Onofre Agustín Marimón (19 December 1923 – 31 July 1954) was an Argentine

racing driver Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. In North America, the term is commonly used to describe all forms of automobile sport including non ...

, who competed in

Formula One Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...

at 12 Grands Prix between and . Marimón participated in 12

Formula One Grands Prix Formula One, abbreviated to F1, is the highest class of open-wheeled auto racing series managed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), motorsport's world governing body. The "formula" in the name alludes to a series of FIA ...

, achieving two podiums at the 1953 Belgian and 1954 British Grands Prix, and scoring a total of 8 championship points with

Maserati Maserati S.p.A. () is an Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer. Established on 1 December 1914 in Bologna, Italy, the company's headquarters are now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. The company has been owned by Stellantis since 2021. Ma ...

. He also won the non-championship 1954 Rome Grand Prix, driving the Maserati 250F. During practice for the 1954 German Grand Prix at the

Nürburgring The () is a 150,000-person capacity motorsports complex located in the town of Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It features a Grand Prix motor racing, Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a long configuration, built in the 1920s ...

, Marimón died after losing control of his Maserati 250F, impacting a ditch and causing a rollover. He was the first fatality at a Formula One Grand Prix.

Biography

Onofre Agustín Marimón was born on 19 December 1923 in Zárate, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Marimón was the son of racing driver and undertaker Domingo Marimón, the winner of the 1948 South American Grand Prix for

Turismo Carretera Turismo Carretera ( Road racing, lit., ''Road Touring'') is a popular stock car racing series in Argentina, and the 2nd oldest auto racing series still active in the world. The series is organized by Asociación Corredores de Turismo Carretera. ...

. Marimón Sr. and Juan Manuel Fangio were team-mates for

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and friends, leading to Fangio becoming a mentor for Marimón Jr. when the young Zárateño moved to Europe. Marimón was killed on 31 July 1954 during practice for the 1954 German Grand Prix, becoming the first driver to be fatally injured at a World Championship Grand Prix other than the Indianapolis 500. His Maserati left the

race course at the Breidscheid curve near the Adenauer Bridge after he lost control attempting to improve his qualifying time. He died at the bottom of a steep and treacherous incline. He was going fast on a downgrade but failed to negotiate a sharp turn at the bottom. Marimón impacted a ditch, his Maserati shearing off a tree and rolling over a number of times. He was pinned underneath the car as it came to rest on its top with the wheels spinning in the air. Marimón was given the

last rites The last rites, also known as the Commendation of the Dying, are the last prayers and ministrations given to an individual of Christian faith, when possible, shortly before death. The Commendation of the Dying is practiced in liturgical Chri ...

by a

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priest before dying a few minutes after rescue workers freed him. It was thought that his braking unit failed. Marimón's death trimmed the Maserati team to four drivers. His practice times had not been satisfactory enough for him to make the top 5 for the 1954 German Grand Prix. His best time was 21.3 seconds behind the record time of 9:50.1 set by Fangio.''Marimon, Star Auto Racing Pilot, Killed In Time Trial'',

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, August 1, 1954, Page S7.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

( key) (Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Non-Championship Formula One results

( key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; Races in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)

Notes

References

External links

Profile on OldRacingCars.com
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Marimon, Onofre Argentine racing drivers Argentine Formula One drivers Scuderia Milano Formula One drivers Maserati Formula One drivers Sportspeople from Zárate, Buenos Aires Racing drivers from Buenos Aires Province Racing drivers who died while racing Argentine sportspeople of Spanish descent 1923 births 1954 deaths Sport deaths in Germany 24 Hours of Le Mans drivers World Sportscar Championship drivers