1954 Carrera Panamericana Artwork
Wally Thomason paints his own picture of the 1954 Carrera Panamericana.
The 1954 Carrera Panamericana developed immediately into a fight between two Ferraris: the year-old 375MM of Phil Hill and Richie Ginther, and the new, brutishly fast 375 Plus of Umberto Maglioli. After his early lead was eroded by mechanical problems, the Mexican press nicknamed Hill “El Batallador” (The Battler) for his refusal to concede to the larger-engined car. At the finish, Maglioli prevailed by 24 minutes – but Hill’s insistent, gallant drive earned international recognition leading to a Ferrari works drive, and ultimately to the 1961 World Driving Championship.
