Froilan Gonzales RIP

[Oldfart]

Reports from newspapers say that he has passed. Must have been one of the oldest survivors?

[GD66]

Indeed.
http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=187220

[ERC]

One of the bravest in his day too. RIP

[Kiwiboss]

Wow, didn't even know he was still alive(this is until recently) i have watched all the old footage of F1 from the 50's and 60's and boy he could drive, let alone survive that era when so many didn't.

What a true motorsport Legend, RIP

Dale M

[fullnoise68]

When you watch some of that old footage and the speed of some of those cars, guys like Fangio, Gonzales, etc, must have had balls the size of watermellons. Incidently for you historians out there, Froilan was responsible for the humourous take of the term `Speedy Gonzales'.

[Oldfart]

. Incidently for you historians out there, Froilan was responsible for the humourous take of the term `Speedy Gonzales'.

According to William Anthony Nericcio, the name derives from a joke about a Mexican man nicknamed "Speedy" either because of his premature ejaculation or quick copulation, though the name of the character was not intended to be derogatory.[1]
González's nicknames were The Pampas Bull (by his English fans) and El Cabezón (Fat Head, by his close colleagues).
And for what it's worth he was a very Argentinian (not Mexican)

[Steve Holmes]

Thats sad to hear. Years ago when I did a bit of oil on canvas painting I put together this big piece, entitled 'Battle Of The Giants", showing that significant Silverstone race with Gonzales battling Fangio. Looking back now, not a very good painting, but the only one I ever did of this scene.

RIP Froilan

[Oldfart]

Are prints of this available Steve?

[Michael Clark]

That's pretty good Steve - Howard Wood has a nice painting featuring the 'Bull of the Pampas' in his workshop.

I caught up with Chris Amon in Kinloch this morning and he told me he met Gonzalez a couple of times in Italy - he said he was a lovely man, much loved at Ferrari and someone who was good enough to be world champion.

[ERC]

His old race helmet, complete with cooling holes, is in the Donington Collection.

[rogered]

am i right in thinking he was the man who made the roycroft ferrari famous.

[Murray Maunder]

am i right in thinking he was the man who made the roycroft ferrari famous.

Could it be argued he was the man that made Ferrari famous? Well he won their first championship GP at Silverstone beating Fangio by nearly a minute. Pretty spectacular driver to watch they say.