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- FACT0R McFly
On this day, 27 years ago, the charming French chain smoker known as Patrick Depailler was killed at Hockenheim. Depailler had been testing his fragile Alfa Romeo that day when in a still unclear circumstance, his car lost stearing, and he slammed hard into the barriers on the flat out 'Ostkurve' corner.
The much adored Depailler started his F1 carear on his hometrack of Clermont-Ferrand, a track that weaved its way around a dormant volcano. He retired with transmission failure but his entrant Ken Tyrrell had been more then impressed with what he saw of Patrick. Patrick was invited to particapate the last 2 grand prix of 1973 with the Tyrrell team. But Patrick had an unrelated motorbike crash and was pulled out. He was contracted as Francois Cevert's No.2 for the 1974 season, But when Francois was killed in the last race of 1973, Jody Scheckter was draughted in.
1974 and 1975 had been successful years for Depailler. Despite living in the shadow of number one driver Jody Scheckter, he was loving the racing, and was racking up many impressive performances. 1976 was his chance to shine, and he did just that, he mustered up 7 podium finishes and became synomonous with the famous Tyrrell P34 of which he scored 5 of those podiums with. 1977 and Jody was out of the team, and Ronnie Peterson the Super Swede was in. Everyone thought that Depailler had big work to do with the his new superstar team-mate joining Tyrrell. But Patrick proved everybody wrong, he scored 3 podium finishes with the waining P34. He finished ahead of Peterson in the championship standings: Patrick 20 points, Ronnie 7 points.
Patrick stamped his authority and in 1978 became the inheritant team leader of Tyrrell, his new team mate was the up and coming French F2 star, Ddier Pironi. Pironi was of little threat, and Patrick went on to have a resounding season for Tyrrell, scoring 34 points and finishing 5th in the championship. He scored his maiden F1 win at the Monaco GP, and Patrick was happy all the way despite a dissapointing second half of 78. At the end of 1978 Depailler left Tyrrell and joined the Ligier. Appropriately a very patriotic team, French and proud of it. Spirits were high, and the 1979 season looked like Patrick's best chance of winning the championship.
The season began well for Ligier, Jacques Laffite taking the first 2 grand prix of the year, and at Brazil the Ligier Team scored a 1-2 finish. Patrick was hungry for success, and only 3 races afterwards he scored his 2nd victory at Jarama, his first for Ligier. At this point Patrick's confidence was unassailable, and he was confident for the rest of the year. Unfortunately though, Patrick broke his legs in a Hang-gliding accident before the French Grand Prix. This was a massive blow to his pride, and he was unable to particapate the rest of the year, his spot at Ligier taken by Jacky Ickx.
Depailler was determined to race again, and he signed a contract with the re-allianced Alfa Romeo team. Patrick was still in great pain the rest of the season through, his legs still had not fully recovered. He was very fast and very capable of points finishes, but the Alfa Romeo was disgustingly unreliable. Depailler had not finished a single race up until the German grand prix, Alfa Romeo's haste to make a fast car got the better of them, and they had a very frail car. After another dissapointment at Brands Hatch, Depailler still determined went with the Alfa team to Hockenheim. In hope to solve some of the cars problems before the German grand prix. And on that fateful day, one of the most dashing and daring Grand Prix drivers in history was killed. France mourned its lost hero, and the paddock found it hard to swallow.
Today Patrick Depailler is faintly remember, but he was a stratospheric talent that always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. We will still sorely miss him, and if there should be any image to sum his character up in full. Just imagine him laying back in the garage, cracking a grin through wisps of French tobacco smoke. Maybe not the most endearing image, but one that has conjured up memories of him 27 years on.
A Bientot Patrick
The much adored Depailler started his F1 carear on his hometrack of Clermont-Ferrand, a track that weaved its way around a dormant volcano. He retired with transmission failure but his entrant Ken Tyrrell had been more then impressed with what he saw of Patrick. Patrick was invited to particapate the last 2 grand prix of 1973 with the Tyrrell team. But Patrick had an unrelated motorbike crash and was pulled out. He was contracted as Francois Cevert's No.2 for the 1974 season, But when Francois was killed in the last race of 1973, Jody Scheckter was draughted in.
1974 and 1975 had been successful years for Depailler. Despite living in the shadow of number one driver Jody Scheckter, he was loving the racing, and was racking up many impressive performances. 1976 was his chance to shine, and he did just that, he mustered up 7 podium finishes and became synomonous with the famous Tyrrell P34 of which he scored 5 of those podiums with. 1977 and Jody was out of the team, and Ronnie Peterson the Super Swede was in. Everyone thought that Depailler had big work to do with the his new superstar team-mate joining Tyrrell. But Patrick proved everybody wrong, he scored 3 podium finishes with the waining P34. He finished ahead of Peterson in the championship standings: Patrick 20 points, Ronnie 7 points.
Patrick stamped his authority and in 1978 became the inheritant team leader of Tyrrell, his new team mate was the up and coming French F2 star, Ddier Pironi. Pironi was of little threat, and Patrick went on to have a resounding season for Tyrrell, scoring 34 points and finishing 5th in the championship. He scored his maiden F1 win at the Monaco GP, and Patrick was happy all the way despite a dissapointing second half of 78. At the end of 1978 Depailler left Tyrrell and joined the Ligier. Appropriately a very patriotic team, French and proud of it. Spirits were high, and the 1979 season looked like Patrick's best chance of winning the championship.
The season began well for Ligier, Jacques Laffite taking the first 2 grand prix of the year, and at Brazil the Ligier Team scored a 1-2 finish. Patrick was hungry for success, and only 3 races afterwards he scored his 2nd victory at Jarama, his first for Ligier. At this point Patrick's confidence was unassailable, and he was confident for the rest of the year. Unfortunately though, Patrick broke his legs in a Hang-gliding accident before the French Grand Prix. This was a massive blow to his pride, and he was unable to particapate the rest of the year, his spot at Ligier taken by Jacky Ickx.
Depailler was determined to race again, and he signed a contract with the re-allianced Alfa Romeo team. Patrick was still in great pain the rest of the season through, his legs still had not fully recovered. He was very fast and very capable of points finishes, but the Alfa Romeo was disgustingly unreliable. Depailler had not finished a single race up until the German grand prix, Alfa Romeo's haste to make a fast car got the better of them, and they had a very frail car. After another dissapointment at Brands Hatch, Depailler still determined went with the Alfa team to Hockenheim. In hope to solve some of the cars problems before the German grand prix. And on that fateful day, one of the most dashing and daring Grand Prix drivers in history was killed. France mourned its lost hero, and the paddock found it hard to swallow.
Today Patrick Depailler is faintly remember, but he was a stratospheric talent that always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. We will still sorely miss him, and if there should be any image to sum his character up in full. Just imagine him laying back in the garage, cracking a grin through wisps of French tobacco smoke. Maybe not the most endearing image, but one that has conjured up memories of him 27 years on.
A Bientot Patrick
