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Formula One Champion kidnapped!
On February 23, 1958, five-time Formula One champion Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina was kidnapped in Havana, Cuba, by members of Fidel Castro’s 26th of July Movement. The abduction occurred at the Hotel Lincoln, where Fangio was staying for the Cuba Grand Prix. As he was preparing to leave for dinner that evening, armed revolutionaries, led by Arnol Rodríguez, approached him in the hotel lobby and took him at gunpoint. Despite the shock of the situation, Fangio remained calm and did not resist. He was quickly escorted into a waiting car and driven to a safe house. The purpose of the kidnapping was to embarrass Cuban President Fulgencio Batista on an international stage and draw attention to the rebels’ cause. The Cuba Grand Prix was meant to be a prestigious event to promote the island as a tourist destination. Fangio was treated respectfully during his captivity; the kidnappers explained their political motives, and he even watched the race with them. He was released unharmed several hours after the event concluded.
Marred By Tragedy
Despite the safe release of Fangio, the Grand Prix was marred by tragedy. During the race, Cuban driver Armando Garcia Cifuentes lost control of his car…
