René Arnoux

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Arnoux joined Scuderia Ferrari for the 1983 season after an unsustainable rivalry with Alain Prost forced him to leave Renault. Arriving as a teammate to fellow Frenchman Patrick Tambay, Arnoux immediately became a favorite of the tifosi due to his aggressive driving style. The partnership proved successful on the track, with both drivers contributing to Ferrari winning the 1983 Constructors' Championship. Arnoux secured three victories that year at the Canadian, German, and Dutch Grands Prix, keeping himself in contention for the world title until the final race of the season in South Africa. However, an engine failure in that deciding race ended his title hopes, leaving him to finish third behind Nelson Piquet and Alain Prost. His win at Zandvoort marked the seventh and final victory of his Formula One career.

In Their Own Story

The 1983 season was defined by Arnoux's battle for the world championship while driving the Ferrari 126C2. After taking victories in Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands, he entered the South African Grand Prix as a title contender. The pressure mounted until mechanical fate intervened; Arnoux retired from that final race due to engine failure, handing the championship to Nelson Piquet and finishing third overall. Despite missing out on the driver's title, his performance solidified Ferrari's dominance in the constructors' standings. Following this intense season, teammate Michele Alboreto progressively took the team leadership in 1984. Arnoux managed only one podium finish that year—a second place in San Marino and another in Dallas—before leaving Ferrari by mutual consent after a fourth-place finish in Brazil opened the 1985 season.

Reader's Guide

Drivers and fans should note that Arnoux's time at Ferrari was split between two distinct eras of team dynamics. In 1983, he shared the spotlight with Patrick Tambay, forming a formidable French pairing that secured the Constructors' title. Arnoux drove aggressively to claim three wins, though his championship bid collapsed in South Africa due to engine failure. By 1984, the hierarchy shifted as Michele Alboreto emerged as the team leader. Arnoux struggled for pace and reliability, failing to secure a win or pole position despite finishing second twice. His final podium came at the Dallas Grand Prix on the crumbling track where he started from the pits due to an electrical fault. After the 1985 Brazilian opener, mutual consent ended his Ferrari tenure, replaced by Stefan Johansson.

Did You Know?

• Arnoux's 18 pole positions remain the third most for a non-World Champion in Formula One history.
• In 1983, Arnoux and teammate Patrick Tambay became favorites with the tifosi due to their hard-charging styles.
• His final podium finish occurred at the Dallas Grand Prix in 1984, where he started from the pits after an electrical fault on the warm-up lap.
• Arnoux left Ferrari by mutual consent after finishing fourth in the opening race of the 1985 championship in Brazil.