The enigmatic Carlos Reutemann: Memories of ‘Lole’

Carlos Reutemann passed away on 7 July 2021. His daughter Cora tweeted: “Dad passed away in peace and dignity, having fought like a champion with a strong and noble heart. I am proud and blessed to have had such a father. I know that he will be with me every day for the rest of my life – until we meet again in the house of the Lord.”

Reutemann, a twelve-time Grand Prix winner, had been battling significant health problems for several years prior to his death. In 2017, the South American was diagnosed with liver cancer, which was successfully treated. He underwent surgery in New York to have a tumour removed.

But Reutemann’s health continued to decline afterwards, and in early May 2021 his condition deteriorated rapidly. The former Ferrari star and long-serving politician from Argentina had to be admitted to hospital in Santa Fé on 5 May because he was suffering from bleeding in his digestive tract.

As his condition did not improve and further bleeding occurred, he was flown to the ‘Sanatorio Parque’ hospital in Rosario four days later and transferred to the intensive care unit there. There, the former driver for Brabham (1972–1976), Ferrari (1976–1978), Lotus (1979) and Williams (1980–1982) was able to recover sufficiently to be allowed to return to Santa Fé after 17 days.

However, nine days later, Reutemann had to be readmitted to hospital, this time due to anaemia and dehydration; by the end of June, he was back in the intensive care unit. Further bleeding occurred until the doctors could do nothing more for him.

The South American made a meteoric impact in the premier class: by securing pole position on his Formula 1 World Championship debut – in front of his home crowd in Buenos Aires in 1972, of all places – he sent his compatriots into raptures. He himself remained completely calm, as if securing pole position were the most natural thing in the world.

The descendant of Swiss emigrants from the Rüttimann family had the bearing of a Roman general and, with his striking features, could easily have become a Hollywood star.

Behind the wheel, he was like many South Americans: on a good day, virtually unbeatable; on a bad one, strangely toothless, caught up in self-doubt.

Unfortunately, this happened to him in the very race that mattered most in his career: the 1981 World Championship final in Las Vegas against Nelson Piquet.

The Argentinians called him “El Lole”. Why? According to his own account, it was because he had loved animals from a young age and, as a little lad, would run after the piglets with delight – in Spanish, “los lechónes”, which became the abbreviation “Lole”.

In Formula 1, he competed in a total of 146 Grands Prix between 1972 and 1982, securing twelve victories: three for Brabham, five for Ferrari and four for Williams.

He stood on the podium 45 times. In 1981, he lost the battle for the World Championship title to Nelson Piquet in the aforementioned Las Vegas finale; in 1975, 1978 and 1980, he finished third in the World Championship each time.

Reutemann won at some of Formula 1’s most legendary circuits: at the Nürburgring and the Österreichring, in Monte Carlo and Interlagos, at Brands Hatch and Watkins Glen.

To his team-mates, Reutemann remained enigmatic and unpredictable. In Brazil in 1981, Carlos ignored Williams’ team orders and won in Rio; Alan Jones subsequently ignored his team-mate.

After hanging up his racing helmet, Carlos Reutemann embarked on a successful career in politics. From 1991 to 1995 and from 1999 to 2003, he served as governor of his home province of Santa Fé; from 2003 onwards, he served as a senator – a post he held until his death.

• Carlos Reutemann in Formula 1

• 146 Formula 1 World Championship races

• From Buenos Aires 1972 to Rio 1982

• 6 pole positions (including his first on his F1 debut)

• 22 starts from the front row

• 12 wins

• 1974: South Africa, Austria, USA

• 1975: Germany

• 1977: Brazil

• 1978: Brazil, USA West, Great Britain, USA East

• 1980: Monaco

• 1981: Brazil and Belgium

• 6 fastest laps

• 45 podium finishes

• 66 races in which he scored points (at that time, points were awarded only to the top six)

• 310 World Championship points

• 648 laps in the lead

• World Championship placings

• 1972 with Brabham: 16th in the World Championship

• 1973 with Brabham: 7th in the World Championship

• 1974 with Brabham: 6th in the World Championship

• 1975 with Brabham: 3rd in the World Championship

• 1976 with Brabham and Ferrari: 16th in the World Championship.

• 1977 with Ferrari: 4th in the World Championship.

• 1978 with Ferrari: 3rd in the World Championship.

• 1979 with Lotus: 7th in the World Championship.

• 1980 with Williams: 3rd in the World Championship.

• 1981 with Williams: 2nd in the World Championship.

• 1982 with Williams: 15th in the World Championship (only two races)