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 roll call of legendary drivers who wore Suixtil in their finest hour.
Born on NOV 6, 1931, Peter died at the Ring on AUG 3, 1958
From 1950 until his untimely demise in 1958
Vanwall, Maserati and Ferrari
1956 was Peter‘s best year, with stellar races at Monaco, Spa, Reims, Monza and Silverstone among others
Peter was the ultimate gentleman racer and proved it many a times on and off the track.
Peter was often seen in his original race pant, his Brescia shirt and, often, his Raticosa sweater.
The Suixtil team had the privilege of meeting Peter’s widow who was still emotional about the heyday of Peter’s career and their incredible love story.
Born FEB 16, 1921 in France, Died AUG 1, 1959 at the Avus track, Berlin, Germany
From 1952 and 1959
Gordini, Maserati, Ferrari & Porsche
The whole of the 57 and 58 seasons
Jeannot just had the right stuff and pushed his entire career to always go faster!
Jean Behra favored our original race pants and red long-sleeve polo after which the Targa is modelled
Caught in 12 crashes, Behra developed a technique to survive them, though – at the speed he drove – it unfortunately proved imperfect in the end.
Harry Schell ever so relaxed – 1955 (c)CBailey
Born JUN 29, 1921, died MAY 13, 1960 at the Silverstone track
From 1950 until his untimely death in 1960
Cooper, Talbot Lago, Maserati, Gordini, Ferrari, Vanwall and BRM
Harry had many great races, though his best place – 3rd in Pescara, 1957 – belies how great a driver he really was.
Very keen on safety, Harry was also an incredible prankster on and off the track
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.
Harry pulled some of the funniest pranks on the track and was still able to command incredible respect for his furious driving.
Born OCT 30, 1917, died on FEB 13, 2005
Lasted from 1950 until 1964
Gordini, Ferrari, Vanwall, Bugatti, Cooper, Maserati, BRM, Aston Martin, Lotus and Lola
Le Mans 1954 of course, Monaco 1955 and 1958, certainly, but also some incredible performances in so many other races!
He was nicknamed Petoulet and often wore a quirky hat!
Mostly seen in original race pants or Modena, he also sported the Florio quite well.
Petoulet is supposed to be the actual author of the famous quote used in the “Le Mans” movie “life is racing, everything in between is just waiting” – that, frankly, wouldn’t surprise us one bit!.
Born on OCT 5, 1922 in Argentina, died on JUN 15, 2013
Between 1950 and 1960
Maserati, Talbot Lago, Ferrari and Vanwall
Just so many, but the wet 1954 season was his best, with key wins at Le Mans and Silverstone
Froilan was always determined not just to race but to win
Often seen with his Francorchamps or Original Race Pants, Angouleme shirt and his Silverstone jacket
The Bull of the Pampa won Ferrari its first title in a world championship and was always revered for that afterwards!
Born JUN 24, 1911, died JUL 17, 1995 in Argentina
From 1934 to 1958
Alfa Romeo, BRM, Maserati, Mercedes and Ferrari
Just too many to mention but his ’57 race at the Nurburgring, where he clinched his 5th world championship after beating numerous lap records, will stand the test of time.
El Maestro was well loved for his incredibly down to earth view of things and modesty.
Fangio‘s relation to Suixtil was long and deep and, ever faithful to the brand that gave him 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….
El Chueco broke so many records, it is hard to list them all. Suffice to say that he won his first world championship title at the age of 40 and his fifth and last at over 46, a man in full!
Born MAY 08, 1908 and passed away JUN 30, 1981 in Argentina
From 1934 to 1955
Chevrolet, mostly
The TC races in which Toscanito competed were not mere rallies. Rather, they were Titanic affairs (with a constant side of disaster and tragedy) in which he excelled and, often, won.
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 and admiration of South-American audiences.
Marimon was one of the early racers to be sponsored by Suixtil (what great foresight from M. Rudmann) and was very faithful to the brand that not only kitted him but also supplied him with the metal he raced – at life speed! He was most often caught sporting his Monaco bomber jacket, and chomping on his cigar, of course!
Domingo was Onofre’s father – who distinguished himself as part of the early Argentinean F1 Armada before he perished at the Nurburgring track in 1954 – a tragedy that struck and 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 of the great man who, guess what?, are also involved in motorsport! Talk about lasting bonds…
Born in 1925 in Italy, he passed away peacefully on APR 28th, 2013, when 88 years young!
Giulio was one of those unsung heroes who all too rarely saw (and even less frequently, shared) the limelight even if none of our heroes would have been able to shine without them.
He was the 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
Just so many of them – and while we are partial to those of the ’50s, we cannot overlook the immense part that Giulio came to occupy in the career and life of such giants of the racing world as Arturo Merzario, Mario Andretti and Clay Regazzoni.
Ever cool under pressure, Giulio triumphed against impossible odds (and that story with Mario’s Ferrari at Monaco bears testament to this!).
While he started as a mechanic, he was, later often seen sporting the Original Race Pants and, occasionally, a Brescia shirt though he preferred his polo (or nothing but a cigarette).
Guilio is one of the rare persons to have excelled at both Maserati and Ferrari and that, in itself, speaks volume about both his talent and character!
Was born on 17 SEP 1929 in the UK and passed away APR 12th, 2020, when 90 years young!
From 1948 until 1962 competitively, has been showing everyone since that he still very much “has it”!
Everything, with a marked preference for British cars. Nonetheless, scored some of his most impressive wins with Maserati and Mercedes
Just so many of them. Of course, the 1955 1000 Miglia, but also Monaco, Monza, the Ring and Pescara and so many more.
A feast of a man, he was knighted but was a born gentleman
Sir Stirling was often seen sporting, aside from his El Chico helmet, some Original Race Pants, along with a Nassau polo.
Sir Stirling survived many an accident, including falling 3 storeys down a lift shaft a few years ago – age 81 – and still stepped back behind the wheel not long after!
Born on JAN 31, 1930, died JUN 11, 1972 at Le Mans
From 1956 to 1971
You name’em, JoBo had them: from Maserati to Chapparal, from BRM to Porsche to Ferrari to Cooper, Brabham to McLaren, Lotus and Lola – he did them all!
Great performances on 718 Porsche at both the Ring and the Targa Florio deserve special mentions among a career that shone with great successes
The Sweet Swede never stopped and had one of the longest careers in the sport.
JoBo was often seen in his Modena pants and Monza cashmere or a Barcelona jacket (not forgetting, of course, his Rally bag), an icon of style without even trying!
He could have done anything and chose racing, at which he was amazingly good!
Born on MAY 4, 1928 in Germany, died on SEP 10, 1961 at Monza
From 1956 until his untimely demise in 1961
Ferrari, Porsche and Maserati
1961, the year he died, was Taffy‘s very best season with victories in Zandvoort and Aintree and podiums at Spa and the Ring, but he also distinguished himself at many events, including the Targa Florio
Taffy had to race – even against the will of his family who had other undertakings for him in mind – though none more noble…
von Trips was often spotted sporting his original race pants and a Monza cashmere sweater.
Nicknamed the Count von Crash, he had an indomitable style and certainly a passion to race that were stunning.
Born in Belgium on JAN 12, 1924, Olivier Gendebien died on OCT 2, 1998
From 1955 until 1962
Jaguar, Ferrari and Cooper
Olivier won 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
Another true gentleman driver, he exuded style both on and off the track.
Original race pants were Gendebien racing attire of choice while he also looked particularly elegant with that Sebring jacket…
Lost his shoes in a crash in the US in 1961, he has a turn named after him at the Sebring track.
Born on DEC 12, 1923 in Argentina he died, aged 30, at the Ring on JUL 31, 1954
in F1 from 1951 until his untimely death.
Maserati
Onofre‘s best races were fought at Spa in 53 and at Silverstone in 54 where he clawed back 25 positions to finish # 3, ahead of JM Fangio
He unfortunately died too young, the only racer to suffer such a fate on a Maserati.
Onofre was often seen sporting the Original Race Pants and a Brescia shirt or Rio polo
The Marimon family has racing in its blood and Suixtil has proudly re-associated with the third generation of race drivers it has spawned
Born on DEC 3, 1924 in Argentina, passed away on JAN 26, 2012
From 1953 to 1955
Gordini and Maserati and any other cars he could lay his hands on
1954 was the year and Roberto clocked some great races at Bremgarten (where the Argentinians showed complete domination of the track) and Barcelona when he finished right behind El Chueco
Bitito loved to race, to the point where he got an OSCA lent to him by Fon de Portago so that he could take part in the Mexican Panamericana in 1954 – and also got Suixtil to underwrite his registration and costs!
Often seen with his original race pants and Rio polo.
Wrote his biography – the title (borrowing from the famous line from Groucho)? “Why be normal?”, Why indeed?
Born on JAN 30, 1917, Paul Frere died on FEB 28, 2008
Paul Frere raced from 1952 to 1960
Gordini and Ferrari
Without a doubt his victory (with Olivier Gendebien) at le Mans in 1960
Paul Fere was known as the nicest and friendliest of men
Frere was often seen wearing his Original Race Pants
Was famous for his knowledge and advice on Porsche, a brand with which he did not race. Had a very long career as a motorsport journalist, commentator and writer, never really retiring from his beloved profession as a racer.
