Roberto Mières

Mières was a natural athlete who excelled at rowing, yachting and rugby until a broken leg ended his interest in the oval-ball game. After reaching championship class at tennis, he turned to motor sport with an MG, which was soon replaced by a Mercedes SSK with which he won an important race at Rosario. Racing the ex-Varzi Bugatti, Mières won the Argentine sports car championship, and as a result was invited to accompany Fangio and Gonzalez on a short trip to Europe, during which he took a Ferrari to fourth in the Geneva GP of 1950.

Returning home he waited for an opportunity to race abroad once more, which finally came in 1953, when Gordini invited him to replace the injured Behra. Little came his way in terms of results, but he drove brilliantly to finish fourth in the F1 Albi GP with the F2 car. In 1954 Roberto ordered a Maserati 250F, but he started the season with the interim A6GCM/250 and scored a superb second place in the Buenos Aires City GP. He was frustrated by the non-appearance of his new car for most of the year, but made the best of it, taking third at Pau and fourth in the International Trophy at Silverstone. When the 250F eventually arrived, Mières immediately took fourth places in Swiss and Spanish GPs, so impressing the factory that he was taken on for 1955.

Ably supporting team leader Jean Behra, Mières enjoyed a consistent season, doing particularly well in non-championship races, taking second in the Turin GP and third at both Pau and Bordeaux. Political upheaval at home prompted Mières to retire from Grands Prix at the end of 1955 to tend his business intesests, and he returned to his earlier passion of yachting.

Roberto was tempted back behind the wheel, however. He finished fourth In the 1957 Buenos Aires 1000 Km in the Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar D-Type, while in 1958 he raced a Centro Sud Maserati 250 F in the Buenos Aires City GP, and shared a works Porsche with Barth and d’Orey in the 1000 Km, claiming a class win and fifth place overall.

Mières subsequently raced occasionally in the USA, and took part in single-seater and saloon car events at home until 1962-63, when he decided to concentrate on his considerable competition yachting skills.