José Froilán González (5 October 1922 – 15 June 2013) was an Argentine racing driver who competed in Formula One between and . Nicknamed "the Pampas Bull" and "el Cabezón", González was runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in with Ferrari, and won two Grands Prix across nine seasons. In endurance racing, González won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in , also with Ferrari.

González, who was a close friend of Juan Manuel Fangio and Roberto Mieres, among others, 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 points. He won the 1951 Coppa Acerbo, the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans with Maurice Trintignant, and the Portuguese Grand Prix for Ferrari.

Sixtieth anniversary tribute

On 10 July 2011, during the British Grand Prix meeting, González was honoured by Ferrari and the FIA on the 60th anniversary of Ferrari's first Formula One World Championship race victory. As part of the celebration, Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso drove González's Ferrari 375 F1 for four laps of the Silverstone track. Later that day, Alonso won the British Grand Prix in his Ferrari 150º Italia.

Death González died in Buenos Aires from respiratory failure, aged 90, after a downturn in health following a heart attack earlier in 2013.

Racing record

Complete Formula One World Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 WDC Pts. Scuderia Achille Varzi Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati L4C GBR MON 500 SUI BEL FRA ITA NC 0 José Froilán González Talbot-Lago T26C-GS Talbot L6 SUI 500 3rd 24(27) Enrico Platé Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati L4 BELDNA Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 375 Ferrari V12 FRA GBR GER ITA ESP Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati A6GCM Maserati L6 SUI 500 BEL FRA GBR GER NED ITA2** 9th 6 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati A6GCM Maserati L6 ARG 500 NED BEL FRA GBR4** GER SUI ITA 6th 13 (14 ) Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 625 Ferrari L4 ARG 500 BEL4*† GBR GER SUI ITA3*† ESP 2nd 25 (26 ) Ferrari 553 Ferrari L4 FRA Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 625 Ferrari L4 ARG MON 500 BEL NED GBR ITA 17th 2 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F Maserati L6 ARG MON 500 BEL FRA NC 0 Vandervell Products Ltd. Vanwall VW 2 Vanwall L4 GBR GER ITA Scuderia Ferrari Lancia-Ferrari D50 Ferrari V8 ARG5* MON 500 FRA GBR GER PES ITA 21st 1 Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari Dino 246 Ferrari V6 ARG MON 500 NED BEL FRA GBR POR ITA USA NC 0 * Shared drive. ** Joint fastest lap. † González started the race in a Ferrari 553 Squalo, but took over one of his teammates' 625 during the race.

Complete Formula One non-championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Scuderia Achille Varzi Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 1.5 s/c straight-4 PAU RIC SRM PAR EMP BAR JER ALB NED NAT NOT ULS PES STT INT GOO PEN José Froilán González Talbot-Lago T26C-GS Talbot-Lago 4.5 L6 SYR PAU RIC SRM BOR INT PAR ULS SCO Enrico Platé Maserati 4CLT/48 Maserati 4CLT 1.5 s/c L4 NED DNA ALB Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 375 Ferrari 4.5 V12 PES BAR GOO Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 375 Ferrari 4.5 V12 SYR VAL RIC LAV PAU IBS MAR AST INT ELÄ NAP EIF PAR British Racing Motors BRM Type 15 BRM P15 1.5 s/c V16 ALB FRO ULS DMT COM NAT BAU Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati A6GCM Maserati 2.0 L6 MNZ LAC ESS MAR SAB CAE MOD CAD SKA MAD AVU JOE NEW Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati A6GCM Maserati 2.0 L6 SYR PAU LAV AST BOR INT ELÄ NAP ULS WIN FRO COR SNE EIF British Racing Motors BRM Type 15 BRM P15 1.5 s/c V16 ALB PRI ESS MID ROU CRY AVU USF LAC BRI CHE SAB NEW CAD RED SKA LON MOD MAD JOE CUR Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari 553 Ferrari 2.0 L4 SYR ROU CAE AUG COR OUL RED PES JOE CAD BER GOO DTT Ferrari 625 Ferrari 2.5 L4 PAU LAV BOR INT BAR CUR ROM DNA FRO COR BRC CRY José Froilán González Ferrari 625 Ferrari 2.5 L4 BUE SYR GLV NAP RMS CAE INT MOD MOR 1Gonzalez drove the 553 in the heat and the 625 in the final of the 1954 BRDC International Trophy.

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Automobiles Gordini Juan Manuel Fangio Simca-Gordini T15S Compresseur S 3.0 95DNF(Engine) Henri Louveau Onofre Marimón Talbot-Lago T26 GS S 5.0 128DNF(Radiator) Scuderia Lancia Clemente Biondetti Lancia D20 Compressor S 8.0 213DNF(Engine) Scuderia Ferrari Maurice Trintignant Ferrari 375 Plus S 5.0 302 1st 1st

Other race results

Grand Prix of Interlagos: 3rd, (1952), Formula Libre Grand Prix of Rio de Janeiro 1st, (1952), Formula Libre Grand Prix of Buenos Aires 1st, (1951), Formula Libre Glover Trophy: 1st, (1952), Formula Libre Supercortemaggiore: 2nd, (1954) Monsanto Park Circuit: 1st, (1954) 1000 miles of Buenos Aires: 3rd, (1956), 1st (1960) 500 miles of Rafaela: 1st, (1958), 1st (1959)

Notes

References

External links Video: Tribute to Froilán González by Fernando Alonso