Patrick Tambay

Former F1 driver
Name = Patrick Tambay
Nationality = flagicon|France French
Years = 1977- 1979, 1981- 1986
Team(s) = Surtees, Theodore, McLaren, Ligier, Ferrari, Renault, Haas Lola
Races = 123 (114 starts)
Championships = 0
Wins = 2
Podiums = 11
Points = 103
Poles = 5
Fastest laps = 2
First race = 1977 French Grand Prix
First win = 1982 German Grand Prix
Last win = 1983 San Marino Grand Prix
Last race = 1986 Australian Grand Prix

Patrick Tambay (born 25 June 1949 in Paris) is a French racing driver. He competed in 123 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, winning twice, securing 5 pole positions and scoring a total of 103 Championship points. In 2006, he raced in the inaugural season of the Grand Prix Masters formula for retired Formula One drivers, and continued in the series in 2007.

Career

Early in his career, Tambay was a part of Formula 5000 with the team run by Carl Haas [Shav Glick. Los Angeles Times. "For Carl Haas, It's a Working Weekend The Only Fun in Racing Is Winning, Says the Man Who Runs Andretti's Team" 14 August 1986. http://proquest.umi.com.proxy.foley.gonzaga.edu:2048/pqdweb?index=7&did=64426615&SrchMode=1&sid=5&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1204189155&clientId=10553]

In 1977, winning the Can Am championship with Haas,Potter, Steve. New York Times "Can Am Struggling in Revival" 29 June 1980. http://proquest.umi.com.proxy.foley.gonzaga.edu:2048/pqdweb?index=22&did=935651911&SrchMode=1&sid=5&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1204188633&clientId=10553] Tambay debuted in Formula One on a one-off basis with Surtees, driving in only one session at the 1977 French Grand Prix before spending the rest of the season with Theodore. The team, in collaboration with Ensign, was running their N177 chassis. The showings proved fruitful as he moved to McLaren to race Formula One full time for the 1978 and 1979 seasons.In 1980, he returned to Can Am with the Lola team run by Carl Haas, immediately winning early in the seasonPotter, Steve. New York Times "Can Am Struggling in Revival" 29 June 1980. http://proquest.umi.com.proxy.foley.gonzaga.edu:2048/pqdweb?index=22&did=935651911&SrchMode=1&sid=5&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1204188633&clientId=10553] and eventually taking the championship.

In 1981 he returned to F1, driving briefly for the Ligier team. In 1982, he was offered a place with the Scuderia Ferrari after the death of Gilles Villeneuve. He won the German Grand Prix that year after Didier Pironi was injured in practice. He won his second and last Grand Prix in 1983 at Imola, in a very emotional victory in front of the Italian faithful when he drove the #27 Ferrari (the car number of Villeneuve) to the win. He was dropped by the team in 1984 in favor of Italian Michele Alboreto. Tambay moved to Renault, and then spent a year reunited with his old boss Carl Haas racing in the Haas Lola F1 team.

In 1987, Tambay formed his own sports promotion company in Switzerland, but gave this up in 1989 to return to racing. In 1989, he drove a Jaguar in the Sports-Prototype World Championship and went on to finish fourth in the Le Mans 24 Hours. He then took up desert raid racing, finishing twice in the top three on the Paris-Dakar. Additionally, he has been noted as involved in ice races and the Tour de Corse jet ski race.

Tambay was briefly involved actively with the Larrousse team, beginning in 1994 as a partnership with friend and business associate Michael Golay. At the end of the 1994 season, however, the Fast Group SA company owned by Tambay and Golay ended its involvement with the team.

Since retiring from full-time racing, Tambay has worked as a commentator for French television. He also serves as the deputy mayor of Le Cannet, a suburb of Cannes.

He is godfather to 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve. His son Adrien is currently racing in the Formula BMW Eurocup.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

() (Races in bold indicate pole position; Races in "italics" indicate fastest lap)

References