René Alexandre Arnoux was among the many French drivers in the late ’70s and early ’80s who were predicted to become France’s first Formula 1 champion.
| Nationality | French |
|---|---|
| Born | René Alexandre Arnoux 4 July 1948 Pontcharra, Isère, France |
After debuting with Surtees in 1978, Renault quickly signed Arnoux to partner with Jean-Pierre Jabouille in their temperamental turbo cars. He claimed his first two victories in Brazil and South Africa, leading the 1980 championship after three rounds. However, he fell to sixth place overall, scoring only 11 more points throughout the rest of the season.
In 1981, Alain Prost joined as his teammate, significantly impacting Arnoux’s confidence with his speed. Arnoux retaliated in 1982 by defying team orders and winning the 1982 French Grand Prix, refusing to yield to Prost.
Having become an unsustainable pairing at Renualt, Arnoux moved to Ferrari for the 1983 season, where remained a championship contender until the final round of the season, the 1983 South African Grand Prix, where he retired.
Michele Alboreto outperformed Arnoux in 1984 at Ferrari and was mysteriously fired in 1985. Arnoux then joined Jacques Laffite at Ligier in 1986, but the team quickly declined, and he scored just one point with the Megatron engine in 1987. The 1988 season was similarly disappointing with Judd engines, and Arnoux developed a reputation for blocking when being lapped, a theme that persisted through his final season in 1989.
Beyond F1, Arnoux took part in the Grand Prix Masters championship for ex-F1 drivers in 2006 and 2007.
Rene Arnoux Formula One World Championship career
| F1 Career | 1978–1989 |
|---|---|
| Teams | Martini, Surtees, Renault, Ferrari, Ligier |
| Entries | 165 (149 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 7 |
| Podiums | 22 |
| Career points | 181 |
| Pole positions | 18 |
| Fastest laps | 12 |
| First entry | 1978 South African Grand Prix |
| First win | 1980 Brazilian Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1983 Dutch Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1989 Australian Grand Prix |
Sources: Wikipedia.com
