F1
72 years of Nelson Piquet – Portrait of an anti-superstar after his title against Alain Prost
In 1983, N. Piquet (Brabham) defeated A. Prost (Renault). © DPPI
Context: The 1983 season is remembered for its duel between Brabham-BMW and Renault. The Brazilian Nelson Piquet narrowly won over the French team led by Alain Prost, in a scent of scandal. Indeed, the fuel used by Brabham was illegal, but (too) a good player, the Losange refused to lodge a protest and emerge victorious on a possible green carpet. The day after his title acquired in Kyalami (South Africa), Nelson Piquet agreed to fly to Nice in the company of AUTOhebdo reporter, Patrick Camus. The newly minted double world champion will open up about his family setbacks, the fundamental importance of Gordon Murray in his success, his relationship with money, his secretive nature and his passion for mechanics.
Monday October 10 and Tuesday October 11, two days of preliminary testing on the Kyalami circuit. The Brabhams impress. Thursday 13, first day of official tests. Friday 14, second day of official tests. The Brabhams are worried. And Piquet makes people tremble. “In one week, we experienced two alerts, two broken engines, but these are test engines, sharper. For the race, if nothing beyond my control hinders my momentum, I will be in front. » A magnificently successful start, 5”8 ahead after 5 laps, 10”17 after 10 laps, 16” all round after 15 laps, 28”3 in 28th. And it’s the surprise refueling! In the morning, Gordon Murray had given us the stopping laps of his drivers (29th and 47th) but categorically refused to give us
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Yves-Henri RANDIER
17/08/2024 at 05:03 a.m.
Another era - but already with suspicions of cheating like the famous adulterated fuel that smelled on the Kyalami set! - with drivers with strong character who ignored the current "political correctness" and already a star engineer of the paddock, the South African Gordon MURRAY, the Adrian NEWEY of the 80s/90s. As for the UTA flight between Johannesburg / Nice / Paris, an era just as bygone!