F1Weekly Podcast # 1024

Play Podcast: 12-25-23f1weekly1024mp3

CLARK AND NASIR WISH ALL THE F1WEEKLY FAMILIA MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! AS WE WORK OVERTIME, MOTORSPORTS MONDIAL IS A FULLY LOADED FRUIT CAKE WITH MORE F1 FACTS AND FIGURES. FROM THE F1WEEKLY ARCHIVES THIS WEEK’S INTERVIEW OUR DIJON 1979 FRIEND RENE ARNOUX! RECORDED AT LE MANS 2009.

René Arnoux, the co-protagonist of one page in Formula 1’s history: the epic duel, wheel to wheel, with his friend Villeneuve at the Dijon GP in 1979. It was a different F1, it was neither better nor worse, but certainly, the skill and risks taken by the driver made the difference. René hid a determined temperament behind a carefree appearance: a quick and bold driver.

He caught the motoring bug from his father, after serving in the army he moved to Italy to learn specialised mechanics, elaborating cars in Conrero’s workshop.

He took his first steps at an Elf driving school in Magny Cours, where he met Tico Martini, that turned out to be a crucial meeting for his career. He won the championship both in Formula Renault and in Formula 2 and in 1978 the F1 doors opened up for him, behind the wheel of Martini and Surtees. Half-way through the season, he was left with no car, because Martini withdrew.

He was offered the Surtees’ wheel at Watkins Glen and Canada, to replace Brambilla. Arnoux was able to get noticed due to an excellent performance.

Therefore, Renault decided to have two cars racing and they sided him to Jabouille. He won his first race at Interlagos in 1980 and he ended the season sixth overall. After Jabouille’s serious accident in Canada, Renault hired Alain Prost, with whom René created a lively rivalry. It culminated in a conflict at the 1982 French GP, René, who was in the first position, won without following the pits’ orders asking him to let Prost pass.

The following year he moved on to Ferrari, the same team as his compatriot Tambay. He managed to get into a competition for the world championship, but his dreams vanished and he achieved a third place in the final ranking.

The relationship with Ferrari ended in 1985, after only one GP. From 1986 he raced for Ligier, with good results, but the team had set off towards a descent and the epilogue was disappointed. René retired from F1 in 1989.
He’s one of the founders of team Dams, he’s active in the indoor karting world, he raced in the GP Masters, he owns a company manufacturing precision mechanics for watches… and he’s kept a strong relationship with Italy, with Modena and with Ferrari, it isn’t difficult to encounter his smile and be carried away in a few laughs.