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Patrick Depailler: 40 years already…

01. Aug 2020 
by Ziv Knoll
3688 views

Exactly 40 years ago today, on August 1st 1980, Patrick Depailler suffered a fatal accident in testing his Alfa Romeo 179 at Hockenheim, ten days prior to the 1980 German Grand Prix, when a suspension failure pitched his car into the Armco at the high-speed Ostkurve, inflicting fatal head injuries to the French driver.

Born in Clermond-Ferrand in 1944, Depailler was inspired as a child by the brave and fast Jean Behra. In Formula One, he first joined Tyrrell in 1974 with whom he scored many podium finishes and one victory in 1978, when he won the Monaco Grand Prix. Then in 1979 he moved to Ligier and won the Spanish Grand Prix, before breaking his legs… in a hang-gliding accident.

In 1980, Depailler joined the newly formed Alfa Romeo team: the Frenchman had worked hard to come back from his hang-gliding accident, but was still driving in pain by the time of his fatal accident.

Picture above: Driving his Alfa 179 to 7th place in practice at the 1980 Monaco Grand Prix, where he had to retire.

Picture below: Patrick Depailler, during his Tyrrell years (1974 to 1977).

A sadly missed personality.

Source: DR

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