Oscar Alfredo Galvez

Oscar Alfredo Galvez (1913 – 1988) was a racing driver from Argentina who was active from the late 1930s to the early 1960s, achieving the most success in touring car races. He was a champion in the Argentinean Turismo Carretera series five times between 1947 and 1961.

Oscar didn't race much outside Argentina. His most notable international appearance was in the Formula 1 Argentine Grand Prix in January 1953. He was driving a Maserati 6GCM for Maserati factory team, finishing in the fifth place.

Oscar's younger brother Juan Galvez (1916-1963) was a Turismo Carretera champion nine times and they are considered as one of the most successful pairs of brothers in the history of world's motorsport. The racing circuit in Buenos Aires has been renamed to Autodromo Oscar Alfredo Galvez in 1989 and then into Autodromo Juan y Oscar Galvez in 2008.

Oscar Alfredo Galvez

Champion in the first post-war Turismo Carretera season

Born in August 1913, Oscar Alfredo Galvez gained his first racing experience in the late 1930s, in the Turismo Carretera series which was established in 1937. The future F1 star Juan Manuel Fangio was a two-time TC champion in 1940 and 1941.

Oscar's time came after the World War II. He won the first post-war championship in 1947, driving a Ford V8 Coupe. Next year, he repeated a success in the same car. Outside TC races, he participated in many Grand Prix and Formula Libre races in South America, scoring many victories in an Alfa Romeo 308.

From 1949 to 1952, Juan Galvez captured four consecutive Turismo Carretera titles in a Ford V8 Coupe. Oscar was a runner-up in 1949, fourth in 1950 and 1951, then he was fifth in 1952. Outside Turismo Carretera, he gained some success in Formula Libre races with Alfa Romeo.

Three Argentineans at 1953 Argentine Grand Prix: Oscar Galvez, Juan Manuel Fangio and Jose Froilan Gonzalez

A one-off attempt in the Formula 1 World Championship

In January 1953, the Argentine Grand Prix was the opening race of the Formula 1 World Championship season and Oscar entered the race as Maserati factory driver, together with two other Argentineans Juan Manuel Fangio and Jose Froilan Gonzalez.

Oscar was driving the #8 Maserati A6GCM, setting the ninth-fastest qualifying time and finishing fifth in the race, one lap behind winner Alberto Ascari (Ferrari). He earned two championship points which put him to 15th place at the end of 1953 F1 season.

In 1953, Oscar was also driving Maserati A6GCM in Formula Libre Buenos Aires Grand Prix, finishing in the sixth place. In November 1953, Oscar raced in a Lincoln Capri at Carrera Panamericana, finishing the race in 15th place.

Two consecutive Turismo Carretera titles in 1953 and 1954

In 1953, Oscar stopped a domination of his brother in the Turismo Carretera series, winning four races in a Ford V8 Coupe and taking his third championship title in a career. Juan finished second in the points.

A year later, Oscar captured one more championship title, again defeating his own brother. They were tied with four titles each but then, in 1955, Juan started his second period of domination and captured four titles from 1955 to 1958.

Outside Turismo Carretera, Oscar recorded one start in Buenos Aires 1000 km race in January 1955, a part of the World Sportscar Championship, driving a Ford V8 Coupe. He finished eighth overall and first in Modified Touring class.

Oscar Alfredo Galvez next to his Ford V8 Coupe

One more last championship title in 1961, retirement at the end of 1962

In 1959, somebody else than Galvez brothers won Turismo Carretera championship. It was Rodolfo de Alzaga. Then, in 1960, Juan Galvez captured his ninth title, with Oscar in the second place. In 1961, Oscar was a champion for the fifth time in a career, one more time in a Ford V8 Coupe.

The season 1962 was the last for both brothers in the same competition. Oscar retired from racing at the end of the season while Juan Galvez lost a life in an accident during Turismo Carretera race at Olavarria in March 1963.