Andres125sx wrote:Just_a_fan wrote:Without wishing to diminish Fangio's reputation (as if an internet posting could do so), he was well known for ensuring he had the best car. That's the reason he swapped teams so often. He chased the best car without loyalty for the teams. He made sure he had the best car and then did his bit to win in it.
Where did you hear/read that?
How did he know what was the best car to sign in with them before the beginning of the season?
I think you are forgetting Fangio was left looking for a drive twice, first when Alfa Romeo drop out of F1 in 52 and second time when Mercedes drop out of racing in 55,
though he did leave Maserati for Mercedes mid season in 1954, and left ferrari at the end of the 56 season to rejoin Maserati for 1957
Also they didn't start the season off with a new car every year back then, more often it was just the previous year's car or a close variant of it till the new one was ready, or they just used the same car for a couple of seasons
2 of his title came driving the "same" car as the year before. 1 of them came driving the same car from 3 years earlier
I think if you look at his whole career then you see it wasn't like he had a crystal ball,
- he won his first title in 1951 in a Alfa Romeo, but had driven a variant of that car the year before Alfa Romeo drop out of F1
- 1953 goes back to Maserati who he drove for back in 1949 finishes 2nd in championship
- 1954 the first 2 races he drives the brand new Maserati 250F then leaves for Mercedes to debut the W196 wins his 2nd title.
- 1955 wins 3rd title driving the W196 again Mercedese drops out of F1
- 1956 wins 4th title driving the Lancia-Ferrari D50 a car that had been around for a couple of years though not completely the same car when it was in the hands of Ferrari, albeit he did race against it for 2 years so I assume he had some knowledge about it
-1957 wins 5th title driving a Maserati 250F a car he defiantly knew
