#Didier Pironi

[ayrsontenna]

A thing I made

[euko-going-insane]

Hehe

[lellalombardiapologist]

it pains me to no end when i see people make those tragic f1 rivalry posts and they start from prosenna, but prosenna would be nothing without villeroni

alain prost received phone calls from gilles villeneuve when he was upset after what he perceived as a betrayal at imola in '82, if you're familiar with the phone calls senna made to prost ten years later that's gonna ring a bell (no pun intended)

alain prost saw gilles villeneuve die at the next gran prix without ever making peace with didier

alain prost would not have stopped the '84 monaco race in the rain if it hadn't been his car upon which didier pironi's ferrari impacted horribly in the rain at hockenheim two years earlier, getting airborne in a tragic repetition of gilles' accident and resulting in didier' legs being horribly mangled (he had to undergo more than 30 surgical operations, never recovered full functionality and thus could never race cars again). alain himself said that he used to like racing in the rain before that.

alain prost probably knew that didier pironi had his house filled with photographs of him and gilles and alain kept very little f1 memorabilia in his study, except for ayrton's helmet

alain became the first french world champion only because didier's accident gave way to keke rosberg's championship win in '82

alain was also aware of didier's death in a powerboat crash in '87, and is probably aware that the narrative between him and senna is more nuanced than the gilles/didier narrative in popular journalism and media because he is still alive to tell his version of the story after ayrton's death, while didier isn't here anymore and most remember him as a traitor to gilles.

[christiangeistdorfer]

THE 1982 DRIVERS STRIKE | working 9 to 5

[leoisstillalive]

more incorrect f1

[didierpironi]

so yeah, i made all of these

[cazzyf1]

pls tell me everything you know about the 1982 drivers strike i think about it often

Right I about to go into as much detail as possible about the driver's strike while hopefully keeping it comprehensible.

*cracks knuckles*

Let's go.

So to give some overall context to the situation, Bernie Ecclestone was doing some meddling. He had control over the Formula One Constructors Association (FOCA) which meant he could negotiate contracts between teams, track owners, television rights, etc. Realising the sort of power Bernie Ecclestone was getting, the Federation Internationale de I'Automobile (FIA) put Jean-Marie Balestre in charge. There was a big power struggle between these two however both Ecclestone and Balestre united against the drivers in 1982.

At the start of the 1982 season, a new license called a 'super license' was put forward for the drivers to sign. This license was based on other sports, like football's transfer systems, meaning the drivers had fewer rights - their team owners essentially owned them. For example, the super licence meant a team could keep drivers to one team for up to three years, even if the drivers wanted to leave. This happened after, in 1981, Alain Prost was racing for McLaren, and he became convinced that the car wasn't safe. He refused to drive for the team, though he had a contract. He said if necessary, he would walk away from the sport altogether. Then Renault approached Alain Prost, and he joined them. A new license was created to prevent this situation from happening again.

1982 was also the season that (at the time) 2x World Champion Niki Lauda decided to come out of retirement. In 1979 he had been racing for Bernie Ecclestone's team 'Brabham', but halfway through the season, he walked away, finding no more interest in the sport. Eventually Ron Dennis, who ran the team 'Mclaren' tempted Niki back into the sport.

Niki was sent the super license a few days before the start of the season to sign, and being a stickler for detail he made sure to read through all of it. In reading it, Niki realised the control the team owners would have over the drivers and did not approve of it. Quickly, he rang up Didier Pironi who was head of the drivers association, to talk him through what he had found. Didier agreed that these licenses were bad and then called all the other drivers, telling them not to sign the licence. They had been late though, as 24 had technically already signed as they hadn't properly read the licence. The only ones that hadn't were Lauda, Pironi, Villeneuve who had seen something similar in ice hockey and didn't like it, Arnoux, Giacomelli and de Cesaris.

In South Africa, Kyalami the track was prepared for the drivers to start practising, and the drivers were arriving in their normal cars. But before they could get out on track, a bus pulled up with Niki Lauda and Pironi in it. Without their knowledge, Niki and Didier had managed to borrow a bus from Trevor Rowe and were ready to take the drivers back to their hotel at the Kyalami Ranch. They rounded up all the drivers and told them of their plans, and while they were hesitant, eventually, most of them were convinced to get onto the bus. Only two didn't. Jochen Mass, who was late (He's always late, someone said) and Jacky Ickx.

The team owner of March, John McDonald, caught wind of what was happening and tried to prevent the bus from leaving by parking a van in front of the bus. Jacques Laffite got out of the bus to move the van, accidentally stalled it, but eventually got it out of the way. The bus then set off, taking the scenic route back to the Sunnyside Park Hotel while every news van and car chased after the bus, getting clips of Niki Lauda looking out the back of the bus and waving at them.

Eventually, they arrived, and all of them strutted past the journalists and went into the hotel. Thus ensued a fun time for the drivers relaxing around by the pool for the day. However, things back at the track were not shaping up well.

Bernie Ecclestone and Jean-Marie Balestre were pissed. The race organisers threatened to impound the cars, Bernie Ecclestone threatened to sue the drivers, and Balestre announced if the drivers didn't come back, then they would all be fired. Bernie Ecclestone had already fired the drivers from his team, Nelson Piquet and Riccardo Patrese. The mechanics put signs out joking advertising for new drivers. Didier Pironi was doing the main negotiations for the drivers at the track and reporting back to Niki Lauda at the hotel on how it was progressing. During the evening, when dinner was being served, the driver's wives and girlfriends, who were still at the track, started throwing bread rolls at Balestre.

Didier Pironi arrived at the hotel and explained that if they didn't return and drive immediately, they risked life bans. Niki Lauda realised that this strike would last the night, and he knew that if all the drivers returned to their own rooms, the team principles would easily be able to convince them to abandon the strike. They needed to stay united, which meant literally sticking together. He arranged to take over the conference room in the hotel and have all the spare mattresses brought into the room.

All the drivers moved into this one big room, and soon, the entertainment started. Many of the younger drivers felt quite panicked about the whole situation, worried that they would be fired for going on strike, which would have ended any career in motorsports, so they went to the older drivers like Niki for reassurance. Niki tried to lighten up the atmosphere by telling dirty jokes. Bruno Giacomelli, who was quite passionate about machine guns, got his hands on a chart and gave a presentation on how to take a gun to bits. There was also a piano in the room, and driver Elio de Angelis, trained to play the piano, performed for all the drivers. Everyone there said it was the most beautiful playing they had ever heard. Gilles Villeneuve also had a go playing a few joyful pieces.

The team owners and journalists had by now discovered that all the drivers were hiding out in this one big room, and they were trying to get in. At first, Niki gave an interview by the door, but he ensured no one would leave the room. One of the team principles, Mo Nunn of Ensign, had brought the driver, Guerrero's girlfriend, along as a bargaining trip. Niki made sure to accompany Guerrero to see his girlfriend. He said that the situation could have brought a tear to your eye. Eventually, they got the girlfriend away from the team principal and into the room. Team principal Jean Sage of Renault tried to get to Prost and Arnoux but was beaten off.

At this point, the team principals grew frustrated and decided to break into the room, so the drivers had to use the piano to barricade the door.

Then night came, and it was time for the drivers to get even closer. There were not enough mattresses for one each, meaning all the drivers had to bunk up. Many funny photographs have come from this event. Alain Prost and Giles Villeneuve shared a mattress, which led to Patrick Tambay saying if a child came from this, all the others might as well give up.

There was a problem with the toilet as there was only one and it wasn't in the room. There was a key to the toilet and so the drivers agreed to leave it in the middle of the room so they would know if someone left to the toilet and didn't come back. One driver, Fabi, ended up going to the toilet but did not come back.

During the night, Carlos Reuntemann or Keke Rosberg snored so loudly that Gilles Villeneuve threw a blanket over them to cover the sound.

In the morning, all the drivers got up, trying hard not to sniff the odour of the room and got ready to head to the track as Didier Pironi had been able to successfully negotiate a licence they were happy with. No drivers were fired, Nelson Piquet and Riccardo Paterese were rehired, and the race was successful. There were fears that the drivers could be arrested at the airport, but thankfully, that didn't happen. Instead, they were fined for taking part in the strike, which, while it didn't affect some drivers who already had plenty of money, it wasn't ideal for the drivers who were just getting started.

This is as much as I am able to remember; if you know anything more or if there is something wrong in this let me know in the comments below! Hope you enjoyed the read :)

[pompomussss]

Classic f1 + troubled birds quotes

[eliotheeangelis]

favourite season openers: 1982 south african grand prix

niki lauda came back from retirement to lead a strike against new superlicence regulations. the drivers took a chartered coach to the sunnyside park hotel instead of taking part in practice sessions. ferrari's didier pironi stayed behind at the track to negotiate with jean-marie balestre and the team owners.

at the hotel, when it became clear they would have to sleep over, the drivers barricaded themselves in the ballroom and slept on shared mattresses. gilles villeneuve and elio de angelis played piano to keep everyone entertained; bruno giacomelli drew diagrams of machine guns, and everyone made lewd jokes about sleeping together.

the strike eventually ended the following day with an uneasy compromise between the drivers and the racing authorities, and the grand prix went ahead.

in the race, rene arnoux started on pole, but was beaten to victory by his renault teammate alain prost, who recovered from a mid-race puncture to take the win. carlos reutemann finished second, his final podium before retiring.

[laflechebrisee]

Extract from an Autosprint article in which Pietro, Didier's chief mechanic, is interviewed.

"Despite what someone might believe, after Gilles' death Didier Pironi was never the same. Someone might think that the frenchman was now cinically calm and happy, since he had gotten rid of his sworn enemy, and could now win the world championship easily. But no. No, no, no! He didn't talk to me, but I was still his chief mechanic and I could see and understand things better than anyone. After Zolder's disgrace, Didier was never the same. He suffered, he was depressed, and I'm sure of what I am saying, he was deeply saddened with how things had ended with Gilles, in such a terrible and definitive way. Yeah, I think Didier was feeling guilty, because he behaved in a very strange, peculiar, excessive way, as if he wanted to think about something else, as if he wanted to drown his troubles, forget about all the horror that had happened. No one knows that Zandvoort 1982 is a victory without smiles. Didier wins, but does not smile, does not laugh, because something inside him has broken, maybe forever. He had a new mistress, it was like he didn't want to think, he didn’t even seem enthusiastic about the championship victory that was coming. Yes, the Holland GP is a good thing... but only for you. For those who secretly see what's happening in Ferrari, it shows a specific state of mind of Didier: cold, sad, melancholic. So I think these things should be known now, because they will end in a dramatic epilogue at Hockenheim, which is an event that is like a child of Zandvoort. The day of the crash in Germany, Didier arrives at the circuit half an hour late. Something serious, unacceptable. He has a long, scruffy beard, a distant look. He comes in company of two girls with whom no one thinks he had been discussing the weather forecasts with... so, Forghieri understandably is upset with him. It rains, it's not even worth going on track, but the situation is such that Mauro wants Didier to wake up and go back on track, because it seems that his mind is somewhere else. The rest is history."

[sigyn-l]

看到这段画的🥺

[lellalombardiapologist]

actually I will elaborate on why didier and gilles are such a tragedy: when you think about it, they're the only iconic duo in which both are dead.

Jackie Stewart lost François Cevert and retired immediately after that, devastated by the pain of his loss, but he's still alive even if he was born in 1939!

Nigel Mansell lost Elio de Angelis and dedicated his next victory to him, he's still alive and still remembers him dearly.

Ayrton is dead, but Alain is still there.

But Didier, Didier is not here. He is not walking around paddocks with a cane, old and grey-haired, remembering Gilles at official events. In virtue of him being still alive the weight of the guilt on his shoulders would have settled off, and maybe not many people would still call him a traitor to his face. He would deserve the same pride, the same spark in his eyes Alain has when talking about his unique relationship with Ayrton, but talking about Gilles instead. About how their souls were made of the same material, how deep their friendship was and how sad it was they never had time to talk. But he would have his unique memories, and his sons, and his name would be cleared.

But he's not there. His name is still dragged in mud to this day.

Be grateful that your favourite drivers (retired or not) are still alive, that they can talk, they can spend time together. Because Didier and Gilles cannot do that anymore.

[yyenky]

anyways sorry for spamming so much lol

[multi-fandoms]

Niki lauda, the grid dad with his kids ✨️

[cazzyf1]

Didier Pironi helping adjust Gilles Villeneuve's suit

[christiangeistdorfer]

cutie pootie DIDER PIRONI during practice for the 1981 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX WEST