1980s Formula One On This Day

Desiré Wilson (Tyrrell-Ford-010), Kyalami, 1981 © Revs Digital Library

An interesting entrant was that of Aurora AFX British F1 race winner Desiré Wilson (27) in the second Tyrrell. The local heroine was 14th quickest, lapping within half a second of teammate Eddie Cheever.

South African GP, (first qualifying session), Kyalami, 5 February 1981.

12th quickest, Chico Serra (Fittipaldi-Ford) was the quickest rookie. Siegfried Stohr (Arrows-Ford) was 16th. Eliseo Salazar (March-Ford) failed to set a lap time.

South African Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Kyalami, 5 February 1981.

© Revs Digital Library

Eddie Cheever (Tyrrell-Ford-010), Kyalami, 5 February 1981.

Signed from Osella, Eddie Cheever had his first outing for Tyrrell. The 23 year old American setting the 10th quickest (1 min:14.95 sec) lap time.

South African Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Kyalami, 5 February 1981.

© Revs Digital Library

Andrea de Cesaris (McLaren-Ford-M29B), Kyalami, 1981 © Revs Digital Library

With a couple of Grand Prix under his belt with Alfa Romeo at the end of 1980, Andrea de Cesaris (21) debuted for McLaren. The Italian (8th) outpacing experienced teammate John Watson (13th).

South African Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Kyalami, 5 February 1981.

With regular driver Héctor Rebaque recovering from hepatitis, Ricardo Zunino made a surprise one-off return to Brabham. The Argentine driver setting the 7th quickest lap time.

South African Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Kyalami, 5 February 1981.

© Revs Digital Library

Beginning his first full season as an F1 driver, Nigel Mansell (27) got off to a promising start, finishing 5th quickest (1 min:14.38 sec) in his Lotus-Ford-81.

South African Grand Prix, (first qualifying session), Kyalami, 5 February 1981.

© Revs Digital Library

#OnThisDay in 1981.

At Kyalami, Nelson Piquet (Brabham-Ford-BT49B) topped (1 min:12.94 sec) the first qualifying session for the South African Grand Prix. The Brazilian shading Carlos Reutemann's Williams-Ford-FW07B by 0.04 sec.

📷 David Phipps

Happy Birthday to former F1 driver & team entrant Héctor Rebaque, 70 today.

Mexico's Rebaque started 41 Grand Prix (Hesketh, Team Rebaque & Brabham) between 1977-1981. His best results were three 4th places. He briefly raced in IndyCar during 1982, winning at Road America.

© Getty Images

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Ralph Bellamy, 1980 Argentine Grand Prix 📷 Ercole Colombo

Happy Birthday to former racing car designer & engineer Ralph Bellamy, 88 today.

Bellamy designed F1 cars for McLaren, Brabham, Lotus (he was part of the team that designed the Type 78), Fittipaldi, Ensign & Larrousse..He also designed F2/F3000 cars for March.

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Happy Birthday to Chico Serra, 69 today.

British F3 champion in 1979, Serra raced for Fittipaldi & Arrows in 18 Grand Prix between 1981-1983, his only point coming with 6th at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix. He won Stock Car Brasil in 1999, 2000 & 2001.

© Getty Images

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Yes, it debuted at the 1977 British Grand Prix.

Remembering 2-time F1 race winner Jean-Pierre Jabouille, who died aged 80 on this day in 2023.

European F2 champion in 1976, Jabouille took part in 49 GPs between 1975-1981. He made history at the 1979 French GP, becoming the first driver to win an F1 race in a turbocharged car.

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Happy Birthday to former F1 driver & two-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner JJ Lehto, 60 today.

British F3 champion in 1988, Lehto drove for Onyx, Scuderia Italia, Sauber & Benetton in 62 Grand Prix between 1989-1994, finishing 3rd at Imola in 1991.

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Happy Birthday to Mauro Baldi, 72 today.

European F3 champion in 1981, Baldi raced for Arrows, Alfa Romeo & Spirit in 36 Grand Prix (1982-1985), best finish of 5th at Zandvoort in 1983. He won the World Sportscar Championship in 1990, & the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1994.

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Remembering former McLaren boss Teddy Mayer, who died aged 73 on this day in 2009

Mayer oversaw World Title success for Emerson Fittipaldi in 1974 & James Hunt in 1976. After leaving McLaren, he ran a team in IndyCar & later managed the Haas Lola F1 team.

📷 David Phipps

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Bernard Dudot & Gérard Larousse, Imola, 1980 📷 Hoch Zwei

Happy Birthday to Bernard Dudot, 87 today.

Dudot developed the Renault-Gordini EF1 V6 turbo & the RS1-RS9 series of V10 engines. He was technical director of the Renault F1 programme. From 1997-1999, Dudot was the technical director of the Prost F1 team.

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Happy Birthday to 1979 F1 World Champion Jody Scheckter, 76 today.

Scheckter raced for McLaren, Tyrrell, Wolf & Ferrari in 112 Grand Prix between 1972-1980. Apart from his World Championship, he was runner-up in 1977, & 3rd in 1974 & 1976. Scheckter won 10 Grand Prix.

© Getty Images

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Happy Birthday to former F1 engineer Tim Wright, 77 today.

Senior design draughtsman at Fittipaldi Automotive, Wright then spent time at Spirit Racing. He then became Alain Prost's race engineer at McLaren. Wright had similar roles at the Peugeot Endurance team, Jordan & Sauber.

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More 1980s Grand Prix action coming soon.

5 February - First qualifying session for 1981 South African Grand Prix.

6 February - Final qualifying session for the South African Grand Prix.

7 February - 1981 South African Grand Prix - Results, photos & video clips.

© FOM

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Remembering Adrián Campos, who died aged 60 on this day in 2021.

Campos drove for Minardi in 17 Grand Prix (1987-1988), finishing 14th at the 1987 Spanish Grand Prix. He turned to team management & founded the Campos Meta F1 team, later known as HRT.

© Getty Images

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Drivers' & Constructors' Championship standings.

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos, 27 January 1980.

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First F1 victory for René Arnoux, maiden F1 podium for Elio de Angelis. Alan Jones rounding off the podium finishers.

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos, 27 January 1980.

Race report www.statsf1.com/en/1980/bres...

🎥 www.dailymotion.com/video/x8m6fiq

© Getty Images

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Down in 13th after a poor start, Nelson Piquet (Brabham-Ford-BT49) rose to 6th, but a left rear puncture dropped him down the order. He crashed out of his home race (suspension failure, due to the puncture) on lap 15.

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos, 27 January 1980.

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Pole man Jean-Pierre Jabouille (Renault RE20) was leading teammate René Arnoux when (lap 25) he slowed due to a turbo failure, retiring at the pits.

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos, 27 January 1980.

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A two-time Interlagos race winner, Emerson Fittipaldi raced on home soil for the last time in F1. The 33 year old bringing his Fittipaldi-Ford-F7 home in 15th position, two laps down.

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos, 27 January 1980.

© Revs Digital Library

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Jean-Pierre Jarier & Derek Daly trailed home 12th & 14th respectively in the final appearance for the old Tyrrell-Ford-009. The team would be pinning its hopes on the 010, which would debut at the next race (Kyalami).

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos, 27
January 1980.

© Revs Digital Library

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Ricardo Zunino (Brabham-Ford-BT49) & Marc Surer (ATS-Ford-D3) battle for position. Surer would win this duel, finishing 7th, Zunino in 8th. Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos, 27 January 1980 © Getty Images

Finishing just outside the points in 7th position, Marc Surer (ATS-Ford-D3) achieved his best F1 result so far.

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos, 27 January 1980.

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Alain Prost (McLaren-Ford-M29B) & Riccardo Patrese Arrows-Ford-A3) duelled over 5th position. The 24 year Frenchman would win the battle finishing 5th, scoring points from his first two Grand Prix. Patrese placing 6th.

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos, 27 January 1980.

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Pitting on lap 4 to have the anti-roll bar adjusted, Didier Pironi (Ligier-Ford) recovered from 21st to finish 4th. Alain Prost (McLaren-Ford) was 5th, scoring points in his first two F1 races. Riccardo Patrese (Arrows-Ford) came 6th.

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos, 27 January 1980.

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René Arnoux claimed his first F1 win & Renault's second. Elio de Angelis (Lotus-Ford) finished an excellent 2nd, becoming (at 21 years & 10 months) the youngest World Championship podium finisher. Alan Jones (Williams-Ford) was 3rd.

Brazilian Grand Prix, Interlagos, 27 January 1980.

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