1984 - 1985 - Renault

on his way to second place at Brands hatch - 1984

Derek Warwick and Patrick Tambay replaced Alain Prost and Eddie Cheever in the Renault team for 1984. Prost had been sacked by Renault at the end of the ultimately unsuccessful championship charge of 1983. He jumped ship to McLaren who in turn dropped John Watson (ending his F1 career bar 1 more drive for McLaren at 1985 Euro GP at Brands Hatch). Renault had been very competitive during 1983 and Prost led the championship for most of the season but a late charge from BMW allowed Nelson Piquet in the Brabham to sneak the title. Renault was expected to win races and challenge for the titles again in 1984. Warwick's reputation at Toleman allowed him to secure a drive with the French team where he would join Patrick Tambay who left Ferrari after one and a half seasons. Tambay also had a decent reputation having been in contention for the '83 title - in fact scoring enough championship points in the second half of 1982 and the first half of 1983 to win the Drivers' championship.

Derek led the opening Grand Prix in Brazil - a brush with Niki Lauda left his suspension damaged and led to his retirement. Still, there was a new British hope at the front of the grid! Although John Watson had won some races throughout his career I do not recall him being regarded as a topline driver and having the level of media attention that a James Hunt or a Nigel Mansell had. In 1984 Derek could be that man - he also led at Dallas that season. He finished 2nd in the Belgian Grand Prix and 2nd at Brands Hatch with 3rd places at South Africa and Germany. Derek was hot property.

Unfortunately for Delboy, McLaren was totally dominant in 1984. Alain Prost and Niki Lauda won 12 out of 16 races. In another season Derek may have won a race but the opposition was left to pick up scraps - only Michele Alboreto, Keke Rosberg and Nelson Piquet won in anything other than a McLaren.


Derek soon had a big decision to make. Frank Williams offered him a deal for 1985. Williams-Honda was in the first year of its partnership and the Honda engine was not particularly developed by mid 1984 - in addition the chassis was poor (it certainly looked ugly enough) and the team's only victory had come from Keke Rosberg in Dallas - a street race on a poor quality track. The Williams was generally not as competitive as Renault. Derek, then, could either stay with Renault for 1985 or switch to Williams who were struggling at the time.

If anyone could have given Derek a crystal ball at that point he would have seen that the Renault team would implode in 1985 and that Williams would go from strength to strength dominating the last few races of 1985 and challenging for titles in 1986 and 1987. Unfortunately, Derek decided to stay with Renault for 1985. A mistake. Even worse for me (and Derek no doubt) was that Williams ultimately settled for Nigel Mansell as their second driver for 1985. I am sure there is a parallel universe where Derek signs for Williams and does, at the very least, the same as Nigel and wins 1 world championship. I believe he would have done rather better than Nigel and had more charisma than the dour Brummie. After all, in 1984 Derek was regarded as the No.1 British Driver - Nigel very much seen as the No.2 driver to Elio de Angelis at Lotus.

Renault it was then for 1985.

I remember being impressed by the look of their 1985 car - it looked a winner - especially the "digital style" race numbers 15 and 16. When you a mere nipper these things are deadly important. I was dead chuffed to "meet" the car at Goodwood in 2000 - still looking good even if it did have Tambay's decals on the car (see below). The 1985 season was pants! Renault was totally outpaced by Lotus Renault - and even Ligier Renault seemed to have the beatings of the works team. Tyrrell took on the Renault V6 turbo during the mid season too - thankfully the works outfit managed to outpace that team... Derek did not score any podiums in 1985 - 5th places were the only tangible results for him at Monaco and Silverstone - He always seemed to go well at home - even in indifferent cars. Patrick Tambay fared little better in the second Renault as it became patently obvious that the Renault team was no longer able to provide a competitive car for its drivers.

The Renault "works" team was disbanded at the end on 1985 owing to severe financial problems, however, it remained as an engine supplier to Lotus, Ligier and Tyrrell.

 Towards the end of the 1985 season Nigel Mansell took victory at Brands Hatch and Kyalami for Williams - the drive Derek turned down - while Derek's F1 career was anything but secure. Fate can be so cruel.

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