Interlagos 1980, Jabouille, Villeneuve, Pironi

acrylic on canvas 45x35cm (18x14") 2007

by John Cheall ba.

"A staggered "one-by-one" start line up was employed at Interlagos, just as it had been in Argentina, so Jabouille's Renault had a slight advantage before the starting signal was given. But the French turbo car was tardy getting off the line and Pironi was alongside it as they drew alongside the pit wall. But both Frenchmen's efforts were eclipsed by the never-say-die Villeneuve who is quickly gaining a reputation for the best starts in the Grand Prix business- His Ferrari came rocketing up between the Renault and the Ligier, diving into the left hander after the pits well in the lead. Jabouille initially dropped back to fourth behind the two Ligiers, but he powered back into second place as they hurtled down the first long straight and was right with Villeneuve as they came up through the infield loops and out onto the start/finish straight to complete rheir opening lap. Third was Pironi with Laffite right on his tail and the remainder of the field already spacing out after that hectic five mile opening lap. Already there was one casualty, Reutemann's Williams having broken a driveshaft as the Argentinian snatched second gear accelerating off the grid. He limped round a single slow lap before pulling in to retire, just in time to meet a rather flustered Mario Andreiti walking back to the pits after spinning his Lotus 81 off through the catch fencing at the first corner at the start of the second lap. The Lotus tipped onto two wheels during its crazy excursion and the American feared briefly that it would tip over fortunately it landed on its wheels, but very much the worse for wear.

Jabouille closed up on Villeneuve as they went into lap two. passing the Ferrari at the end of the long straight and streaking away as the French Canadian eased up suddenly, dropping back quickly as he sensed something was wrong with his car's handling. On lap five Pironi, who had dropped back behind his team mate. came into the pits to investigate a violent understeer problem which made him suspect that one of his Ligier's skirts had stuck up. By the time he stopped the skirt had fallen down again, so his team softened up his front rollbar and sent him back into the race lor a game chase back through the field. Further back in the field Regazzoni's Ensign was fading after a promising start, dropping away with acute understeer and a misfiring engine, while Villeneuve was soon back to sixth place in close company with team mate Scheckter. Arnoux was up to third ahead of de-Angelis and then came Jones's ill-handling Williams in fifth position, the Australian racing as best he could despite his problems."

AH. MOTORSPORT Magazine

the race was eventually won by Arnoux, his first and Renault's second victory.