Former Formula One driver and Argentine politician Carlos Reutmann, who competed for more than a decade at the top of world motorsport, died Wednesday at the age of 79.
Reutman had surgery on a liver tumor in New York in 2017 and struggled to regain full health.
His daughter Cora tweeted, "Dad left with peace and dignity after fighting like a champion with a strong and kind heart."
In a career marked by talent and stubborn single-mindedness behind the wheel, but lacking consistency, Reuten was considered the greatest Argentine driver since five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio, who had a succession in the 1950s.
The son of a rancher from the province of Santa Fe, Ratman finished runner-up in the 1981 Formula One Championship for Brazilian Nelson Piquet, after coming in third in 1975, 1978 and 1980.
"He was a big part of our game for many years and a fighter until the very end. He will be greatly missed," Formula 1 said in a statement.
The Argentine entered Formula One in 1972 and joined Bernie Ecclestone's Brabham team along with then-two-time world champion Graham Hill. He made a sensational start by putting his car in pole position for his home Grand Prix in Buenos Aires before finishing seventh.
He also raced for Ferrari, leading the Italian team's challenge in 1978 after being dominated by Niki Lauda in 1977, and then joining Lotus in 1979. This proved to be a poor decision, with Ferrari finishing first and second in that year's championship, and Rhein sixth. .
He then moved to Williams in 1980.
Williams Racing tweeted: "We are saddened to learn of the passing of our former driver, Carlos Reutemann, winner of three Grands Prix during Williams' career. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time."
In 1981, he ignored the team's instructions in Brazil, refusing to win Alan Jones, but led the championship before the final in Las Vegas where he qualified on pole.
Reutemann then faded into the race, Jones won, and Piquet became the champion by one point.
Nicknamed "Lolé" in reference to his love of pigs - "Los Lechónes" in Spanish - he abruptly quit the sport after the 1982 Brazilian Grand Prix, running 146 Grands Prix with 12 wins and 46 podium finishes. was imposed.
After trying his hand at the 1985 World Rally Championship, Ritman turned to politics and was elected governor of the province of Santa Fe, serving 1991–1995 and 1999–2003.
In 2003, he was elected senator for Santa Fe and was re-elected in 2009 and 2015. He refused to run for the presidency in 2002, even though polls showed he would have been a leading candidate.
Known for his nostalgia to fame, he failed to appear at his book launch in 1998, after working for years with a ghostwriter. Writer Alfredo Parga said at the time, "She is the rest."