393

70e Grand Prix de France
Grand Prix du Centenaire de l'Automobile

20 May 1984Dijon-Prenois300.200 km (3800 m x 79 Laps)

 Pole Position: Patrick Tambay, Renault RE50, 1:02.200 (219.936 km/h) Fastest Lap: Alain Prost, McLaren MP4/2-TAG, 1:05.257 (209.633 km/h lap 59) Race Results: Pos Car# Driver Car Time Speed 1 8 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/2-TAG 1:31:11.951 197.502 km/h 2 15 Patrick Tambay Renault RE50 1:31:19.105 197.244 km/h 3 12 Nigel Mansell Lotus 95T-Renault 1:31:35.920 196.640 km/h 4 28 René Arnoux Ferrari 126C4 1:31:55.657 195.937 km/h 5 11 Elio de Angelis Lotus 95T-Renault 1:32:18.076 195.144 km/h 6 6 Keke Rosberg Williams FW09-Honda -1 Lap 7 7 Alain Prost McLaren MP4/2-TAG -1 Lap 8 5 Jacques Laffite Williams FW09-Honda -1 Lap 9 2 Teo Fabi Brabham BT53-BMW -1 Lap 10 26 Andrea de Cesaris Ligier JS23-Renault -2 Laps 11 18 Thierry Boutsen Arrows A7-BMW -2 Laps DQ 3 Martin Brundle Tyrrell 012-Ford -3 Laps 12 24 Piercarlo Ghinzani Osella FA1F-Alfa Romeo -5 Laps 13 10 Jonathan Palmer RAM 02-Hart -7 Laps Did Not Finish: 21 Mauro Baldi Spirit 101B-Hart 61 Engine 16 Derek Warwick Renault RE50 53 Collision with Surer 17 Marc Surer Arrows A6-Ford 51 Collision with Warwick 23 Eddie Cheever Alfa Romeo 184T 51 Engine 19 Ayrton Senna Toleman TG184-Hart 35 Turbo 27 Michele Alboreto Ferrari 126C4 33 Engine 20 Johnny Cecotto Toleman TG184-Hart 22 Turbo 22 Riccardo Patrese Alfa Romeo 184T 15 Engine DQ 4 Stefan Bellof Tyrrell 012-Ford 11 Thought engine had failed 1 Nelson Piquet Brabham BT53-BMW 11 Turbo 14 Manfred Winkelhock ATS D7-BMW 5 Clutch 9 Philippe Alliot RAM 02-Hart 4 Electrical Did Not Start: 25 François Hesnault Ligier JS23-Renault Team allowed de Cesaris to start Did Not Appear: 30 Jo Gartner Osella FA1E-Alfa Romeo Lap Leaders: Car# Driver Car Laps Total 15 Patrick Tambay Renault RE50 1-40 47 8 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/2-TAG 41-54 32 15 Patrick Tambay Renault RE50 55-61 8 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/2-TAG 62-79 Fastest Laps: Pos Car# Driver Car Time Speed Lap 1 7 Alain Prost McLaren MP4/2-TAG 1:05.257 209.633 59 2 8 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/2-TAG 1:06.100 206.959 59 3 15 Patrick Tambay Renault RE50 1:06.876 204.558 54 4 28 René Arnoux Ferrari 126C4 1:07.286 203.311 67 5 16 Derek Warwick Renault RE50 1:07.293 203.290 51 6 12 Nigel Mansell Lotus 95T-Renault 1:07.448 202.823 77 7 6 Keke Rosberg Williams FW09-Honda 1:07.490 202.697 76 8 2 Teo Fabi Brabham BT53-BMW 1:07.838 201.657 61 9 5 Jacques Laffite Williams FW09-Honda 1:07.861 201.589 64 10 27 Michele Alboreto Ferrari 126C4 1:08.400 200.000 31 11 11 Elio de Angelis Lotus 95T-Renault 1:08.608 199.394 70 12 18 Thierry Boutsen Arrows A7-BMW 1:09.177 197.754 73 13 1 Nelson Piquet Brabham BT53-BMW 1:09.186 197.728 11 14 26 Andrea de Cesaris Ligier JS23-Renault 1:09.779 196.048 77 15 19 Ayrton Senna Toleman TG184-Hart 1:10.100 195.150 32 16 23 Eddie Cheever Alfa Romeo 184T 1:10.253 194.725 42 DQ 3 Martin Brundle Tyrrell 012-Ford 1:10.471 194.122 36 17 21 Mauro Baldi Spirit 101B-Hart 1:10.692 193.516 41 18 20 Johnny Cecotto Toleman TG184-Hart 1:10.999 192.679 21 19 22 Riccardo Patrese Alfa Romeo 184T 1:11.047 192.549 10 DQ 4 Stefan Bellof Tyrrell 012-Ford 1:11.156 192.254 10 20 24 Piercarlo Ghinzani Osella FA1F-Alfa Romeo 1:11.179 192.192 44 21 14 Manfred Winkelhock ATS D7-BMW 1:11.394 191.613 5 22 17 Marc Surer Arrows A6-Ford 1:11.783 190.574 25 23 9 Philippe Alliot RAM 02-Hart 1:13.476 186.183 4 24 10 Jonathan Palmer RAM 02-Hart 1:13.713 185.585 31 Qualifying Times: Pos Car# Driver Car Time Speed Entrant 1 15 Patrick Tambay Renault RE50 1:02.200 219.936 Equipe Renault Elf 2 11 Elio de Angelis Lotus 95T-Renault 1:02.336 219.456 John Player Team Lotus 3 1 Nelson Piquet Brabham BT53-BMW 1:02.806 217.814 MRD International 4 6 Keke Rosberg Williams FW09-Honda 1:02.908 217.460 Williams Grand Prix Engineering 5 7 Alain Prost McLaren MP4/2-TAG 1:02.982 217.205 Marlboro McLaren International 6 12 Nigel Mansell Lotus 95T-Renault 1:03.200 216.456 John Player Team Lotus 7 16 Derek Warwick Renault RE50 1:03.540 215.297 Equipe Renault Elf 8 14 Manfred Winkelhock ATS D7-BMW 1:03.865 214.202 Team ATS 9 8 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/2-TAG 1:04.419 212.360 Marlboro McLaren International 10 27 Michele Alboreto Ferrari 126C4 1:04.459 212.228 Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 11 28 René Arnoux Ferrari 126C4 1:04.917 210.731 Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 12 5 Jacques Laffite Williams FW09-Honda 1:05.410 209.142 Williams Grand Prix Engineering 13 19 Ayrton Senna Toleman TG184-Hart 1:05.744 208.080 Toleman Group Motorsport 14 25 François Hesnault Ligier JS23-Renault 1:05.850 207.745 Ligier Loto 15 18 Thierry Boutsen Arrows A7-BMW 1:05.972 207.361 Barclay Nordica Arrows BMW 16 22 Riccardo Patrese Alfa Romeo 184T 1:06.172 206.734 Benetton Team Alfa Romeo 17 23 Eddie Cheever Alfa Romeo 184T 1:06.281 206.394 Benetton Team Alfa Romeo 18 2 Teo Fabi Brabham BT53-BMW 1:06.370 206.117 MRD International 19 20 Johnny Cecotto Toleman TG184-Hart 1:08.189 200.619 Toleman Group Motorsport 20 17 Marc Surer Arrows A6-Ford 1:08.457 199.833 Barclay Nordica Arrows 21 4 Stefan Bellof Tyrrell 012-Ford 1:08.608 199.394 Tyrrell Racing Organisation 22 10 Jonathan Palmer RAM 02-Hart 1:09.047 198.126 Skoal Bandit Formula 1 Team 23 9 Philippe Alliot RAM 02-Hart 1:09.447 196.985 Skoal Bandit Formula 1 Team 24 3 Martin Brundle Tyrrell 012-Ford 1:09.554 196.682 Tyrrell Racing Organisation 25 21 Mauro Baldi Spirit 101B-Hart 1:09.629 196.470 Spirit Racing 26 24 Piercarlo Ghinzani Osella FA1F-Alfa Romeo 1:11.625 190.995 Osella Squadra Corse Did Not Qualify: 27 26 Andrea de Cesaris Ligier JS23-Renault 1:22.388 166.044 Ligier Loto Not Present: 30 Jo Gartner Osella FA1E-Alfa Romeo - - Osella Squadra Corse 2nd Friday Practice: Pos Car# Driver Car Time Speed 1 15 Patrick Tambay Renault RE50 1:02.200 219.936 2 11 Elio de Angelis Lotus 95T-Renault 1:02.336 219.456 3 1 Nelson Piquet Brabham BT53-BMW 1:02.806 217.814 4 6 Keke Rosberg Williams FW09-Honda 1:02.908 217.460 5 7 Alain Prost McLaren MP4/2-TAG 1:02.982 217.205 6 12 Nigel Mansell Lotus 95T-Renault 1:03.200 216.456 7 16 Derek Warwick Renault RE50 1:03.540 215.297 8 14 Manfred Winkelhock ATS D7-BMW 1:03.865 214.202 9 8 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/2-TAG 1:04.419 212.360 10 27 Michele Alboreto Ferrari 126C4 1:04.459 212.228 11 28 René Arnoux Ferrari 126C4 1:04.917 210.731 12 5 Jacques Laffite Williams FW09-Honda 1:05.410 209.142 13 19 Ayrton Senna Toleman TG184-Hart 1:05.744 208.080 14 25 François Hesnault Ligier JS23-Renault 1:05.850 207.745 15 18 Thierry Boutsen Arrows A7-BMW 1:05.972 207.361 16 22 Riccardo Patrese Alfa Romeo 184T 1:06.172 206.734 17 23 Eddie Cheever Alfa Romeo 184T 1:06.281 206.394 18 2 Teo Fabi Brabham BT53-BMW 1:06.370 206.117 19 20 Johnny Cecotto Toleman TG184-Hart 1:08.189 200.619 20 17 Marc Surer Arrows A6-Ford 1:08.457 199.833 21 4 Stefan Bellof Tyrrell 012-Ford 1:08.608 199.394 22 10 Jonathan Palmer RAM 02-Hart 1:09.047 198.126 23 9 Philippe Alliot RAM 02-Hart 1:09.447 196.985 24 3 Martin Brundle Tyrrell 012-Ford 1:09.554 196.682 25 21 Mauro Baldi Spirit 101B-Hart 1:09.629 196.470 26 24 Piercarlo Ghinzani Osella FA1F-Alfa Romeo 1:11.625 190.995 2nd Saturday Practice: Pos Car# Driver Car Time Speed 1 12 Nigel Mansell Lotus 95T-Renault 1:20.061 170.870 2 11 Elio de Angelis Lotus 95T-Renault 1:20.859 169.183 3 25 François Hesnault Ligier JS23-Renault 1:22.272 166.278 4 26 Andrea de Cesaris Ligier JS23-Renault 1:22.388 166.044 5 28 René Arnoux Ferrari 126C4 1:22.707 165.403 6 27 Michele Alboreto Ferrari 126C4 1:22.749 165.319 7 16 Derek Warwick Renault RE50 1:23.363 164.102 8 23 Eddie Cheever Alfa Romeo 184T 1:23.770 163.304 9 15 Patrick Tambay Renault RE50 1:24.855 161.216 10 18 Thierry Boutsen Arrows A7-BMW 1:25.252 160.465 11 7 Alain Prost McLaren MP4/2-TAG 1:25.397 160.193 12 8 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/2-TAG 1:25.567 159.875 13 17 Marc Surer Arrows A6-Ford 1:26.943 157.344 14 5 Jacques Laffite Williams FW09-Honda 1:27.917 155.601 15 22 Riccardo Patrese Alfa Romeo 184T 1:28.124 155.236 16 19 Ayrton Senna Toleman TG184-Hart 1:28.225 155.058 17 14 Manfred Winkelhock ATS D7-BMW 1:28.393 154.763 18 3 Martin Brundle Tyrrell 012-Ford 1:28.555 154.480 19 4 Stefan Bellof Tyrrell 012-Ford 1:29.539 152.783 20 6 Keke Rosberg Williams FW09-Honda 1:30.872 150.541 21 1 Nelson Piquet Brabham BT53-BMW 1:30.893 150.507 22 21 Mauro Baldi Spirit 101B-Hart 1:31.021 150.295 23 20 Johnny Cecotto Toleman TG184-Hart 1:31.359 149.739 24 24 Piercarlo Ghinzani Osella FA1F-Alfa Romeo 1:32.541 147.826 Warm Up: Pos Car# Driver Car Time Speed 1 28 René Arnoux Ferrari 126C4 1:06.371 206.114 2 15 Patrick Tambay Renault RE50 1:06.531 205.618 3 7 Alain Prost McLaren MP4/2-TAG 1:06.568 205.504 4 8 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/2-TAG 1:06.676 205.171 5 27 Michele Alboreto Ferrari 126C4 1:07.644 202.235 6 12 Nigel Mansell Lotus 95T-Renault 1:08.020 201.117 7 11 Elio de Angelis Lotus 95T-Renault 1:08.420 199.942 8 6 Keke Rosberg Williams FW09-Honda 1:08.759 198.956 9 5 Jacques Laffite Williams FW09-Honda 1:08.846 198.704 10 1 Nelson Piquet Brabham BT53-BMW 1:08.990 198.290 11 16 Derek Warwick Renault RE50 1:09.040 198.146 12 2 Teo Fabi Brabham BT53-BMW 1:09.389 197.149 13 26 Andrea de Cesaris Ligier JS23-Renault 1:09.482 196.886 14 19 Ayrton Senna Toleman TG184-Hart 1:09.530 196.750 15 22 Riccardo Patrese Alfa Romeo 184T 1:10.184 194.916 16 23 Eddie Cheever Alfa Romeo 184T 1:10.411 194.288 17 18 Thierry Boutsen Arrows A7-BMW 1:10.773 193.294 18 14 Manfred Winkelhock ATS D7-BMW 1:10.903 192.940 19 21 Mauro Baldi Spirit 101B-Hart 1:10.909 192.923 20 17 Marc Surer Arrows A6-Ford 1:10.942 192.834 21 24 Piercarlo Ghinzani Osella FA1F-Alfa Romeo 1:11.005 192.662 22 20 Johnny Cecotto Toleman TG184-Hart 1:11.792 190.550 23 10 Jonathan Palmer RAM 02-Hart 1:13.973 184.932 24 9 Philippe Alliot RAM 02-Hart 1:14.218 184.322 Notes: 1) 1st friday and 1st saturday practice sessions were not officially recorded. 2) 1st friday and 1st saturday practice times not available. 3) de Cesaris's fastest time in 2nd friday practice was deleted (empty fire extinguisher). 4) de Cesaris started from back of the grid. 5) Weather: Overcast, Mild, Dry.
Race Review:

The only major change at the French GP was the appearance of new Toleman TG184s for Ayrton Senna and Johnny Cecotto. At Arrows the BMW-engined A7 went back to Thierry Boutsen, having been driven by Marc Surer in Imola. There was much grumbling about the fuel restrictions given the number of cars which were running out of gas in the final laps of races. The tyre war was closely balanced with the front row featuring Patrick Tambay's Michelin-shod Renault and Elio de Angelis's Goodyear-tired Lotus-Renault. Nelson Piquet (Brabham-BMW on Michelin) was third ahead of Keke Rosberg (Williams-Honda/Goodyear). The top 10 was completed by Alain Prost (McLaren-TAG/Michelin), Nigel Mansell (Lotus-Renault), Derek Warwick (Renault), Manfred Winkelhock (ATS-BMW/Goodyear), Niki Lauda (McLaren-TAG) and Michele Alboreto (Ferrari).

Andrea de Cesaris's Ligier was found to have an empty extinguisher bottle and lost its qualifying time. With rain on Saturday he did not qualify and Ligier took the bizarre step of withdrawing its second car, driven by François Hesnault and qualified 15th, to enable de Cesaris to start from the back of the grid.

Tambay was outgunned by Piquet at the start but de Angelis made a good start too and was alongside Piquet as they went into the first corner. Tambay dived between them and Piquet was nudged offline which allowed Tambay to take the lead and Mansell to move to third behind de Angelis. Rosberg also took advantage of the situation to get ahead of Piquet.

The man on the move in the early laps was Prost who moved from seventh at the end of the first lap to third by lap 14 when he overtook Mansell. Piquet and Winkelhock both went out early with mechanical troubles. Prost moved to second on lap 18 while Lauda had also worked his way through to third by lap 21. The leading three all pitted by Lauda's late stop enabled him to avoid getting caught in traffic. Tambay led after the stops but on lap 62 Lauda went ahead. Prost's challenge faded with another stop and so third place went to Mansell with René Arnoux (Ferrari) fourth ahead of de Angelis and Rosberg.