cuban GP

• Alain Prost
• David Pearson
• Emerson Fittipaldi
• Fernando Alonso
• Jackie Stewart
• Stirling Moss