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1956 Ferrari 290 MM Specially Created for Fangio Goes to Auction

Racing was so powerful in Fangio’s breath that he abandoned his studies to pursue auto mechanics. It was right then that he knew he would conquer the world, and that is precisely what he did. Juan Manuel Fangio dominated the first decade of Formula One racing and remains a legend today. But even an icon like him needed a proper car to make it, and this 1956 Ferrari 290 MM is one of them.
One of Only Four 1956 Ferrari 290 MM Specially Created for El Maestro 16 photos
Photo: RM Auctions
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Lewis Hamilton may be getting close to the legendary Argentinian racer’s F1 records, but he is still far from building what Fangio did. Just think of how they make race cars today and how they used to back in the day, not to mention all the other records El Chueco marked on the list throughout his career.

Ferrari engineers specifically built Chassis 0626 for Juan Manuel Fangio to drive in the 1956 Mille Miglia, a race that also lent its name to the car. He raced this beauty in the 1000-mile event single-handedly, finishing an impressive 4th overall in a race hunted by appalling conditions.

Finished in the unique factory Argentinian color scheme for Fangio, the car featured a totally new 3.5-liter V12 engine and was one of four 290 MMs to be built. A group of iconic drivers later drove it too, Phill Hill being one of them. Wolfgang von Trips also drove it. Eugenio Castellotti, Luigi Musso, and Masten Gregory, all famously piloted it to victory in the 1957 Buenos Aires 1000 KM race.

Throughout its illustrious career, this beautiful creation was also campaigned by other legendary names such as Alfonso de Portago, Peter Collins, Olivier Gendebien, and Joakim Bonnier. RM Sothebys’ will handle this December’s auction, and this classic Ferrari is one of the most esteemed lots in the entire collection. Here’s how they describe it:

“Combining rarity, powerful mechanical specification, important racing history, and purposeful good looks, 0626 is the ultimate 1950s factory sports racing car. An integral part of Ferrari’s 1956 and 1957 Manufacturer’s World Championship-winning teams, it participated in a roll-call of classic races during its period racing career.”
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