Patrick Tambay
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| Patrick Tambay | |
| Nationality | |
|---|---|
| World Championship Career | |
| Active years | 1977- 1986 |
| Team(s) | Surtees, Theodore, McLaren, Ligier, Ferrari, Renault, Haas Lola |
| Races | 123 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 2 |
| Podium finishes | 9 |
| Pole positions | 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 former Formula One driver. In 2006, he will race in the inaugural season of the Grand Prix Masters formula for retired Formula One drivers.
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, who were running an Ensign N177. Subsequently he raced with McLaren between 1978 and 1979, and then drove briefly for the Ligier Team. In 1982, he was offered a place with 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 with the Haas Lola team before retiring in 1986.
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 racing, Tambay remains 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.
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)
| Yr | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | Team | WDC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Surtees | ARG |
BRA |
SAF |
USAW |
SPA |
MON |
BEL |
SWE |
FRA DNQ |
GBR Ret |
DEU 6 |
AUT Ret |
DUT 5 |
ITA Ret |
USA DNQ |
CAN 5 |
JPN Ret |
Theodore | 18th | 5 |
| 1978 | McLaren | ARG 6 |
BRA Ret |
SAF Ret |
USAW 12 |
MON 7 |
BEL |
SPA Ret |
SWE 4 |
FRA 9 |
GBR 6 |
DEU Ret |
AUT Ret |
DUT 9 |
ITA 5 |
USA 6 |
CAN 8 |
McLaren | 14th | 8 | |
| 1979 | McLaren | ARG Ret |
BRA Ret |
SAF 10 |
USAW Ret |
SPA 13 |
BEL DNQ |
MON DNQ |
FRA 10 |
GBR 7 |
DEU Ret |
AUT 10 |
DUT Ret |
ITA Ret |
CAN Ret |
USA Ret |
McLaren | - | 0 | ||
| 1981 | Theodore | USAW 6 |
BRA 10 |
ARG Ret |
RSM 11 |
BEL DNQ |
MON 7 |
ESP 13 |
FRA Ret |
GBR Ret |
DEU Ret |
AUT Ret |
DUT Ret |
ITA Ret |
CAN Ret |
LAS Ret |
Ligier | 19th | 1 | ||
| 1982 | Ferrari | SAF |
BRA |
USAW |
RSM |
BEL |
MON |
USAE |
CAN |
DUT 8 |
GBR 3 |
FRA 4 |
DEU 1 |
AUT 4 |
SWI DNS |
ITA 2 |
LAS DNS |
Ferrari | 7th | 25 | |
| 1983 | Ferrari | BRA 5 |
USAW Ret |
FRA 4 |
SMR 1 |
MON 4 |
BEL 2 |
USAE Ret |
CAN 3 |
GBR 3 |
DEU Ret |
AUT Ret |
DUT 2 |
ITA 4 |
EUR Ret |
SAF Ret |
Ferrari | 4th | 40 | ||
| 1984 | Renault | BRA 5 |
RSA Ret |
BEL 7 |
SMR Ret |
FRA 2 |
MON Ret |
CAN DNS |
USAE Ret |
USA Ret |
GBR 8 |
DEU 5 |
AUT Ret |
DUT 6 |
ITA Ret |
EUR Ret |
POR 7 |
Renault | 11th | 11 | |
| 1985 | Renault | BRA 5 |
POR 3 |
SMR 3 |
MON Ret |
CAN 7 |
USA Ret |
FRA 6 |
GBR Ret |
DEU Ret |
AUT 10 |
DUT Ret |
ITA 7 |
BEL Ret |
EUR 12 |
RSA |
AUS Ret |
Renault | 12th | 11 | |
| 1986 | Haas Lola | BRA Ret |
ESP 8 |
SMR Ret |
MON Ret |
BEL Ret |
CAN DNS |
USA |
FRA Ret |
GBR Ret |
DEU 8 |
HUN 7 |
AUT 5 |
ITA Ret |
POR NC |
MEX Ret |
AUS NC |
Haas Lola | 15th | 2 |