Fangio's contract for the contentious 1956 season at Ferrari was to end on 31 Dec 56. However, there was a non-championship sports car race to be held at Caracas in November and Fangio wanted to race there for starting money reasons. When Ferrari refused to send a car that far, Fangio claimed Ferrari was in breach and said he would drive a Maserati. At that point, Giambertone smoothed things over and Ferrari sent 860 Monza 0602. I can find nothing about this incident in Carozzo's Fangio bio. Can someone elaborate on this incident. Perhaps there is something in Giambertone's book.
Further to this race, does anyone know the color of Fangio's 860 at the race. Moss in a 300S Maserati was the winner BTW. Fangio was second.
Fangio at Caracas 1956
Started by
cabianca
, Jan 13 2007 17:45
5 replies to this topic
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#2
380W
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Posted 13 January 2007 - 21:44
I am not sure Cabianca, but the history was told to me in this way: The car was given to Fangio by Ferrari as a part of paying (very common at Ferrari at the time), Ferrari told Fangio that the car was new, but it wasn´t, the car was crashed previously and the chassis was bent. I believe that was the only time that Fangio drove that car, after the race he sold it to Rubirosa. The car was red..................
It´s very difficult to find documents about that particular race (and the 1955 Caracas GP which Fangio won), when I lived in Venezuela I tried to located photos, and at the local newpapers, in the archives they had nothing........................
It´s very difficult to find documents about that particular race (and the 1955 Caracas GP which Fangio won), when I lived in Venezuela I tried to located photos, and at the local newpapers, in the archives they had nothing........................
#3
raceannouncer2003
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Posted 14 January 2007 - 05:52
I don't know about the 1956 incident or the colour of Fangio's car, but lots of photos and info from the 1956 and 1955 races here:
http://www.jmfangio....56venezuela.htm
http://www.jmfangio....55venezuela.htm
Vince Howlett, Victoria, B.C., Canada
http://www.jmfangio....56venezuela.htm
http://www.jmfangio....55venezuela.htm
Vince Howlett, Victoria, B.C., Canada
#4
sandy
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Posted 14 January 2007 - 08:49
Originally posted by raceannouncer2003
I don't know about the 1956 incident or the colour of Fangio's car, but lots of photos and info from the 1956 and 1955 races here:
http://www.jmfangio....56venezuela.htm
http://www.jmfangio....55venezuela.htm
Vince Howlett, Victoria, B.C., Canada
Very interesting. Behra and the Maserati 200S must have been really moving in the 1956 race to have finished third.
#5
cabianca
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Posted 15 January 2007 - 06:12
0602 was never owned by Rubirosa. It went from Caracas to Nassau where it was parked in the pits next to Portago's 857S. At that time it was blue and from looking at the picture site posted in the forum it looks to me like it was blue in Caracas. This speaks to the last minute decision to send the car. My guess is that it was originally intended for a French client.
In any case, Portago drove it at Nassau 56 in 3 of the week's events. He also drove his 857S in one. 0602 next appeared in Cuba 57 where it was driven by Castellotti. Portago drove his 857 S in Cuba. From that point on it stayed in Chinetti's back room although P. Hill did practice (but not race) it at Elkhart Lake in September 1957. It went back to Chinetti's until September 1958 when it ran three races in three weeks, Lime Rock, Bridgehampton and Watkins Glen. Chinetti later sold off the engine separately and sold the chassis to Bardinon with 121 engine 0558 in the car.
If it was given in pay to Fangio, which IMHO didn't really happen that often despite many stories about the practice, then Fangio sold it immediately, because it certainly never went to Argentina.
My guess is that Ferrari had made a deal with someone before he shipped the car. He had no use for it because when Maserati practiced the 450S at Sweden in 56, he knew he was going to have to make larger displacement cars, i.e., the 315 and 335 S.
In any case, Portago drove it at Nassau 56 in 3 of the week's events. He also drove his 857S in one. 0602 next appeared in Cuba 57 where it was driven by Castellotti. Portago drove his 857 S in Cuba. From that point on it stayed in Chinetti's back room although P. Hill did practice (but not race) it at Elkhart Lake in September 1957. It went back to Chinetti's until September 1958 when it ran three races in three weeks, Lime Rock, Bridgehampton and Watkins Glen. Chinetti later sold off the engine separately and sold the chassis to Bardinon with 121 engine 0558 in the car.
If it was given in pay to Fangio, which IMHO didn't really happen that often despite many stories about the practice, then Fangio sold it immediately, because it certainly never went to Argentina.
My guess is that Ferrari had made a deal with someone before he shipped the car. He had no use for it because when Maserati practiced the 450S at Sweden in 56, he knew he was going to have to make larger displacement cars, i.e., the 315 and 335 S.
#6
Manel Baró
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Posted 16 January 2007 - 17:01
[QUOTE]Originally posted by cabianca
...It went from Caracas to Nassau where it was parked in the pits next to Portago's 857S. At that time it was blue and from looking at the picture site posted in the forum it looks to me like it was blue in Caracas. This speaks to the last minute decision to send the car. My guess is that it was originally intended for a French client.
...likely Jean Lucas
...0602 next appeared in Cuba 57 where it was driven by Castellotti.
...and J. Lucas
...it was given in pay to Fangio, which IMHO didn't really happen that often despite many stories about the practice, then Fangio sold it immediately...[/QUOTE
...to Fon de Portago
...It went from Caracas to Nassau where it was parked in the pits next to Portago's 857S. At that time it was blue and from looking at the picture site posted in the forum it looks to me like it was blue in Caracas. This speaks to the last minute decision to send the car. My guess is that it was originally intended for a French client.
...likely Jean Lucas
...0602 next appeared in Cuba 57 where it was driven by Castellotti.
...and J. Lucas
...it was given in pay to Fangio, which IMHO didn't really happen that often despite many stories about the practice, then Fangio sold it immediately...[/QUOTE
...to Fon de Portago
