Patrick Tambay, a two-time race winner in Method 1 who additionally made his mark in North American racing by successful a pair of Can-Am championships, has died on the age of 73, his household introduced Sunday. Tambay had been battling Parkinson’s illness.
Frenchman Tambay drove for 9 seasons in F1, beginning with partial seasons for the Surtees and Theodore groups whereas additionally racing for Carl Haas in Can-Am in 1977 and 1980 — the place he received the championship each occasions — in addition to Method 2. He secured his biggest F1 success with Ferrari, becoming a member of the Scuderia in 1982 after Gilles Villeneuve was killed in an accident at Zolder. The French-Canadian ace had been an in depth good friend of Tambay, naming him godfather to his son Jacques, who would go on to develop into a world champion F1 driver in his personal proper.
Tambay claimed an emotional triumph for Ferrari in entrance of the Italian followers at Imola in 1983. Ercole Colombo / Studio Colombo / Motorsport Photos
Tambay scored victories within the 1982 German and 1983 San Marino Grands Prix with Ferrari, additionally claiming 4 poles in ’83, earlier than transferring to Renault for the ’84 season. He scored yet another pole place however no extra wins in two seasons with Renault and, after reuniting with Haas for a closing F1 marketing campaign with its Lola workforce in 1986, Tambay retired from F1.
Tambay was a dominant pressure in Can-Am with Carl Haas’s workforce, successful the title each in 1977 with this Lola T333 CS and once more in 1980. Motorsport Photos
Following a short stint working his personal sports activities promotion company, Tambay returned to racing in sports activities automobiles with Jaguar in 1989, ending fourth at Le Mans that yr. He went on to make his mark on the Dakar Rally, too, taking a few podium finishes within the marathon occasion.
After retiring from competitors, Tambay grew to become as a TV commentator for French tv and in addition went into politics, serving because the deputy mayor of Le Cannet, a suburb of Cannes. He additionally was a frequent customer at historic racing occasions, driving in Grand Prix Masters occasions whereas additionally overseeing the racing efforts of his son Adrien, who competed within the DTM sequence.
