Formula 1 1983 -

Piquet stayed out. He drove the race of his life, nursing the fragile BMW engine, keeping the turbo boost low, and managing the fuel mixture to the decimal point. He took the lead when Prost pitted and never looked back.

The 1983 Formula 1 World Championship was the sound of an era changing. It was the season where the screaming, fuel-guzzling future finally strangled the polite, naturally-aspirated past. After years of dominance by ground-effect aerodynamics and Cosworth V8 engines, the turbocharged heavyweights took full control. And when the chequered flag fell on the final, chaotic race in South Africa, a new, unlikely name was etched onto the trophy: Nelson Piquet. formula 1 1983

Unlike the Goodyear-shod Renaults and Ferraris, Brabham ran on Pirellis. On the abrasive Kyalami asphalt, the Pirellis lasted longer. Prost’s Goodyears began to grain and blister. He had to pit for fresh rubber, losing precious seconds. Piquet stayed out

At the Hockenheimring, Nelson Piquet had the most terrifying accident of his career. During qualifying, a rear tyre blew at over 200 mph. The BT52 flipped, slid upside down, and was almost cut in half by the guardrail. The cockpit was torn open. Piquet suffered severe concussions and bruising. He was unconscious in the medical centre for hours. Remarkably, he raced the next weekend. The 1983 Formula 1 World Championship was the

The low point came at the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard. Prost, driving his home race, dominated. He led every lap. On the final lap, with a 20-second lead, his Renault’s engine coughed and died. He coasted to a halt, out of fuel, 200 metres from the finish line. He climbed out of the car and walked away in disbelief. The win went to his teammate, Eddie Cheever.