Statue of Juan Manuel Fangio

Juan Manuel Fangio, nicknamed El Chueco or El Maestro, was an Argentine racing car driver. He dominated the first decade of Formula One racing, winning the World Drivers' Championship five times.From childhood, he abandoned his studies to pursue auto mechanics. In 1938, he debuted in Turismo Carretera, competing in a Ford V8. In 1940, he competed with Chevrolet, winning the Grand Prix International Championship and devoted his time to the Argentine Turismo Carretera becoming its champion, a title he successfully defended a year later. Fangio then competed in Europe between 1947 and 1949, where he achieved further success.

He won the World Championship of Drivers five times—a record that stood for 46 years until beaten by Michael Schumacher—with four different teams, a feat that has not been repeated. He holds the highest winning percentage in Formula One – 46.15% – winning 24 of 52 Formula One races he entered.