Editor Chris Balfe remembers the 1957 German GP - Nurburgring, 4 August 1957

The recent British GP saw a spirited fight-back from former world champion Mika Hakkinen. Just days after McLaren went to the unusual lengths of issuing a press release denying that he was on the verge of retiring, the Finn made an amazing come to take a highly popular win at Silverstone.

However this weekend's German GP reminds me of another amazing performance: The man - Juan Manuel Fangio, the car - the Maserati 250F, the venue - the awesome Nurburgring, the race the 1957 German GP.

In qualifying, Fangio had proved the class of the field taking pole by nearly three seconds from Ferrari's Mike Hawthorn. The Ferrari 801s were no match for their Italian rivals, whilst the Coopers and Vanwalls were ill suited to the 'Ring's lumps and bumps.

Against the form book, Hawthorn took the lead in his Ferrari, setting a blistering pace on the first lap. Behind Hawthorn, team-mate Peter Collins did his best to keep Fangio at bay - it was a pointless task. By the end of the third lap, Fangio had taken the lead and was racing into the distance.

At the end of the 12th lap, the Argentinian made his scheduled pit-stop. What should have been a straightforward stop for fuel and tyres, turned into something of a nightmare - not totally dissimilar to Hakkinen's problems at Silverstone. By the time he emerged, Fangio's lead had become a forty second deficit!

At the front, Hawthorn and Collins were like a couple of mischievous kittens, actually swapping the lead - and at times running side by side laughing! Little did they know what was to come.

By the end of the 16th lap, Fangio had reduced the deficit to 33s, next lap it was 25.5s, then 13.5. On the 20th lap, the Argentinean managed to beat the existing lap record by a full six seconds!

Of course, pit signals will have forewarned the Ferrari duo that Fangio was on his way, however there was nothing they do - the maestro had them.

On lap 21, Fangio made his move on Collins at the North curve, as if to rub the Englishman's nose in it, Fangio's Maserati kicked up a stone which smashed one of the lenses in Collin's goggles. Before the lap was over, Fangio put Hawthorn out of his misery, as he slipped the Maserati into the lead at Adenau.

As they begun the 22nd and final lap, the crowd (realising that this history was being made) was on it's feet,. Fangio had the race won, but still he pushed - faster and faster. By the chequered flag, the Argentinean had a lead of almost 4s - he had won the race, the world championship and the undying respect of his rivals.

Without doubt, this was one of the finest victories of Fangio's long and illustrious career - yet remarkably it was also his last. Following his magnificent win, he took part in just four more GPs before retiring from the sport.

Chris Balfe