1980s Formula One On This Day

Remembering AGS & Coloni technical director Christian Vanderpleyn, who died in a car accident on this day in 1992, he was 48.

📷 Pascal Rondeau

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Brazilian Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Jacarepaguá, 11 March 1983.

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Like Lotus, ATS entered a turbocharged car for the first time. Manfred Winkelhock driving the BMW M12/13-powered ATS D6, designed by Gustav Brunner. Hampered by mechanical issues, Winkelhock was 26th fastest.

Brazilian Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Jacarepaguá, 11 March 1983.

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Lotus finally joined the turbocharged runners with their Renault V6-powered Type 93T. It would be a disappointing debut as Elio de Angelis ended the session 21st fastest (1 min:40.056 sec).

Brazilian Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Jacarepaguá, 11 March 1983.

📷 David Phipps

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Johnny Cecotto (27) was the quickest rookie, 16th in his Theodore-Ford. Danny Sullivan (33) was 20th in a Tyrrell-Ford. European F2 champion Corrado Fabi (21) was 23rd in his Osella-Ford.

Brazilian Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Jacarepaguá, 11 March 1983.

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Jean-Pierre Jarier (Ligier-Ford-JS21), Jacarepaguá, 1983.

Jean-Pierre Jarier had signed for Ligier, having briefly driven for the team during 1977 & 1981. The 36 year old Frenchman ended the session 19th quickest.

Brazilian Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Jacarepaguá, 11 March 1983.

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Jacques Laffite (Williams-Ford-FW08C), Jacarepaguá, 1983.

Two drivers returned to teams that they had previously driven for. Jacques Laffite back at Williams, having drove for them back in 1974/1975, Laffite was 15th fastest.

Brazilian Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Jacarepaguá, 11 March 1983.

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Having their first outings with another team, Mauro Baldi (Alfa Romeo) was 8th quickest. Bruno Giacomelli (Toleman-Hart) was 10th, Eddie Cheever (Renault) 12th & Roberto Guerrero (Theodore-Ford) in 13th.

Brazilian Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Jacarepaguá, 11 March 1983.

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Local hero Nelson Piquet was 5th fastest in his Brabham-BMW-BT52. Fellow countryman Raul Boesel (Ligier-Ford-JS21) & Chico Serra (Arrows-Ford-A6) were 17th & 24th respectively.

Brazilian Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Jacarepaguá, 11 March 1983.

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Making excellent progress with their Hart turbo-powered cars, Derek Warwick set the 4th quickest time (1 min:35.206 sec) in the Toleman TG183B.

Brazilian Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Jacarepaguá, 11 March 1983.

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#OnThisDay in 1983.

At Jacarepaguá, reigning World Champion Keke Rosberg (Williams-Ford-FW08C) topped the first qualifying session for the season-opening Brazilian Grand Prix. Rosberg 's time of 1 min:34.526 sec, just over a tenth quicker than Alain Prost's Renault RE30C.

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Happy Birthday to Ireland's Derek Daly, 73 today.

British F3 champion in 1977, Daly won three races in European F2 during 1978-1979. He took part in 49 Grand Prix (1978-1982), twice finishing 4th. After F1, Daly raced in CART & sports cars.

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Coming up tomorrow -

Back in time to 11 March 1983, taking a look back at the first qualifying session for the Brazilian Grand Prix. Strong showings from Keke Rosberg, Alain Prost & Derek Warwick. Johnny Cecotto, Corrado Fabi & Danny Sullivan all debuted.

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#HappyBirthday Teo Fabi, 71. He drove 64 #F1 GPs, bagging 2 podiums, but he never won in F1 nor even led an F1 lap despite 3 F1 poles. He was successful in #F2 & #IndyCar. Pic: Monaco, ’86, battling the mighty Benetton-BMW B186, which pumped out around 1400bhp in qualifying trim.

#HappyBirthday Danny Sullivan, 76. He started 15 #F1 GPs for Tyrrell in ’83 - but he was an #IndyCar  ace & he’s best known for his brilliant ’85 #Indy500 ‘spin & win’. Pic: 2nd for Tyrrell in the ’83 #RaceOfChampions at Brands Hatch, the last non-championship F1 race.

Happy Birthday to Teo Fabi, 71 today.

Fabi started 64 Grand Prix between 1982-1987, achieving three pole positions, his best finish was two 3rd places. He finished runner-up in the 1983 IndyCar series & in 1991, won the World Sportscar Championship with Jaguar.

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Happy Birthday to Danny Sullivan, 76 today.

Sullivan drove for Tyrrell in 15 Grand Prix (1983), finishing 5th at Monaco & 2nd in the non-championship Race of Champions. An IndyCar ace, he won the 1985 Indianapolis 500 & the 1988 CART series.

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Happy Birthday to Mike Earle, 86 today.

Team manager at the LEC, & Kauhsen F1 teams during the 1970s, Earle co-founded the Onyx team which competed in F2 & F3000, entering F1 in 1989. He later founded Arena Motorsport, the team competing in touring cars & sports cars.

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Coming up on 11 March -

A look back at the first qualifying session for the season-opening 1983 Brazilian Grand Prix.

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Stefan Johansson & Harvey Postlethwaite, Monaco 1985 © Getty Images

Remembering Grand Prix-winning designer & technical director Harvey Postlethwaite, born on this day in 1944.

Postlethwaite worked for Hesketh, Wolf, Fittipaldi, Ferrari, Tyrrell & Sauber.

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Happy Birthday to Gabriele Tarquini, 64 today.

Tarquini drove for backmarker teams in 38 Grand Prix between 1987-1995, scoring a point with 6th at the 1989 Mexican Grand Prix. After F1, he won the British (1994), European (2003) & World (2009) Touring Car titles.

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More classic #OnThisDay 1980s F1 memories coming soon.

13 March - Results, photos & video clips from the 1983 Brazilian Grand Prix.

11/12 March - Results & photos from the qualifying sessions for the 1983 Brazilian Grand Prix.

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Drivers' & Constructors' Championship standings after the race.

South African Grand Prix, Kyalami, 1 March 1980.

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Back-to-back F1 victories for René Arnoux. Jacques Laffite scored his first points of the season, teammate Didier Pironi in 3rd.

South African Grand Prix, Kyalami, 1 March 1980.

Race report www.statsf1.com/fr/1980/afri...

Highlights youtu.be/g3UjyrE5FuY?...

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Osella's F1 race debut ended in the catch-fences at Crowthorne on lap 9. A brake failure causing the accident, Eddie Cheever slightly injuring his right foot.

South African Grand Prix, Kyalami, 1 March 1980.

© Getty Images/Grand Prix Photo

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Three retirements from three starts for the reigning World Champion Jody Scheckter. The local hero bringing his Ferrari 312T5 in to the pits (lap 15) after an electrical connection failed on the flat-12 engine.

South African Grand Prix, Kyalami, 1 March 1980.

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Alan Jones (Williams-Ford-FW07B) retires from 4th position (lap 35) due to a gearbox problem. The Australian lost the lead of the World Championship to race winner René Arnoux.

South African Grand Prix, Kyalami, 1 March 1980.

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Jean-Pierre Jabouille (Renault RE20) retired from the lead of a Grand Prix for the second race in a row. The pole sitter leading from the start until a flat front right tyre caused his retirement on lap 62.

South African Grand Prix, Kyalami, 1 March 1980.

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Three laps from the finish & running 13th, Geoff Lees (Shadow-Ford-DN11) crashed at Crowthorne after a front suspension failure. This would be Shadow's last World Championship race start.

South African Grand Prix, Kyalami, 1 March 1980.

© Grand Prix Photo

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Clay Regazzoni brought his Ensign-Ford-N180 home in 9th position. It would be the last F1 race finish for the 40 year old Swiss.

South African Grand Prix, Kyalami, 1 March 1980.

📷 David Phipps

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