Juan Manuel Fangio and his first international victory against the powerful European

On February 27, 1949, El Chueco won in the Grand Prix in Mar del Plata and began to build its path to the top of the world.

The end of World War II opened the door on the return of international seasons. The Grand Prix, the prehistory of Formula 1, began to play again and with more impulse, so much that in 1947 they decided to cross the Atlantic and run in Argentina. The visits continued and in 1949 there would come a historical moment: Juan Manuel Fangio’s first triumph against the powerful European.

It was at the Grand Prix of Mar del Plata, played in a street route the tower of the monk, With Peralta Ramos Avenue as axis. The start was located at the already extinct Centennial Hotel, on Urquiza Street. The chronicles of the time speak of about 300,000 people who approached to see the race. 10% arrived from Balcarce to encourage the chueco, who at that time had two roads of Road Tourism (1940 and 1941).

Fangio took the tip in the game and first arrived at Cabo Corrientes. From there, he led to the end to seal his success with a Maserati 4 CLT. That triumph was key for a year later, Balcarceño decided to travel to Europe to participate in the new category, born in 1950: Formula 1. The rest is known history.

The chueco closed a historical campaign, full of records and recognitions. This July 17 was 30 years after his deathfor a bronchopneumonia that had hospitalized in the Sanatorio Mater Dei. He was 84 years old. Three decades later, its name is still present every time you talk about F1 in any corner of the planet.