Carlos Reutemann would have been 83 years old: portrait of the Argentinian almost world champion

Twelve victories (to which must be added two non-championship successes) in 146 Grands Prix, six pole positions, 45 podiums. Here is the gross balance sheet of Carlos Alberto Reutemann in Formula 1. But for all those who have approached him and followed his career closely, the Argentinian has always been an enigma. Capable of the best or the worst, depending on his mood and the affection shown to him by his team. Too tormented and emotional, this “anti-Lauda” did not always know how to give the best of himself. However, the “handsome dark guy” was undoubtedly one of the most gifted and fastest pilots of his generation, untouchable in his best days, but too quick to lose his means at the slightest opportunity, which probably cost him his life. world title in 1981.

“Carlos has a Latin behavior and character, we believe him to be infallible, sure of himself. And in fact, it's quite the opposite. He has a perpetual need for trust from those around him and we have done nothing about it” – Charlie Crichton-Stuart, Frank’s attorney Williams – Ah n°293

In Argentina, he was called “Lole”, a contraction of “lo lechone” (little pig), his childhood nickname. Born to a father of German origin (or Swiss-German depending on the sources) and an Italian mother, Carlos was born on April 12, 1942 in Santa Fe, where his family operated a farm purchased by his grandfather when he arrived in Argentina at the beginning of the 7th century. From the age of 8 or 19, Carlos took the wheel of his father's Ford A and, as a teenager, he became passionate about the exploits of Juan Manuel Fangio and José Froilán González through reading newspapers. At XNUMX, he started working