Former Formula 1 driver dies at 73

Patrick Tambay, who had been suffering from Parkinson’s Disease, was most famous for his association with Ferrari.

He was a leading member of a generation of top French F1 drivers that included the likes of Alain Prost, Rene Arnoux, Didier Pironi and Jacques Laffite.

Tambay was most famous for his emotional season and a half with Ferrari in 1982 and 1983, and the way his career was intertwined with his friend, the legendary Gilles Villeneuve.

The pair made their grand prix debuts together at the 1977 British Grand Prix; Villeneuve for McLaren, Tambay for Theodore.

Despite a starring debut by Villeneuve at Silverstone, which has gone down in F1 legend, McLaren preferred Tambay for a full-time drive in 1978.

That freed up Villeneuve for a move to Ferrari, where the Canadian became an iconic figure for his bravery, speed and daringly acrobatic style through just over four seasons with the team.

Tambay’s career, by contrast, stalled after two years with McLaren, as he returned to struggling Theodore for 1980, and then finished the second half of 1981 with a move to Ligier.

In 1982, his time in F1 seemed to be over, but when Villeneuve was killed in a horrific crash in qualifying at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix, Ferrari turned to Tambay as his replacement.

Tambay made his debut for the team at the Dutch Grand Prix alongside Pironi, whose victory at Zandvoort confirmed his status as championship favourite.

But three races later, Pironi suffered career-ending leg injuries in a crash in qualifying in Germany that bore remarkable similarities to the accident that had killed Villeneuve.

Tambay won the race the following day, in a car bearing Villeneuve’s famous number 27, and immediately secured a place in the hearts of the famous Ferrari fans, the tifosi.

“We are all truly saddened by the news of the passing of Patrick Tambay,” read a Ferrari statement.

“He was one of the true stars of the 80s, winning two races with the Scuderia and contributing to winning the manufacturers’ titles in 1982 and 1983.”-BBC Sport.