Pilot motorist of Italian ancestry, been born in Villecresne (Val de Marne) the 25 (or 26) from March from 1952, and that, equipped with great determination, was successfully scaling all the French and European promotional formulas until ending at formula l, in that to point was to secure the title of champion of the world of 1982 like official pilot of Ferrari. That was its great objective, since Didier was resolute to being the first French who obtained such award.
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Precise moment in which Didier Pironi snatches the victory to him to its companion Gilles Villeneuve in San Marino of 1982. Infuriated Gilles, culminated to only 0,366 of Pironi (MV*)
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Only child, would contract the virus of the gasoline to the 12 years, when his prime Jose Dolhem began to compete. Accompanying all parts to him, Didier learned the resources of the office and knew nascent and consecrated pilots, like Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Patrick Depailler, Jean-Pierre Jarier, Claude Vigreux or Jean-Claude Guénard. At that time it has own motorcycles (Suzuki 50, Yamaha 100) and can prove those of competition of Vigreux, as well as to be witness of a victory of the great Jim Clark in a race of formula II in Pau.
In 1968 she wants to second to Guénard in Bowl d Or on a Kawasaki, but her mother is against. She will have to wait for the 18 years and to learn not to count on the economic aid of the family. Supported in its talent and its firmness of character disguised by an angelical infantile appearance, Didier would solve to become a professional pilot by its own merits, being despised everything what not outside the victory and the success. Armed with technical studies and a sweeping decision, one would become group leader, mechanic, manager of the sponsorships, probador and pilot of its single-seaters. On the other hand, to maintain the essential form physical it practiced athletics, the oar, tennis, squash and swimming (university champion of 100 free ms with 57.2 s).
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With escudería Tyrrell podiums was able 2 to culminate 10º, with 14 points, in the 1979 championship. The following year it was summoned by Equipe Ligier Gitanes (MV*)
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Thus, Paul-Ricard in 1972 obtained the Volant Elf/, was champion of formula Renault in 1974 (7 victories) and 3º of the Challenge Européen de Super Formulate 1975 (after René Arnoux and Jean Ragnotti). At the end of this season the Tour de Corse to the steering wheel of a Renault 12 Gordini ran and with Bonamour of navigator; it was an anecdote in its race, but without a doubt Didier wanted “to make hands”, to verify its reflections and to experiment in the rally it last more of that one time, with its 20,000 curves.
In 1976 the Grand Prix de Monaco of formula III won, besides being champion of the Super Challenge Renault that year (before Alain Cudini and Dany Snobeck). The year following desire the test of formula II of Estoril and in 1978 wins in classic the 24 Hours of Le Mans, next to Jean-Pierre Jaussaud and on a Alpine A442 B-Renault Turbo, to 210.2 Km/h of average. It was very an arduously secured victory before Porsche 936 of Ickx/Barth/Wollek; the Alpine remained without clutch and Didier faint after a double exhausting relief. Paradoxicalally, the following Monday 13 of June the driver's license retired to him during three months, in the application of a previous sentence that it sanctioned to him by to have circulated around the proximities of Nevers to 100 Km/h, when the allowed maximum was of 60 Km/h.
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On board Ligier JS11/15 first victory of F1 in the GP of Belgium of 1980 obtained his. In that one occasion it overcame to the Williams de Alan Jones and Carlos Reutemann (MV*)
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That same year with Tyrrell, for that also piloted the following season, happening to Ligier in 1980 ended at formula I (first victory in the GP of Belgium), and entering Ferrari in 1981. Here, its flashing race underwent a clogging. For the first time, their results were worse than those from their teammate, that this time was not other that spectacular the franc-Canadian Gilles Viilleneuve, that gained two victories against only 4º put of Didier.
Decided to give a turn to the situation in the following season (with the new Ferrari 126C2, designed by Harvey Postlethwaite), Pironi that could not admit to be second of anybody runs with the knife between the teeth and to point it is to gain the prestigious Grand Prix de Monaco, after the errors of Prost and Patrese, but an electrical failure of its Ferrari in the tunnel grants the triumph to a perplex Riccardo Patrese. Shortly after, Didier would snatch the victory to Villeneuve in the GP of San Marino, breaking, apparently, gentlemen previous s agreement, which infuriated to Gilles.
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Didier was not as quick as Gilles in 1981. To the following year, both carried out an internal duel that arrived at its maximum point of tension in San Marino of 1982 (MV*)
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The rivalry between both aces was accentuated until the point of which not even they were spoken and, probably, was the remote cause of the disappearance of Villeneuve in Zolder. However, Didier continued competing with itself, ignoring the fatal accident of Paletti in the Grand Prix of Canada, in which Pironi was protagonist. Nothing could diminish its spirit and in the one of Holland it gained a great victory. With 9 points of advantage in the provisional one of the championship, was call to fulfill its dream until, preparing in Hockenheim the Grand Prix of Germany, a terrible accident in entrenos timed with rain did not truncate its hopes and their automobile race.
Although under the deluge that fell and with almost null visibility the times were not excellent, Didier, pawned on making a will the car in those conditions to a diabolic rate, ended up colliding by reach with the Renault de Prost. (Paradoxicalally, it would be Alain Prost who was able to be the first French to champion of the world, three years later.)
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Season 1982 of Ferrari hardly can be forgotten. In Belgium, Gilles Villeneuve was killed, seven races later Didier Pironi suffered a terrible accident (MV*)
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The impact was terrible; Didier it was divided both legs, having left one of them sectioned, practically united only by a sinew and its nerve. The death had gone to the appointment, but that one thirtyish one, that still conserved without marchitar an expression itched of Parisian urchin, closed the door to him with the entereza and the determination that it had made Gallic until then: “Still no.”
With enormous tenacity and sacrifice and after some thirty operations, Didier Pironi (that had disputed to 70 Grands Prix, obtaining 101 points and 3 victories) recovered, and was determined to return to the supreme specialty: in 1986 one tried on to itself to the steering wheel of a AGS-Motori Moderni and a Ligier-Renault, and for 1988 it hoped to have a Lola-Ford Cosworth of the team of Gérard Larrousse; but, meanwhile, it was dedicated to the speedboat racing. Also its objective would be the championship of the world here, and also it would get here to be on the verge of obtaining it.
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Quick Didier to take part from a speedboat racing competition. After his victory in Norway, the French would be killed on board a boat of 3,000 HP (MV*)
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In season 1987 already he had gained a victory in the Grand Prix de Arendal (Norway). Nevertheless, the following week (Sunday 23 of August), in the dispute of the Needles Trophy de Cowes, in waters of the island of Wight, suffered a fatal accident. Its off-shore boat Colibri 4-Lamborghini (redesigned by the own Pironi, bimotorboat, with 3,000 HP altogether) went sent to 150-160 Km/h when the wake of a small oil tanker was reared and upset when crossing. With its habitual determination, Didier Pironi had not cut gases when happening over the water curled, perishing drowned after undergoing a strong blow in the head against the sea in the upset of the canoe. Also their two companions, Guénard and Giroux died.
Interviewed person by Gérard Flocon in 1978, Pironi affirmed that absolutely he was superstitious, to reveal next that, in 1972, previously to the end of the Elf Steering wheel, Magician of Him Castellet had facilitated him the exact classification of the four first finalists; in addition, it had predicted the death of Fran1cois Cevert (1944-1973), as well as that saw the own Didier involved in a serious accident with fire - like those in which Ronnie Peterson (1944-1978) and Riccardo Paletti died (1952-1982)
| (MV*): Foot of photo written up by tamermotorsports.com |
L Automobile: April of 1978 (Gérard Flocon/Didier Pironi), pg. 80It presses (Efe): 24 of August of 1987The Nation: 24 of August of 1987The Country: 29 of August of 1987, pg. 34Hello: 10 of September of 1987, pg. 48 to 534 Times: Book of Year 1987-1988Nigel Roebuck: pg. 112Vox: June of 1988 ( the medicine in Formula 1 , 1987, Javier of the Arc of Izco), pg.14 and 16Hebdo car: 16 of January of 1991 (Étienne Moity), pg. 49Sport-Car: March of 1997, pg. 84Classic & Sports Car: April of 1997, pg. 104It brushes Jones: pg. 168 and 243E. and F. VerplankenF1-50: pg. 71 (Joe Saward)GorrotxategiRétro car: February of 2000 (Alain Caussade), pg. 103G.A. Engels (11103)
Photos: Forix.com - F1Rejects.com - DidierPironi.net - MaxiF1.com
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