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Watson’s best year

25. Jun 2022 
by Ziv Knoll
4996 views

John Watson’s most successful year in Formula One was 1982, when he finished third in the Drivers’ Championship, winning two races: the Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder and the Detroit Grand Prix, where he worked his way from 17th on the grid, charged through the field and scored a memorable victory.

Picture above: John Watson (McLaren MP4B) leading team mate Niki Lauda, into the first corner at the 1982 Belgian Grand Prix at Zolder. Watson won the race after taking the lead on the penultimate lap from Keke Rosberg, who was struggling on worn tires.

Watson went into the final race of the season at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas (picture below) in with an outside chance of the title, but he was to finish five points adrift of Keke Rosberg (Williams) and level on points with Didier Pironi (Ferrari).

John Watson scored five Formula One Grand Prix wins and 20 podiums during his F1 career that spanned from 1973 to 1985. After his retirement from motorsport, he became a commentator for Eurosport’s coverage of Formula One from 1989 to 1996.

Source: DR

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