Grand Prix Insider

Winning a Grand Prix can be an emotional affair at the best of times but never was the magic as strong as this one. The crowd got exactly what they wanted, the victor was perhaps the most popular man in the paddock, and the whole affair seemed to be guided by an unseen force.

Raceday was one of those stunning Italian days with clear skies and bright sunshine, and 100,000 tifosi arrived at the circuit with high hopes of a Ferrari victory. The Frenchman was starting third behind Arnoux and Piquet in the same spot Villeneuve had started his last race. During the night fans had painted maple leaf on the grid in honour of Villeneuve, an act that moved Tambay to tears before the race began.

Piquet stalled on the grid leaving Patrese as the sole Brabham while Arnoux got away cleanly from the front with Tambay close behind. The crowd went insane at the site of the Ferraris in the lead. The Frenchman lost his place to Patrese after just two laps and was forced to watch as the Brabham shot off in pursuit of his team-mate. Patrese took the lead after six laps and looked as if he had the race sewn up before he made a disastrous pit-stop on lap 34. In his eagerness to get in and out quick Riccardo overshot his pit. An overstretched air hammer lost its hose and Patrese made it even worse by failing to keep his brakes on during the wheel change. By the time he rejoined the race, Tambay had taken the lead and built up a comfortable ten second cushion.

Patrese chased hard and by lap 47 the gap was down to five seconds. Five laps later and Tambay’s lead had been slashed to just 1.5 seconds. The crowd were on tenterhooks. On lap 55 the Brabham got ahead as the pair entered the Tosa hairpin. With just two corners to go it looked as if Ferrari would fall at the final hurdle, then Patrese made another mistake and ran wide at Acque Minerali. He hit the ‘marbles’ and speared off into the tyre-wall. The race belonged to Tambay, Ferrari and the memory of Gilles Villeneuve. On the podium the Frenchman said: “I swear it wasn’t me driving that car that day. It felt as if Gilles was there with me.”

1983 San Marino Formula 1 Grand Prix, Imola, Italy

Pole Position: René Arnoux, Ferrari 126C2B, 1m 31.238s, 198.865 km/h (123.595 mph) average.

Race Result: Winner – Patrick Tambay, Ferrari 126C2B, 60 laps x 5.040 km (3.132 miles) = 302.400 km (187.920 miles) total race distance in 1h 37m 52.460s, 185.381 km/h (115.215 mph) average.

2) Alain Prost, Renault RE40 + 48.781s
3) René Arnoux, Ferrari 126C2B + 1 lap
4) Keke Rosberg, Williams FW08C + 1 lap
5) John Watson, McLaren MP4-1C + 1 lap
6) Marc Surer, Arrows A6 + 1 lap

Fastest Lap: Riccardo Patrese, Brabham BT52, 1m 34.437s on Lap 47 = 192.128 km/h (119.408 mph) average.

Milestones among teams and suppliers:

- French fuel and lubricants supplier Elf’s 750th Formula 1 Grand Prix;

- 75th Formula 1 Grand Prix of Osella Squadra Corse as contructor and team.