411

71e Grand Prix de France

07 Jul 1985Paul Ricard307.930 km (5810 m x 53 Laps)

 Pole Position: Keke Rosberg, Williams FW10-Honda, 1:32.462 (226.212 km/h) Fastest Lap: Keke Rosberg, Williams FW10-Honda, 1:39.914 (209.340 km/h lap 46) Race Results: Pos Car# Driver Car Time Speed 1 7 Nelson Piquet Brabham BT54-BMW 1:31:46.266 201.325 km/h 2 6 Keke Rosberg Williams FW10-Honda 1:31:52.926 201.082 km/h 3 2 Alain Prost McLaren MP4/2B-TAG 1:31:55.551 200.986 km/h 4 28 Stefan Johansson Ferrari 156/85 1:32:39.757 199.388 km/h 5 11 Elio de Angelis Lotus 97T-Renault 1:32:39.956 199.381 km/h 6 15 Patrick Tambay Renault RE60B 1:33:01.433 198.614 km/h 7 16 Derek Warwick Renault RE60 1:33:30.478 197.585 km/h 8 8 Marc Surer Brabham BT54-BMW -1 Lap 9 18 Thierry Boutsen Arrows A8-BMW -1 Lap 10 23 Eddie Cheever Alfa Romeo 185T -1 Lap 11 22 Riccardo Patrese Alfa Romeo 185T -1 Lap 12 9 Manfred Winkelhock RAM 03-Hart -3 Laps 13 4 Stefan Bellof Tyrrell 012-Ford -3 Laps 14 19 Teo Fabi Toleman TG185-Hart 49 Fuel system 15 24 Piercarlo Ghinzani Osella FA1G-Alfa Romeo -4 Laps Did Not Finish: 3 Martin Brundle Tyrrell 014-Renault 32 Gearbox 1 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/2B-TAG 30 Gearbox 12 Ayrton Senna Lotus 97T-Renault 26 Engine/Accident 17 Gerhard Berger Arrows A8-BMW 20 Collision with Martini 29 Pierluigi Martini Minardi M185-Motori Moderni 19 Collision with Berger 10 Philippe Alliot RAM 03-Hart 8 Fuel system 30 Jonathan Palmer Zakspeed 841 6 Engine 27 Michele Alboreto Ferrari 156/85 5 Turbo 25 Andrea de Cesaris Ligier JS25-Renault 4 Steering 26 Jacques Laffite Ligier JS25-Renault 2 Turbo Did Not Start: 5 Nigel Mansell Williams FW10-Honda Accident/Injury Lap Leaders: Car# Driver Car Laps Total 6 Keke Rosberg Williams FW10-Honda 1-10 10 7 Nelson Piquet Brabham BT54-BMW 11-53 43 Fastest Laps: Pos Car# Driver Car Time Speed Lap 1 6 Keke Rosberg Williams FW10-Honda 1:39.914 209.340 46 2 7 Nelson Piquet Brabham BT54-BMW 1:41.528 206.012 2 3 12 Ayrton Senna Lotus 97T-Renault 1:41.552 205.963 2 4 25 Andrea de Cesaris Ligier JS25-Renault 1:41.843 205.375 3 5 8 Marc Surer Brabham BT54-BMW 1:41.934 205.192 44 6 27 Michele Alboreto Ferrari 156/85 1:41.985 205.089 3 7 2 Alain Prost McLaren MP4/2B-TAG 1:41.991 205.077 2 8 1 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/2B-TAG 1:42.037 204.984 3 9 11 Elio de Angelis Lotus 97T-Renault 1:42.046 204.966 3 10 18 Thierry Boutsen Arrows A8-BMW 1:42.226 204.605 46 11 19 Teo Fabi Toleman TG185-Hart 1:42.310 204.437 48 12 16 Derek Warwick Renault RE60 1:43.279 202.519 4 13 28 Stefan Johansson Ferrari 156/85 1:43.411 202.261 48 14 17 Gerhard Berger Arrows A8-BMW 1:43.717 201.664 4 15 15 Patrick Tambay Renault RE60B 1:43.869 201.369 5 16 26 Jacques Laffite Ligier JS25-Renault 1:44.273 200.589 2 17 23 Eddie Cheever Alfa Romeo 185T 1:45.399 198.446 31 18 3 Martin Brundle Tyrrell 014-Renault 1:45.456 198.339 5 19 9 Manfred Winkelhock RAM 03-Hart 1:45.491 198.273 5 20 22 Riccardo Patrese Alfa Romeo 185T 1:45.509 198.239 2 21 30 Jonathan Palmer Zakspeed 841 1:45.696 197.888 6 22 10 Philippe Alliot RAM 03-Hart 1:46.899 195.661 2 23 4 Stefan Bellof Tyrrell 012-Ford 1:47.553 194.472 33 24 24 Piercarlo Ghinzani Osella FA1G-Alfa Romeo 1:48.306 193.119 4 25 29 Pierluigi Martini Minardi M185-Motori Moderni 1:48.720 192.384 3 Qualifying Times: Pos Car# Driver Car Time Speed Entrant 1 6 Keke Rosberg Williams FW10-Honda 1:32.462 226.212 Canon Williams Honda Team 2 12 Ayrton Senna Lotus 97T-Renault 1:32.835 225.303 John Player Special Team Lotus 3 27 Michele Alboreto Ferrari 156/85 1:33.267 224.259 Scuderia Ferrari SpA 4 2 Alain Prost McLaren MP4/2B-TAG 1:33.335 224.096 Marlboro McLaren International 5 7 Nelson Piquet Brabham BT54-BMW 1:33.812 222.957 Motor Racing Developments Ltd 6 1 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/2B-TAG 1:33.860 222.843 Marlboro McLaren International 7 11 Elio de Angelis Lotus 97T-Renault 1:34.022 222.459 John Player Special Team Lotus 8 5 Nigel Mansell Williams FW10-Honda 1:34.191 222.059 Canon Williams Honda Team 9 17 Gerhard Berger Arrows A8-BMW 1:34.674 220.927 Barclay Arrows BMW 10 15 Patrick Tambay Renault RE60B 1:34.680 220.913 Equipe Renault Elf 11 16 Derek Warwick Renault RE60 1:34.976 220.224 Equipe Renault Elf 12 18 Thierry Boutsen Arrows A8-BMW 1:35.488 219.043 Barclay Arrows BMW 13 25 Andrea de Cesaris Ligier JS25-Renault 1:35.571 218.853 Equipe Ligier Gitanes 14 8 Marc Surer Brabham BT54-BMW 1:35.572 218.851 Motor Racing Developments Ltd 15 26 Jacques Laffite Ligier JS25-Renault 1:36.133 217.574 Equipe Ligier Gitanes 16 28 Stefan Johansson Ferrari 156/85 1:36.140 217.558 Scuderia Ferrari SpA 17 22 Riccardo Patrese Alfa Romeo 185T 1:36.729 216.233 Benetton Team Alfa Romeo 18 23 Eddie Cheever Alfa Romeo 185T 1:36.931 215.782 Benetton Team Alfa Romeo 19 19 Teo Fabi Toleman TG185-Hart 1:37.142 215.314 Toleman Group Motorsport 20 9 Manfred Winkelhock RAM 03-Hart 1:37.654 214.185 Skoal Bandit Formula 1 Team 21 3 Martin Brundle Tyrrell 014-Renault 1:40.015 209.129 Tyrrell Racing Organisation 22 30 Jonathan Palmer Zakspeed 841 1:40.289 208.557 West Zakspeed Racing 23 10 Philippe Alliot RAM 03-Hart 1:41.647 205.771 Skoal Bandit Formula 1 Team 24 24 Piercarlo Ghinzani Osella FA1G-Alfa Romeo 1:42.136 204.786 Osella Squadra Corse 25 29 Pierluigi Martini Minardi M185-Motori Moderni 1:44.350 200.441 Minardi Team SpA 26 4 Stefan Bellof Tyrrell 012-Ford 1:44.404 200.337 Tyrrell Racing Organisation 2nd Friday Practice: Pos Car# Driver Car Time Speed 1 12 Ayrton Senna Lotus 97T-Renault 1:32.835 225.303 2 27 Michele Alboreto Ferrari 156/85 1:33.421 223.890 3 6 Keke Rosberg Williams FW10-Honda 1:33.484 223.739 4 2 Alain Prost McLaren MP4/2B-TAG 1:33.547 223.588 5 1 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/2B-TAG 1:33.860 222.843 6 7 Nelson Piquet Brabham BT54-BMW 1:33.981 222.556 7 11 Elio de Angelis Lotus 97T-Renault 1:34.022 222.459 8 5 Nigel Mansell Williams FW10-Honda 1:34.191 222.059 9 17 Gerhard Berger Arrows A8-BMW 1:34.674 220.927 10 15 Patrick Tambay Renault RE60B 1:34.680 220.913 11 16 Derek Warwick Renault RE60 1:34.976 220.224 12 8 Marc Surer Brabham BT54-BMW 1:35.572 218.851 13 18 Thierry Boutsen Arrows A8-BMW 1:36.051 217.759 14 22 Riccardo Patrese Alfa Romeo 185T 1:36.729 216.233 15 23 Eddie Cheever Alfa Romeo 185T 1:36.931 215.782 16 19 Teo Fabi Toleman TG185-Hart 1:37.142 215.314 17 25 Andrea de Cesaris Ligier JS25-Renault 1:37.335 214.887 18 28 Stefan Johansson Ferrari 156/85 1:37.546 214.422 19 9 Manfred Winkelhock RAM 03-Hart 1:37.654 214.185 20 26 Jacques Laffite Ligier JS25-Renault 1:38.173 213.052 21 3 Martin Brundle Tyrrell 014-Renault 1:40.486 208.148 22 30 Jonathan Palmer Zakspeed 841 1:40.498 208.124 23 10 Philippe Alliot RAM 03-Hart 1:41.647 205.771 24 24 Piercarlo Ghinzani Osella FA1G-Alfa Romeo 1:42.136 204.786 25 4 Stefan Bellof Tyrrell 012-Ford 1:44.404 200.337 26 29 Pierluigi Martini Minardi M185-Motori Moderni 1:47.523 194.526 2nd Saturday Practice: Pos Car# Driver Car Time Speed 1 6 Keke Rosberg Williams FW10-Honda 1:32.462 226.212 2 27 Michele Alboreto Ferrari 156/85 1:33.267 224.259 3 2 Alain Prost McLaren MP4/2B-TAG 1:33.335 224.096 4 7 Nelson Piquet Brabham BT54-BMW 1:33.812 222.957 5 1 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/2B-TAG 1:34.166 222.118 6 11 Elio de Angelis Lotus 97T-Renault 1:34.227 221.975 7 16 Derek Warwick Renault RE60 1:35.190 219.729 8 18 Thierry Boutsen Arrows A8-BMW 1:35.488 219.043 9 25 Andrea de Cesaris Ligier JS25-Renault 1:35.571 218.853 10 8 Marc Surer Brabham BT54-BMW 1:35.640 218.695 11 26 Jacques Laffite Ligier JS25-Renault 1:36.133 217.574 12 28 Stefan Johansson Ferrari 156/85 1:36.140 217.558 13 15 Patrick Tambay Renault RE60B 1:36.339 217.108 14 12 Ayrton Senna Lotus 97T-Renault 1:36.677 216.349 15 17 Gerhard Berger Arrows A8-BMW 1:37.455 214.622 16 19 Teo Fabi Toleman TG185-Hart 1:37.657 214.178 17 23 Eddie Cheever Alfa Romeo 185T 1:38.489 212.369 18 22 Riccardo Patrese Alfa Romeo 185T 1:38.745 211.818 19 3 Martin Brundle Tyrrell 014-Renault 1:40.015 209.129 20 30 Jonathan Palmer Zakspeed 841 1:40.289 208.557 21 10 Philippe Alliot RAM 03-Hart 1:42.221 204.615 22 24 Piercarlo Ghinzani Osella FA1G-Alfa Romeo 1:42.968 203.131 23 29 Pierluigi Martini Minardi M185-Motori Moderni 1:44.350 200.441 24 4 Stefan Bellof Tyrrell 012-Ford 1:45.478 198.297 25 9 Manfred Winkelhock RAM 03-Hart 1:45.628 198.016 Warm Up: Pos Car# Driver Car Time Speed 1 2 Alain Prost McLaren MP4/2B-TAG 1:39.129 210.998 2 1 Niki Lauda McLaren MP4/2B-TAG 1:39.251 210.738 3 7 Nelson Piquet Brabham BT54-BMW 1:39.718 209.751 4 11 Elio de Angelis Lotus 97T-Renault 1:39.896 209.378 5 26 Jacques Laffite Ligier JS25-Renault 1:40.092 208.968 6 25 Andrea de Cesaris Ligier JS25-Renault 1:40.476 208.169 7 27 Michele Alboreto Ferrari 156/85 1:40.547 208.022 8 12 Ayrton Senna Lotus 97T-Renault 1:41.020 207.048 9 6 Keke Rosberg Williams FW10-Honda 1:41.213 206.653 10 17 Gerhard Berger Arrows A8-BMW 1:41.409 206.254 11 18 Thierry Boutsen Arrows A8-BMW 1:41.906 205.248 12 8 Marc Surer Brabham BT54-BMW 1:42.029 205.001 13 28 Stefan Johansson Ferrari 156/85 1:42.123 204.812 14 15 Patrick Tambay Renault RE60B 1:42.272 204.513 15 19 Teo Fabi Toleman TG185-Hart 1:42.572 203.915 16 16 Derek Warwick Renault RE60 1:42.903 203.259 17 3 Martin Brundle Tyrrell 014-Renault 1:43.614 201.865 18 23 Eddie Cheever Alfa Romeo 185T 1:43.736 201.627 19 10 Philippe Alliot RAM 03-Hart 1:44.155 200.816 20 9 Manfred Winkelhock RAM 03-Hart 1:44.622 199.920 21 22 Riccardo Patrese Alfa Romeo 185T 1:44.953 199.289 22 30 Jonathan Palmer Zakspeed 841 1:44.967 199.263 23 4 Stefan Bellof Tyrrell 012-Ford 1:46.601 196.208 24 24 Piercarlo Ghinzani Osella FA1G-Alfa Romeo 1:46.929 195.606 25 29 Pierluigi Martini Minardi M185-Motori Moderni 1:48.232 193.252 Notes: 1) 1st friday and 1st saturday practice sessions were not officially recorded. 2) 1st friday and 1st saturday practice times not available. 3) Weather: Sunny, Hot, Dry.
Race Review:

The entry was slightly different from the Detroit GP a fortnight earlier with Zakspeed back in action and Tyrrell having produced its first Renault-engined 014 chassis for Martin Brundle. Stefan Bellof was left in the old Cosworth-engined 012. There was also a new B-specification Renault RE60 for Patrick Tambay. Pole position went to Detroit winner Keke Rosberg in the Williams-Honda FW10 with Ayrton Senna's Lotus-Renault second ahead of Michele Alboreto (Ferrari), Alain Prost's McLaren-TAG, and Nelson Piquet (Brabham-BMW), which was the fastest of the Pirelli cars. The top 10 was completed by Niki Lauda (McLaren-TAG), Elio de Angelis (Lotus-Renault), Gerhard Berger (Arrows-BMW) and the two Renaults of Patrick Tambay and Derek Warwick. Nigel Mansell had a huge accident on Saturday when a tyre blew at Signes. Mansell received a bang on the head from a catchfencing pole. He took no further part in the weekend. In the light of the crash Roberg's pole position was an extraordinary achievement.

On race day it was very hot and the Pirelli runners felt that this would be an advantage. At the start Rosberg went into the lead with Senna chasing and Piquet third. The French hopes of success were short-lived as both Ligiers went out in the first four laps and then fourth-placed Alboreto stopped with an engine failure. It was clear early on that Piquet was very competitive and on the seventh lap he moved ahead of Senna. The Brazilian retired soon afterwards with a gearbox problem. Piquet now closed on Rosberg, who was struggling for grip and on the 11th lap the Brabham-BMW went ahead. At the same time the two McLarens of Lauda and Prost got ahead of de Angelis and so Lauda was third and Prost fourth. That order was unchanged until lap 30 when Lauda went out with gearbox trouble and so Prost was third. Eight laps later he caught and passed the struggling Rosberg who the decided to pit for new tyres. He dropped to fourth but was soon ahead of de Angelis again and on the last lap he overtook Prost as well. Johansson finished fourth, passing de Angelis on the last lap, while the final point went to Tambay.