Before the craze among Argentine F1 fans for Franco Colapinto, there was Carlos Reutemann — arguably one of the greatest drivers from the South American country. Not only was he a multiple-time Grand Prix winner, but he was also a skilled politician, serving Argentina long after his retirement from motorsport.
Reutemann, a 12-time race winner with a total of 45 podium finishes, decided to sacrifice his career at the pinnacle of motorsport when his country got into the Falklands War with the United Kingdom.
Driving for Williams — a British Team — at the time (1982) made for an uncomfortable situation for both parties. And while Reutemann was not asked to leave, he decided it was in his best interest to distance himself from the Grove-based outfit. Some, however, claimed it was because he was eyeing a future in politics, which is why repping a team from Britain would be a career suicide.
Others, however, had a different theory.
Chief Designer at Williams, Patrick Head felt that Reutemann used the Falklands War as an excuse. In reality, “his heart wasn’t in it anymore.”
#OnThisDay in ’81 Reutemann (car #2) started the #CaesarsPalaceGP from pole, was jumped by Williams team-mate Jones (#1) at the start, slumped to P5 by the end of lap 1, & rolled in 8th, losing the #F1 world championship by a single point to Piquet. Tragic & still inexplicable. pic.twitter.com/K8KX8QxErE
— Matt Bishop ️ (@TheBishF1) October 17, 2024
However, Reutemann did trade his racing overalls for a suit and decided to run for Governor of Santa Fe. It took him nine years, but he finally won an election which earned him an office position for the first time. In the world of F1, it turned a ‘lot of heads’, as commentator Harry Benjamin recently claimed.
A widely popular figure, Reutemann went on to become a senator in the National Senate and was a favorite candidate for the 2011 Presidential Elections. Sadly for those rooting for him, he decided not to go ahead with it.
A legacy of what could have been
Reutemann was a great driver. And his lack of a Championship trophy to show for it does not change that.
The Argentine drove for big teams like Ferrari, Williams, and Ligier, back in the day, and had he spent more time than just a decade in the pinnacle of motorsport, he might just have had a shot at the title.
Reutemann, however, had other plans. Maybe he really fancied being a politician more than a driver. Or perhaps, as Head had claimed, he just got burnt out. Regardless, he did prove himself both on the track and even in the debate rooms.
After declining to run for president, Reutemann’s political career also took a back seat. In 2021, he suffered an intestinal hemorrhage that severely impacted his health. On July 7 of that year, Reutemann passed away, leaving behind a legacy as someone who had given his all for Argentina.
