Onofre Agustín Marimón (19 December 1923[1][2][3] – 31 July 1954) was a racing driver from Zárate, Buenos Aires, Argentina. He participated in 11 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 1 July 1951. He achieved two podiums, and scored a total of 8 17 championship points.

Onofre Marimón
Marimón on the cover of El Gráfico, 1952
Born(1923-12-19)19 December 1923
Zárate, Argentina
Died31 July 1954(1954-07-31) (aged 30)
Nürburg, Germany
Formula One World Championship career
NationalityArgentina Argentine
Active years1951, 19531954
TeamsMaserati
Entries12 (11 starts)
Championships0
Wins0
Podiums2
Career points8 17
Pole positions0
Fastest laps1
First entry1951 French Grand Prix
Last entry1954 German Grand Prix

Biography

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Marimón was the son of racing driver and undertaker Domingo Marimón, the winner of the 1948 South American Grand Prix for Turismo Carretera. Marimón Sr. and Juan Manuel Fangio were team-mates for Chevrolet and friends, leading to Fangio becoming a mentor for Marimón Jr. when the young Zárateño moved to Europe.[4]

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 Nürburgring 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 by a Catholic priest before dying a few minutes after rescue workers freed him. It was thought that his braking unit failed.[citation needed]

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.[5]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

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(key) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 WDC Points
1951 Scuderia Milano Maserati 4CLT/50 Milano Straight-4 SUI 500 BEL FRA
Ret
GBR GER ITA ESP NC 0
1953 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati A6GCM Maserati Straight-6 ARG 500 NED BEL
3
FRA
9
GBR
Ret
GER
Ret
SUI
Ret
ITA
Ret
11th 4
1954 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F Maserati Straight-6 ARG
Ret
500 BEL
Ret
FRA
Ret
GBR
3
GER
DNS
SUI ITA ESP 13th 4 17

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

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Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
1951   Henri Louveau   José Froilán González Talbot-Lago T26 GS S 5.0 128 DNF
1953   S.P.A. Alfa Romeo   Juan Manuel Fangio Alfa Romeo 6C 3000 CM S5.0 22 DNF
Engine

Non-Championship Formula One results

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(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 36 37 38 39
1953 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati A6GCM Maserati Straight-6 SYR PAU LAV AST BOR INT ELÄ NAP ULS WIN FRO COR EIF ALB PRI GRE ESS MID ROU STR CRY AVU USF LAC
Ret
DRE BRI CHE SAB NEW CAD SAC RED SKA LON MOD
2
MAD BER JOE CUR
1954 Officine Alfieri Maserati Maserati 250F Maserati Straight-6 SYR
5
PAU
Ret
LAV BOR INT BAR
4
CUR ROM
1
FRO COR BRC CRY ROU CAE AUG COR OUT RED PES JOE CAD BER GOO DAI

References

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  1. ^ "Onofre Marimon". motorsportmagazine.com. 12 June 2017. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  2. ^ "Onofre Marimón - Racing career profile - Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  3. ^ "Onofre Marimón". ESPN UK. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  4. ^ "Onofre Marimón". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  5. ^ Marimon, Star Auto Racing Pilot, Killed In Time Trial, New York Times, August 1, 1954, Page S7.
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Preceded by Formula One fatal accidents
31 July 1954
Succeeded by