Maximus
09-08-2009, 06:21 PM
I sent a picture of the Fangio Maserati 250F I bought to an old guy at work who is pushing 80yo and asked him if he ever saw Fangio race it as he is an old car nut thats half French half Italian.
He sent this reply back.
Yes I saw Fangio the first time at Pau, France on Easter Monday 1949. He was racing with his mate Campos 2 Maserati ACTL4’s twin supercharger from Scuderia Varzi.
In the morning though, Nello Pagani who had won the races of ’47 and ’48 and, I believe, placed third on a Maserati single stage compressor, in that race, won the 500 motorcycle race lapping FASTER than Fangio.
Fangio won at Pau in 1950, with Froilan Gonzales but I did not see that race.
I saw Gonzales, in ’54, again at Pau, driving a 6 cylinder 2500 Maserati.
But I cannot recall actually seing the beautiful 250F in a race and did not see Fangio again until he came to Australia in ’77.
If you are particularly interested in the 250F I can say that it was indeed a brilliant but rather “delicate” car and it was the incredible smoothness of Manuel that made it famous.
I would love to pick his brain about all the things he has seen, I bet you he would write a great book, but we actually have to do work at work and not chat about Fangio, von Stuck and all the other racers he has seen.
Post up other great stories you have or have heard.
Cheers
James
He sent this reply back.
Yes I saw Fangio the first time at Pau, France on Easter Monday 1949. He was racing with his mate Campos 2 Maserati ACTL4’s twin supercharger from Scuderia Varzi.
In the morning though, Nello Pagani who had won the races of ’47 and ’48 and, I believe, placed third on a Maserati single stage compressor, in that race, won the 500 motorcycle race lapping FASTER than Fangio.
Fangio won at Pau in 1950, with Froilan Gonzales but I did not see that race.
I saw Gonzales, in ’54, again at Pau, driving a 6 cylinder 2500 Maserati.
But I cannot recall actually seing the beautiful 250F in a race and did not see Fangio again until he came to Australia in ’77.
If you are particularly interested in the 250F I can say that it was indeed a brilliant but rather “delicate” car and it was the incredible smoothness of Manuel that made it famous.
I would love to pick his brain about all the things he has seen, I bet you he would write a great book, but we actually have to do work at work and not chat about Fangio, von Stuck and all the other racers he has seen.
Post up other great stories you have or have heard.
Cheers
James