Back in the 1950s, Grand Prix races were a symbol of the country’s prosperity and well-being. The Cuban Grand Prix, which was to be held in 1957, was no exception. The island’s authorities did everything possible to turn Havana into a huge tourist center, which would bring the country’s economy to a new level. And the first stage of “Formula 1” in Cuba was a complete success. The race was attended by 150 thousand people, and the main star of the time, the world champion Juan Manuel Fangio, won it.
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However, the political situation in Cuba initially hinted that such an important event could not take place without some kind of protest. The revolutionary “July 26 Movement”, led by Fidel Castro, was preparing the first action as early as 1957, but the revolutionaries did not have time to prepare properly. As a result, it was decided to postpone the venture until next year.
The plan was as simple and reliable as a Swiss watch: draw public attention to the problems of the dictatorship in Cuba through… the kidnapping of the five-time world champion and current winner of the race here!
Fangio arrived in Cuba in 1958 as a real star, and because of this, the plan did not work out right away: there were too many policemen at the airport next to the legendary Argentine, and on a walk Fangio literally had to fight with enthusiasm. fans.
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As a result, it was decided to take the case to the hotel. One of the journalists told the rebels where the Argentine horseman had stopped, so everything else was a matter of technique. Juan Manuel was going downstairs for lunch when a burly man with a gun blocked his way. “Fangio, you must come with me. I am a member of the July 26 Revolutionary Movement,” he said. The legendary pilot was not going to obey the stranger, however, when he saw the weapon, he was forced to obey.
Did they kidnap the champion and the main star? No problem! This was decided and ordered by the president of the country to continue preparing for the race, providing additional security for the pilots. As for Fangio, his captors took him to a small village and fed him a steak. The pilot was treated very politely, so Juan Manuel was soon able to find a common language with the hijackers. They even offered him a radio to follow the development of the race, in which he never participated, but the Argentine refused.
As for the race itself, it was much less optimistic than a year earlier. On the fifth lap of the race, a terrible accident occurred: Armando García Cifuentes in a Ferrari slipped on a puddle of oil. The car was thrown into the crowd of spectators, as a result of the incident, seven people were killed and 30 others were injured. However, the race did not stop. Stirling Moss won in the end.
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Fangio was returned on the night of Sunday to Monday. The rebels contacted the Argentine ambassador and delivered the pilot to the apartment of the military attache. The cyclist even gave the ambassador a letter from Faustino Pérez, leader of the kidnapping group and representative of Fidel Castro in Havana. In his letter, Faustino apologized to Argentina for the inconvenience and even declared Fangio an honorary member of the Cuban revolutionary movement. Fangio himself introduced his kidnappers to the ambassador as new Cuban friends.
The rider was not offended by the kidnappers. He did not blame them for anything, and this story was immediately picked up by the world media. This was an important impetus for the revolution to succeed.
Fangio then went just a couple of races and finished his career. And the Cuban government changed nine months later: the president fled the country on January 1, 1959, and Fidel Castro took over. And, in part, Fangio also had something to do with this, because his attitude towards the revolutionaries greatly increased the credibility of the rebels on the part of the common people.
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World races in Cuba were held again, in 1960, after the revolution. However, in the end it was recognized as an alien form of entertainment for the common people, and Formula 1 never returned to Cuba again. Like Fangio, although he received an official invitation from Fidel, he was not able to visit Cuba again.
