Fangio’s exhumation put on hold due to "second son" claim
A judge has suspended the exhumation of five-time F1 World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio’s body until a similar case, from another man claiming to be his son, is completed.
Last Friday a court in Mar del Plata – the city in Argentina nearest to Balcarce, the town where Fangio was born – ruled to exhume the body of the motorsport legend in order to determinate if he was the father of a man named Oscar Cesar Espinoza.
However, the exhumation – due to take place on August 7 – has been suspended by a different court located in La Plata, capital city of Buenos Aires province. This is because another case of filiation, started before Espinoza’s, is being heard from Ruben Vazquez, who also claims to be Fangio’s son.
'Stay Order' in place
According to the ruling, until the case in La Plata – which has a 'Stay Order' over Fangio’s body – is finished the exhumation will not be able to take place.
Fangio, who won the F1 world title in 1951 and then every year from 1954-57, never married or had recognized children in his lifetime, although he did have a long-term relationship with a woman, Andrea Berruet, who is Espinoza’s mother.
On Friday, July 17, it is the 20th anniversary of Fangio’s death at the age of 84.
It is not yet clear what the next move will be from Espinoza’s lawyer in their attempt to have Fangio's body exhumed.
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