Patrick Tambay's victories in F1: San Marino 1983 (2/2)

Impossible to accurately count the number of fans, who came by the tens of thousands to the Dino circuit Ferrari of Imola on Sunday May 1, 1983. Posted in the stands, but also on the gigantic advertising panels and the fences bordering the route, the supporters of the Reds spent their morning praying that a good story would erase the quarrel of April 25, 1982 .

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They were already there on this day of false celebration, when the brothers Didier Pironi and Gilles Villeneuve moved away for good. The Quebecer saw in the Frenchman's victory a betrayal that he never forgave, until his death two weeks later during testing in Zolder (Belgium). A year has passed but the loss of the Canadian virtuoso remains painful.

An anonymous spectator had the time to paint a maple leaf flag on starting location #3, the one used by Gilles Villeneuve the previous year. Coincidentally, it is also the third best time achieved by the Ferrari 126 C2B of Patrick Tambay, wearer of the legendary bib 27, that of his late French-speaking friend.

The weight is initially too great for Patrick Tambay, whose emotional character does not fit well with the enormous stakes and the symbols peddled by this fourth meeting of the season. “The half hour before departure constitutes the most intense moment of my career, he modestly admitted a decade ago. The intensity was too strong. » Did he cry? Yes, even if his dignity will always prevent him from saying it openly.

“It lasted almost a quarter of an hour, 20 minutes, without knowing if I was going to regain control of the situation. It's an intimate moment. The mechanics around me were very worried. I've always had the reputation of being a sensitive guy, a little too sensitive perhaps. But I was able to get back on top. »

Patrick Tambay is one of the last drivers to join the starting grid. “I stopped before the flag, out of respect for the public and for Gilles. » When they see the man in the blue and white helmet, spectators call out to him: “Gilles, Tambay, due cuori, un number 27” (two hearts, a number 27) or even “Patrick, vince by Gilles » (wins for Gilles).

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Shaken, Patrick Tambay manages as best he can to clear his mind. When the lights went out, he took advantage of Nelson Piquet's engine stalling (Brabham) to climb to second place, behind his teammate. Rene Arnoux. But a very enterprising Riccardo Patrese overtakes him a few loops further. The Brabham, equipped with softer tires and a less full tank, made short work of the French leader and spoiled the fans' party. Despite his Italian nationality, Riccardo Patrese is not in the hearts of Prancing Horse lovers. We had to wait until the 35th lap for Patrick Tambay to take the lead in the refueling game and with a better pace than René Arnoux.

Down to second place after his pit-stop, Riccardo Patrese began a chase for the No. 27 Ferrari, made easier by the failures of the Frenchman's high-revving turbo V6. “In the Tamburello curve, I had problems with the fuel supply, the engine was jolting”, remembered Tambay, who cannot fight against the rise of his rival. “It's easy to say after the fact, but I was thinking of nothing other than finishing the race, while preserving the engine. When the problem arose, I said to myself: “Ah shit, it’s over, I’m going to give up again””, he explained to the Beyond the Grid podcast in 2019.

Always in the lead, Patrick Tambay will suddenly experience an experience for which he never found a rational explanation. Is there even one? “A few laps from the end, I received a blow to the head. I don't know what it was, maybe a bird. I turned my head but I couldn't see anything that would tell me something had hit my helmet. I had the feeling of being awakened by something spiritual. I'm a bit of a mystic. I thought Gilles was in the car. »

Riccardo Patrese is far from thinking about the strength of the Beyond. He continued to attack and passed the Ferrari with five laps to go. The mass seems said. However, three turns later, the fans are exulting again: the leader is in the rail, following an astonishing driving error!

“I knew I had lost a great chance to win, he declared to the English magazine Motorsport in 2004. When I got out of the car, I was so absorbed in my own thoughts that I didn't really care about what was happening around me. It was only in the evening, while watching TV, that I realized what the fans had done. For them, it was Ferrari or nothing. »

At the wheel of a car in poor shape, Patrick Tambay can calmly drive towards the finish which he crosses with both arms raised, before breaking down... in the deceleration lap, at the very place where the wreck of Patrese! The public can no longer hold on. He invades the track, literally carrying their hero in triumph. The winner's helmet receives new pats, congratulatory ones, and a man throws himself directly on his neck. The riot is narrowly avoided; Patrick Tambay breaks away from the melee to run towards the carabinieri, who come to escort him towards a Alfa Romeo to take him to the podium.

“This is the happiest day of my life as a pilot. Throughout the race, I couldn't stop thinking about Gilles Villeneuve. I dedicate this victory to him. » The breath of victory was definitely with him.