Argentine racing driver who finished runner-up in the 1981 Formula 1 World Championship by a single point, winning 12 Grands Prix before becoming a prominent politician.
Born on 12 April 1942 in Santa Fe, Argentina, Carlos Reutemann made a sensational Formula 1 debut with Brabham in 1972, taking pole position in his first race. He remained with the team for four seasons, taking his maiden victory in South Africa in 1974 and finishing third in the 1975 World Championship after a dominant win at the Nürburgring. Reutemann moved to Ferrari in 1976, initially as a stand-in for the injured Niki Lauda, and won the season-opening Brazilian Grand Prix in 1978 before Lauda's continued strong form and internal tensions saw him move on again. He joined Williams for 1980, where his FW07 helped the team to the constructors' title, and won that year's Monaco Grand Prix while finishing third in the drivers' standings. Reutemann's finest season came in 1981, aged 39, when he narrowly missed the World Championship, finishing runner-up to teammate Nelson Piquet by a single point after a disappointing final round in Las Vegas — one of the closest title races in the sport's history. He retired from Formula 1 in 1982 after a dispute with Frank Williams, finishing his career with 12 Grand Prix victories and six pole positions. After retiring, Reutemann pursued a distinguished political career in his native Santa Fe province, serving as governor and later as a national senator for the Justicialist Party. He died on 7 July 2021 at age 79.
Finishing runner-up in the 1981 World Championship by a single point, one of the closest title races in history
How They Played
Elegant, precise driver capable of brilliance but sometimes inconsistent under pressure
Lasting Impact
One of Argentina's greatest racing drivers, later a prominent national politician