Tambay proud of Renault

The Frenchman, Patrick Tambay, drove for Renault’s F1 team in 1984-85. So the company’s double championship win was quite a moment for him! Here are his thoughts about the 100% Renault double victory.

Interview with Patrick Tambay

Patrick, what were your feelings when the Renault F1 Team won both world titles this year?
First of all, I was proud for Renault. They set themselves a difficult challenge, so achieving it after just four seasons deserves recognition. Of course, the fact that I drove for the company makes it a special achievement for me as well. I know some of the people behind the scenes, who gave 100% to make it work. They were in the factory at weekends, without paying any attention to the number of hours they worked, in order to succeed. That deserves respect, and I am very pleased for them.

Is there a shared philosophy between the Turbo era and today?
I think there is one thing that will never change in motorsport, and that’s the passion. The Renault F1 Team personnel are just as motivated now as we were twenty years ago. Renault just failed to win the title in the Turbo era for a number of reasons, but the team members had the same passion. It is just there were far fewer of them than there are today!

What are you doing now?
It is called Grand Prix Masters. It is single-seater racing for former drivers – people like Nigel Mansell and Emerson Fittipaldi will be racing in 600bhp cars weighing 600 kg. The power to weight ratio is comparable to the GP2 car I tested in the summer. It is a lot of fun, and there’s a nice atmosphere – at the moment. But just wait for the first corner for things to hot up!

Patrick Tambay: Vital Statistics
Born, 25 June, 1949
Years in F1: 1977 – 1986
Best championship finish: 4th in 1983
Starts: 114
Victories: 2
Podiums: 11
Pole positions: 5
Fastest laps: 2
Points: 103