1/2/1921
Record updated 12-Feb-24
José Maria Ibañez was a sports car driver from Argentina. He mainly raced Ferrari, winning the Buenos Aires 1000 Km race in 1955 with Enrique Valiente.
José Maria Ibañez was a sports car driver from Argentina. In 1952 he raced an Allard in a Buenos Aires non championship race setting the fastest lap.
In 1953 he entered a number of non championship events with some success. In the 25 lap Gran Premio Ciudad de Buenos Aires he finished 3rd in his Ferrari 225 Sport Vignale Spyder (0192ET). He then won the Premio Verano in Mar del Plata in February and followed this with three second place finishes: round 6 at Mendozain, round seven in Buenos Aires and round nine, the Primo Primavera, Corsa Sport de Ciudad de Buenos Aires. In October he took delivery of a 375 Mille Miglia Spyder (0362AM).
In 1954 he started the year in single seaters, driving a Ferrari in the non-championship F1 race, the XIII Grande Prêmio do Cidade do Rio de Janeiro at Gávea on January 3rd, but failing to finish. He entered the 375MM in the Buenos Aires 1000 Km race at the Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez. The track was built in 1952 under president Juan Perón and was named the Autódromo 17 de Octubre until his overthrow. Driving with Ignacio Janices they had an accident on the 11th lap but raced successfully for the remainder of the year.
He had much better luck in 1955. There were only four works entries in the Buenos Aires 1000 Km that year, two Ferraris and two Gordinis.
Driving his Ferrari 375 Plus, Ibanez and Enrique Saenz Valiente took the lead after the Ferrari 375MM of Carlos Najurieta and Oscar Rivero Ferrari hit a dog 18 laps from the finish. Both the works Ferraris were disqualified: the 118 LM of Froilan Gonzales and Maurice Trintignant when Gonzales took a shortcut to the pits after suffering fuelpump problems and the 750 Spider of Umberto Maglioli and Clemar Bucci after receiving outside assistance.
He also finished second at Tres Arroyos in a Mercedes.
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