Major rule changes came into effect before the start of the 1983 Formula 1 season. Ground effects skirts were banned, vastly reducing cornering speeds and making the cars slide again. Formula 1 cars would have to be flat-bottomed. After Brabham experimented with refuelling during Grands Prix in 1982 the other teams followed suit and refuelling stops became a common sight in 1983.
The defending World Champion was Keke Rosberg who, against the odds, had won the title in a normally aspirated Williams against turbo opposition. He had a new team-mate, the amiable Frenchman Jacques Laffite. Lotus had been rocked at the end of 1982 by the death of Colin Chapman, but they had secured the use of Renault turbo engines. The driving line-up remained the same, with Nigel Mansell partnering Elio De Angelis. Niki Lauda and John Watson remained together at McLaren.
Renault had shown great potential but also great fragility. Alain Prost stayed with the team for 1983, alongside new recruit Eddie Cheever. René Arnoux moved from Renault to Ferrari and joined Patrick Tambay. The latter had replaced Gilles Villeneuve in the team after the French-Canadian was killed at Zolder in 1982. Brabham kept the same drivers, Nelson Piquet and Riccardo Patrese.
Tyrrell went into the new season with major backing from the Benetton company. Michele Alboreto and American Danny Sullivan would drive the green cars. Honda decided to test the Formula 1 waters by installing their new turbo engine in the back of the Spirit team’s entry, which was a single car. ATS also had a single car, powered by BMW and driven by Manfred Winkelhock.
Piquet Wins Home Formula 1 Race
The 1983 Formula 1 season got underway in Brazil, and defending champion Rosberg surprised many by taking pole, in what was still a normally aspirated Williams. Prost was second for Renault and Tambay third in the Ferrari. Piquet started in fourth, with Derek Warwick an excellent fifth for Toleman.
Rosberg led the race for the first few laps but eventually had to cede the position to piquet’s Brabham. Once in front there was no catching the Brazilian and he won easily. Rosberg had an eventful race, when a fire started during a refuelling stop. The Finn evacuated the cockpit, but was persuaded to get back in eventually and went on to finish second. Unfortunately, he’d received a push start and was later disqualified. Lauda was third for McLaren, Laffite fourth in the other Williams, Tambay fifth and Marc Surer sixth for Arrows.
Watson and Lauda Unstoppable at Long Beach
McLaren’s prospects looked bleak after qualifying for the US Grand Prix West. Watson was 22nd on the grid, with Lauda one place further back. Their qualifying tyres, designed for use with turbo power, simply didn’t work with the Cosworth engine, as it was incapable of transmitting enough power to generate heat in them. The race would be a very different story.
Tambay led away from pole, pursued by Rosberg. It was another busy afternoon for the Williams driver. He spun earl on, but recovered well. Rosberg then tried to pass Tambay for the lead but only succeeded in causing an accident between the two. He tried to get going again, only to be rammed by Jean-Pierre Jarier’s Ligier. The Frenchman had already driven into the back of Alboreto earlier on. Laffite found himself in the lead, but Watson and Lauda made rapid progress towards the front. At the flag Watson led Laud across the line. It was a long wait before third placed Arnoux came into view. Laffite was fourth, Surer fifth and Johnny Cecotto sixth in a Theodore.
1983 F1 season review continues.
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