 He had also been suffering from kidney failure for some time before his death.In 1980 Konex Foundation granted him the Diamond Konex Award as the best Sportsman of the decade in Argentina.In 1981 Fangio travelled to Monza for the Italian Grand Prix, where he was reunited with his Tipo 159 Alfa Romeo from 1951 and the 1954 Lancia for a couple of demonstrative laps.