Patrick Tambay: Former Formula 1 Ferrari driver Tambay dies aged 73 – BBC

Former Formula one driver Meat Tambay has died aged 73.

Tambay, who had been suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, was most famous for his association with Ferrari.

He was a leading member of the generation associated with top French F1 drivers that included the likes of Alain Prost, Rene Arnoux, Didier Pironi plus Jacques Laffite.

Tambay was most famous for their emotional season and a half along with Ferrari in 1982 and 1983, plus the way his career was intertwined with his friend, the legendary Gilles Villeneuve.

The pair made their grand prix debuts together at the 1977 British Grand Prix; Villeneuve for McLaren, Tambay for Theodore.

Despite a starring debut by Villeneuve in Silverstone, which has gone down in F1 legend, McLaren preferred Tambay for a full-time drive within 1978.

That freed up Villeneuve with regard to a move to Ferrari, where the Canadian became an iconic figure for their bravery, speed and daringly acrobatic style through just over four seasons with the team.

Tambay’s career, by contrast, stalled after two years with McLaren, as he returned to struggling Theodore regarding 1980, and then finished the second half of 1981 with a move to Ligier.

In 1982, his time in F1 seemed to be over, but when Villeneuve has been killed inside a horrific crash in qualifying at the particular 1982 Belgian Grand Prix, Ferrari turned to Tambay as his replacement.

Tambay made their debut for the team at the Dutch Great Prix alongside Pironi, whose victory from Zandvoort confirmed his status as championship favourite.

But three races later, Pironi suffered career-ending leg injuries in a crash in qualifying within Germany that bore remarkable similarities to the accident that experienced killed Villeneuve.

Tambay won the competition the following day, in a car bearing Villeneuve’s famous number 27, plus immediately secured a place in the hearts of the popular Ferrari fans, the tifosi.

“We are all truly saddened by the news from the passing of Patrick Tambay, ” read a Ferrari statement.

“He was one of the true stars of the 80s, winning two competitions using the Scuderia and contributing to being successful the manufacturers’ titles in 1982 and 1983. ”

His position as the Ferrari hero was secured in the San Marino Grand Prix inside 1983.

The particular race with Imola the particular previous year had marked the collapse of Villeneuve’s relationship with Ferrari.

Pironi stole victory from under his team-mate’s nose when Villeneuve thought they were under team orders in order to cruise one-two to the finish. Team principal Marco Piccinini sided along with Pironi, plus Villeneuve vowed never to speak to the Frenchman again.

Two weeks later, Villeneuve had crashed to his death, still furious with the method events got played out, and aware his time at Ferrari would be over at the particular end of the year.

At Imola in 1983, Tambay started from the same third place on the grid as Villeneuve had the year before, and a Canadian flag had been painted on to the track in front of their car.

And when Ricciardo Patrese damaged his Brabham out associated with the lead in the particular final stages, Tambay inherited a victory many within Italy saw as destiny, sending the crowd into raptures.

Tambay and team-mate Rene Arnoux were title contenders that will year but both lost out to eventual champion Nelson Piquet of Brabham and Prost on Renault.

Plus when Ferrari signed Michele Alboreto together with Arnoux intended for 1984, Tambay moved to Renault to get two many years.

The group, who acquired just fired Prost after they failed in order to win the particular 1983 name together, had been beginning the decline. They failed to win a race within the two seasons Tambay partnered Englishman Derek Warwick, although Tambay did take pole placement on the 1984 French Grand Prix.

He joined the new US-based Haas team for 1986, but the particular outfit were uncompetitive. These people collapsed right after just one time of year and Tambay’s F1 career ended along with it.

After a two-year break from the sport, Tambay returned to the cockpit in the particular world sportscar championship inside 1989, finishing fourth at Le Mans in a Jaguar, plus then took up desert rallying, twice finishing in the top three from the well-known Paris-Dakar Rally.

Tambay was also godfather to Gilles Villeneuve’s son Jacques, and was involved in his racing development within a career in which he won the 1995 IndyCar title and Indianapolis 500, and then the F1 world tournament with Williams in 1997.

Alpine’s French driver Esteban Ocon said: “An icon of French motorsport has left us. My thoughts go out to his family, friends and loved ones. ”

People from france sports journalist and presenter Alexandre Delperier added: “You are gone my dear friend. So much memories. What the passion pertaining to F1 shared on (television channel) RMC Sport. I mourn the particular marvellous man that you were. inch