Former Argentine Formula 1 driver Carlos Reutemann has died in Santa Fe at the age of 79. His daughter Cora announced this on Wednesday. He had been struggling with health problems for a long time and was in hospital for more than a month.
“Dad died in peace and dignity after fighting like a champion with a noble heart to the end,” his daughter wrote on Twitter.
Reutemann was active in Formula 1 between 1972 and 1982 and drove for major teams such as Brabham, Ferrari, Lotus and Williams. In 144 races, he finished on the podium 45 times and crossed the line 12 times as a winner.
After his career in motorsport, Reutemann entered politics. He was twice governor of his home province of Sante Fe and since 2003 he was a senator in the lower house of the Argentine parliament.