French samba

Jacques Laffite, Philippe Alliot, Alain Prost, Patrick Tambay, René Arnoux and François Hesnault have fun posing before the Brazilian Grand Prix, the first round of the 1985 Formula 1 season.

It was Alain Prost, the 1984 world runner-up by half a point, who, driving his McLaren-TAG, seemed to have the best chance of winning. René Arnoux was still at Ferrari, but was soon to be  replaced by Stefan Johansson…and we will never know exactly why.

Patrick Tambay is at Renault alongside Derek Warwick, while Jacques Laffite is back at Ligier with the fiery Italian, Andrea de Cesaris next to him.

Philippe Alliot is doing his best at the wheel of the modest RAM-Hart and has the fast Manfred Winkelhock as his teammate. Finally, François Hesnault is starting the season as Nelson Piquet’s second at Brabham and its super-powerful BMW engine.

In the race, four of the six Frenchmen stood out and finish in the points. Alain Prost (McLaren) won, René Arnoux (Ferrari) finished fourth, Patrick Tambay (Renault) fifth, and Jacques Laffite (Ligier) sixth. Note the fine ninth place, but outside the points, of Philippe Alliot and his RAM-Hart (photo below), who finished on the same lap as the winner.