A Young Woman's Hero

“After 3 hours, 11 minutes and 2 seconds he crossed the line with his 3l Maserati. His average speed was 158,296 km/h. He was hailed for the unsurpassed achievement: winning world championship for the fifth time.”

Juan Manuel Fangio (uncle of the present Juan Manuel Fangio II) was my hero in the 50’s when motor racing was a passion. I guess that’s why I still enjoy driving. 

When there was a race on a party of us would make the journey to watch it. We booked in advance and always tried to get stand seats opposite the pits where the excitement was. Yes, I know things happen around the track but most times a spectator listens to the commentary over the loudspeaker and it’s only when the cars appear that you get to see that particular part of the race. The scene was fantastic: regulation and emergency pit stops, squealing tyres, the smell of oil, the frenzy as mechanics raced to put things right, and the cheers when their man flew by, not to mention the shouts of joy from the crowd.

One year there was a bit of a do the day following the race. I don’t recall the reason for it but I do remember being given a ride in a Formula 1 car on the actual race track. What was it? Alfa Romeo, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari or Maserati?  Fangio won world titles driving for all these but it doesn’t follow that my ride was in one of them. One thing for certain is that it was nothing like present day F1 racing cars. Where was it? Goodwood? Silverstone? I wish my memory wasn’t so bad. Still it was in the 1950’s so perhaps I can be forgiven for the memory loss. 

I wasn’t in the car for long (10 minutes, if that) but it was long enough to provide a lifelong memory. Just think: me in an F1 car! Since then I’ve always thought of myself as a bit of a whiz where driving is concerned *laughing*.

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