Your Heroes
The roll call of legendary drivers who wore Suixtil in their finest hour.
The list of Suixtil-clad motor racing heroes is a long one. You know about Fangio and Moss, but there was also Campos, Frere, Schell, Pires, and many more.
Explore and discover the legends who made the insignia immortal.
Hall of Fame
Seventeen drivers and one master mechanic who carried the colours.
Full Biographies
Select a name to read their story and browse the archive.
Juan Manuel Fangio
Bio data
Born JUN 24, 1911, died JUL 17, 1995 in Argentina.
Racing career
From 1934 to 1958.
Raced for
Alfa Romeo, BRM, Maserati, Mercedes and Ferrari.
Key races
Just too many to mention, but his ’57 race at the Nürburgring — where he clinched his 5th world championship after beating numerous lap records — will stand the test of time.
Personality
El Maestro was well loved for his incredibly down-to-earth view of things and his modesty.
Suixtil association
Fangio’s relation to Suixtil was long and deep and, ever faithful to the brand that helped him with his start, he sported Suixtil gear long after the brand had disappeared. Most recognizable, no doubt, was his Rivadavia helmet, his race pants, one of his Monaco bombers, a shirt or his Cuba (yes!) t-shirt…
Facts & trivia
El Chueco broke so many records it is hard to list them all. Suffice to say he won his first world title at 40 and his fifth and last at over 46 — a man in full!
Peter Collins
Bio data
Born NOV 6, 1931, Peter died at the Ring on AUG 3, 1958.
Racing career
From 1950 until his untimely demise in 1958.
Raced for
Vanwall, Maserati and Ferrari.
Key races
1956 was Peter’s best year, with stellar races at Monaco, Spa, Reims, Monza and Silverstone among others.
Personality
Peter was the ultimate gentleman racer and proved it many a time on and off the track.
Suixtil association
Peter regularly wore his original race pants along with a Brescia shirt, while also often sporting his Raticosa sweater.
Facts & trivia
Your Suixtil team had the privilege of meeting Peter’s widow back in the day, and she was still emotional about the heyday of his career and their incredible love story.
Masten Gregory
Bio data
Born FEB 9, 1932, Masten Gregory died, much too young, on NOV 8, 1985.
Racing career
Masten raced on and off from 1957 to 1972.
Raced for
Porsche, Maserati, Ferrari — you name it, he did it!
Key races
Without a doubt his victory (with Jochen Rindt) at the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1965 at the wheel of a 250LM. He also competed in many F1 GP events, demonstrating how versatile he was.
Personality
Masten was known as the Kansas City Flash but could also have been the poster (man)boy for the “speed kills” motto — a daredevil with strange habits and a taste for danger…
Suixtil association
Gregory was often seen wearing his Modena Race Pants and loved his Track Bag.
Facts & trivia
Survived a series of incredible shunts only to perish at 53 of a heart attack. He always looked distracted, probably because of the thick glasses that seemed so off-character for such an incredible driver.
Jean Behra
Bio data
Born FEB 16, 1921 in France; died AUG 1, 1959 at the Avus track, Berlin, Germany.
Racing career
From 1952 to 1959.
Raced for
Gordini, Maserati, Ferrari & Porsche.
Key races
The whole of the ’57 and ’58 seasons.
Personality
Jeannot just had the right stuff and pushed his entire career to always go faster!
Suixtil association
Jean Behra favoured our original race pants and the red long-sleeve polo after which the Targa is modelled.
Facts & trivia
Caught in 12 crashes, Behra developed a technique to survive them — though, at the speed he drove, it unfortunately proved imperfect in the end.
Maurice Trintignant
Bio data
Born OCT 30, 1917; died FEB 13, 2005.
Racing career
Lasted from 1950 until 1964.
Raced for
Gordini, Ferrari, Vanwall, Bugatti, Cooper, Maserati, BRM, Aston Martin, Lotus and Lola.
Key races
Le Mans 1954, of course; Monaco 1955 and 1958, certainly; but also incredible performances in so many other races!
Personality
He was nicknamed Petoulet and often wore a quirky hat!
Suixtil association
Mostly seen in original race pants or Modena, he also sported the Florio quite well.
Facts & trivia
Petoulet is supposed to be the actual author of the famous line from the movie Le Mans — “life is racing, everything in between is just waiting” — and that, frankly, wouldn’t surprise us one bit!
Froilan Gonzalez
Bio data
Born OCT 5, 1922 in Argentina; died JUN 15, 2013.
Racing career
Between 1950 and 1960.
Raced for
Maserati, Talbot Lago, Ferrari and Vanwall.
Key races
Just so many, but the wet 1954 season was his best, with key wins at Le Mans and Silverstone.
Personality
Froilan was always determined not just to race, but to win.
Suixtil association
Often seen with his Francorchamps or original Race Pants, an Angouleme shirt and his Silverstone jacket.
Facts & trivia
The Bull of the Pampa won Ferrari its first world-championship title and was always revered for it afterwards!
Stirling Moss
Bio data
Born 17 SEP 1929 in the UK; passed away APR 12, 2020, when 90 years young!
Racing career
From 1948 until 1962 competitively — then showed everyone he still very much “had it” for (lucky us) close to 60 more years!
Raced for
Everything, with a marked preference for British cars. Nonetheless scored some of his most impressive wins with Maserati and Mercedes.
Key races
Just so many. Of course the 1955 Mille Miglia, but also Monaco, Monza, the Ring, Pescara and so many more.
Personality
A feast of a man — he was knighted, but was a born gentleman.
Suixtil association
Sir Stirling was often seen sporting, aside from his El Chico helmet, some Original Race Pants along with a Nassau polo.
Facts & trivia
Sir Stirling survived many an accident, including falling three storeys down a lift shaft — aged 81 — and still stepped back behind the wheel not long after!
Onofre Marimon
Bio data
Born DEC 12, 1923 in Argentina; he died, aged 30, at the Ring on JUL 31, 1954.
Racing career
In F1 from 1951 until his untimely death.
Raced for
Maserati.
Key races
Onofre’s best races were fought at Spa in ’53 and Silverstone in ’54, where he clawed back 25 positions to finish 3rd, ahead of JM Fangio.
Personality
He died too young — the only racer to suffer such a fate in a Maserati.
Suixtil association
Onofre was often seen sporting the original Race Pants and a Brescia shirt or a Rio polo.
Facts & trivia
The Marimon family has racing in its blood, and Suixtil has proudly re-associated with the third generation of drivers it has spawned.
Hans Herrmann
Bio data
Born FEB 23, 1928.
Racing career
From 1953 until his “official retirement” in 1969 — we’re lucky Hans still graces the vintage circuit with his charm and wit.
Raced for
Porsche, Mercedes, Maserati, Cooper, Veritas — you name it…
Key races
You all heard the one about the ’54 Mille Miglia (driving under a railroad crossing ahead of an incoming train in a 550 Spyder), but Hans also had great races with the W196s and so many more — including, of course, winning Le Mans in a 917.
Personality
Hans embodies the gentleman-racer and has demonstrated it often.
Suixtil association
The original race pants have always held Hans’s favour — and we thank him for that.
Facts & trivia
The Suixtil team has had the privilege of meeting Hans several times, and have always been surprised by his kindness.
Harry Schell
Bio data
Born JUN 29, 1921; died MAY 13, 1960 at the Silverstone track.
Racing career
From 1950 until his untimely death in 1960.
Raced for
Cooper, Talbot Lago, Maserati, Gordini, Ferrari, Vanwall and BRM.
Key races
Harry had many great races, though his best result — 3rd at Pescara, 1957 — belies how great a driver he really was.
Personality
Very keen on safety, Harry was also an incredible prankster on and off the track.
Suixtil association
Often seen in his original race pants or Modena pants and with either a Targa, a Florio or a Pescara, Big Harry always looked dapper.
Facts & trivia
Harry pulled some of the funniest pranks on the track yet still commanded incredible respect for his furious driving.
Domingo Toscanito Marimon
Bio data
Born MAY 8, 1908; passed away JUN 30, 1981 in Argentina.
Racing career
From 1934 to 1955.
Raced for
Chevrolet, mostly.
Key races
The TC races Toscanito competed in were no mere rallies. They were Titanic affairs (with a constant side of disaster and tragedy) in which he excelled and, often, won.
Personality
Having cheated death (in the form of tuberculosis), Toscanito took his revenge in constant cigar-chomping and motor racing — a man in full who garnered the love of South-American audiences.
Suixtil association
Marimon was one of the early racers sponsored by Suixtil (what foresight from M. Rudmann) and was faithful to the brand that not only kitted him but supplied the metal he raced — at life speed! He was most often caught sporting his Monaco bomber jacket, cigar in hand.
Facts & trivia
Domingo was Onofre’s father, part of the early Argentinean F1 Armada before he perished at the Nürburgring in 1954 — a tragedy that saddened the entire racing world that so dearly loved both father and son. We are privileged to have re-established the Suixtil connection with the Marimon family through Augustin & Facundo Casse, two grand-nephews who — guess what? — are also in motorsport!
Giulio Borsari
Bio data
Born 1925 in Italy; passed away peacefully on APR 28, 2013, when 88 years young!
Racing career
Giulio was one of those unsung heroes who all too rarely saw — and even less frequently shared — the limelight, even though none of our heroes could have shone without them.
Worked with
Star mechanic at Maserati before shifting to the Scuderia Centro-Sud and finally taking up the role of chief mechanic at Ferrari, where he shone for decades.
Key races
So many — and while we’re partial to the ’50s, we can’t overlook the part Giulio came to occupy in the careers of giants like Arturo Merzario, Mario Andretti and Clay Regazzoni.
Personality
Ever cool under pressure, Giulio triumphed against impossible odds (that story with Mario’s Ferrari at Monaco bears testament to this!).
Suixtil association
While he started as a mechanic, he was later often seen in the Original Race Pants and, occasionally, a Brescia shirt — though he preferred his polo (or nothing but a cigarette).
Facts & trivia
Giulio is one of the rare people to have excelled at both Maserati and Ferrari — which speaks volumes about his talent and character!
Jo Bonnier
Bio data
Born JAN 31, 1930; died JUN 11, 1972 at Le Mans.
Racing career
From 1956 to 1971.
Raced for
You name ’em, JoBo had them: from Maserati to Chaparral, BRM to Porsche to Ferrari to Cooper, Brabham to McLaren, Lotus and Lola — he did them all!
Key races
Great performances in the 718 Porsche at both the Ring and the Targa Florio deserve special mention in a career that shone with success.
Personality
The Sweet Swede never stopped and had one of the longest careers in the sport.
Suixtil association
JoBo was often seen in his Modena pants and Monza cashmere, or a Barcelona jacket (not forgetting his Rally bag) — an icon of style without even trying!
Facts & trivia
He could have done anything, and chose racing — at which he was amazingly good!
Wolfgang von Trips
Bio data
Born MAY 4, 1928 in Germany; died SEP 10, 1961 at Monza.
Racing career
From 1956 until his untimely demise in 1961.
Raced for
Ferrari, Porsche and Maserati.
Key races
1961, the year he died, was Taffy’s very best season — victories at Zandvoort and Aintree, podiums at Spa and the Ring — and he distinguished himself at many events including the Targa Florio.
Personality
Taffy had to race — even against the will of his family, who had other (though none more noble) undertakings in mind.
Suixtil association
von Trips was often spotted in his original race pants and a Monza cashmere sweater.
Facts & trivia
Nicknamed the Count von Crash, he had an indomitable style and a passion to race that were stunning.
Olivier Gendebien
Bio data
Born in Belgium on JAN 12, 1924; Olivier Gendebien died OCT 2, 1998.
Racing career
From 1955 until 1962.
Raced for
Jaguar, Ferrari and Cooper.
Key races
Olivier won a string of amazing victories at the Targa Florio, the Tour de France Auto, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans — among others.
Personality
Another true gentleman driver, he exuded style both on and off the track.
Suixtil association
Original race pants were Gendebien’s racing attire of choice, while he also looked particularly elegant in that Sebring jacket.
Facts & trivia
Having lost his shoes in a crash in the US in 1961, he has a turn named after him at the Sebring track.
Roberto Mieres
Bio data
Born DEC 3, 1924 in Argentina; passed away JAN 26, 2012.
Racing career
From 1953 to 1955.
Raced for
Gordini and Maserati — and any other car he could lay his hands on.
Key races
1954 was the year: Roberto clocked great races at Bremgarten (where the Argentinians dominated) and Barcelona, where he finished right behind El Chueco.
Personality
Bitito loved to race — so much that he borrowed an OSCA from Fon de Portago to take part in the Mexican Panamericana in 1954, and got Suixtil to underwrite his registration and costs!
Suixtil association
Often seen with his original race pants and a Rio polo.
Facts & trivia
Wrote his biography — the title (borrowing from Groucho)? “Why be normal?” Why indeed.
Paul Frere
Bio data
Born JAN 30, 1917; Paul Frere died FEB 28, 2008.
Racing career
Paul Frere raced from 1952 to 1960.
Raced for
Gordini and Ferrari.
Key races
Without a doubt his victory (with Olivier Gendebien) at Le Mans in 1960.
Personality
Paul Frere was known as the nicest and friendliest of men.
Suixtil association
Frere was often seen wearing his original Race Pants.
Facts & trivia
Famous for his knowledge of Porsche — a brand he never raced. He had a very long career as a motorsport journalist, commentator and writer, never really retiring from his beloved profession as a racer.
Wear Their Legend
The same gear, faithfully recreated — for today’s gentleman driver.