José Froilán González
José Froilán González | |
|---|---|
González in 1950 | |
| Born | 5 October 1922 Arrecifes, Argentina |
| Died | 15 June 2013 (aged 90) Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality | Argentine |
| Active years | 1950–1957, 1960 |
| Teams | Privateer Maserati, privateer Talbot-Lago, Ferrari, Maserati, Vanwall |
| Entries | 26 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 2 |
| Podiums | 15 |
| Career points | 72 1⁄7 (77 9⁄14) |
| Pole positions | 3 |
| Fastest laps | 6 |
| First entry | 1950 Monaco Grand Prix |
| First win | 1951 British Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1954 British Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1960 Argentine Grand Prix |
| 24 Hours of Le Mans career | |
| Years | 1950–1951, 1953–1954 |
| Teams | Gordini, Talbot-Lago, Lancia, Ferrari |
| Best finish | 1st (1954) |
José Froilán González (5 October 1922 – 15 June 2013) was an Argentine racing driver, who competed in Formula One between 1950 and 1960. Nicknamed "the Pampas Bull", González was runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1954 with Ferrari, and won two Grands Prix across nine seasons. In endurance racing, González won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1954, also with Ferrari.
González is particularly notable for scoring Ferrari's first win in a Formula One World Championship race at the 1951 British Grand Prix. He made his Formula One debut for Scuderia Achille Varzi in the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix. His last Grand Prix was the 1960 Argentine Grand Prix. González competed in 26 World Championship Formula One Grands Prix over nine seasons (1950–1957 and 1960) and numerous non-Championship events. In the 26 World Championship races, González scored two victories (the 1951 British Grand Prix and the 1954 British Grand Prix), seven second-place finishes, six third-place finishes, three pole positions, six fastest laps, and 72 1⁄7 points. He won the 1951 Coppa Acerbo, in 1954 the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Maurice Trintignant, and the Portuguese Grand Prix for Ferrari.
Physically well built, González was nicknamed The Pampas Bull (by his English fans) and El Cabezón (Fat Head, by his Argentine fans). His close friends, like Juan Manuel Fangio and Roberto Mieres, called him Pepe.