Juan Fangio

[Kingair]

Did Fangio come to Australia in about 1977/78, and do some demonstration laps at Sandown Raceway?

Anyone know the reason for the visit.

[Librules]

Originally Posted by Kingair

Did Fangio come to Australia in about 1977/78, and do some demonstration laps at Sandown Raceway?

Anyone know the reason for the visit.

He came out twice in the 70's as a special guest at, from memory, the big Sandown enduro meetings. Both times were celebrations of historic motor racing. On the first occasion he drove a W196, with Sir Jack in a '66 championship Brabham Repco, Bob Jane in his Maserati 300S and Bill Patterson in his Cooper-Climax. I think on the later occasion an earlier car was provided by Mercedes, maybe a W125? Here's a video of the earlier visit - I will never forget the sound of that desmo engine... mechanical heaven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeQ_jVjBvg4

[Vitesse]

Post-retirement, Fangio was what would now be known as a brand ambassador for Mercedes Benz and appeared all over the world, usually with a W196, but also with '658', his 1955 Mille Miglia 300SLR (which was driven up the hill at Goodwood today by none other than His Grace The Duke of Richmond & Gordon) and occasionally a W125 - most notably at the Gunnar Nilsson Memorial Meeting at Donington Park in 1979. He also had a Mercedes dealership in his home town of Balcarce and in 1974 was made Honorary President of Mercedes Benz Argentina - the company's technical centre there also bears his name.