Arnoux dons new colours for 1986

Press, 7 February 1986, Page 20

Arnoux dons new colours for 1986

Rene Arnoux, the French driver, will make a welcome return to the grand prix arena this season, following a deal to drive alongside his compatriot, Jacques Laffite, in the Ligier-Renault team. The 37-year-old Arnoux, formerly with Ferrari, has already conducted a tyre testing programme using one of last season’s JS2S cars, but both drivers are expected to have brand new cars in time for this season’s opening round in Brazil next month. It was after the Brazilian event last year that Arnoux was shown the door at Maranello, along with a sizeable bank balance, courtesy of Ferrari, to dissuade him from driving for any other team that year. . Amoux’s sudden departure from Ferrari gave the Swedish driver, Stefan Johartsson, the chance of a lifetime and he has

proved a more than capable team-mate for Michele Alboreto, of Italy, so .much so that the Italian team has retained the services of both drivers for this season. One team which has had quite a problem choosing a No. 2 driver is Lotus. Its top driver, Ayrton Senna (Brazil), has been a stumbling block in the choice of a suitable team-mate to partner him at Lotus. Senna wanted his fellow countryman, Mauricio Gugelmin, the winner of last year’s Macau event and the British Formula Three champion. On the other hand, Lotus wanted the redundant Renault driver, Derek Warwick (Britain), as Senna’s partner.

It appears now, however, that a compromise has been reached and that Johnny Dumripes, of Britain, a former Ferrari

test driver, has been given the nod to sew the John Player-Lotus logo on his overalls.

Driver changes with most other teams have been considerably smoother, especially at the Williams-Honda headquarters, where the

former Brabham driver, Nelson Piquet, of Brazil, has settled into his new spot with apparent ease. The former double world champion has been setting good times in recent testing sessions at the Estoril circuit in Portugal. Along with Nigel Mansell, of Britain, who scored two consecutive grand prix wins late last season, they should provide stem opposition to the current champion, Alain Prost, from France. When the Austrian ace, Niki Lauda, decided to hang up his helmet, the Marlboro McLaren International director, Ron Dennis, wasted no time in signing up Keke Rosberg (Finland) to partner Prost this season. The 1982 world champion is unquestionably one of the fastest drivers in Formula One and on papf£r this combination should be a real force.

With Piquet’s departure from Brabham, its team boss and Formula One supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, will go into the 1986 season with an all Italian line-up comprising the former Lotus driver, Elio de Angelis, and the redundant Euro-racing Alfa Romeo driver, Riccardo Patrese.

Other teams out to prevent McLaren scoring a hat-trick of world championship titles include Tyrrell, which will be doing its first full season with Renault turbo-power and their drivers will be Martin Brundle, of Britain and either Ivan Capelli (Italy) or Philippe Streiff (France), who had to vacate his seat at Ligier with the arrival of Arnoux.

A lot of interest will centre on the BeatriceFord team which will field two cars fotfjAlan Jones (Australia) and the

former . Renault driver, Patrick Tambay (France). The Arrows team will enter two cars, both BMW-powered, for the Belgian, Thierry Boutsen, and Marc Surer (Switzerland). The British-based Toleman team, which has been renamed Benetton, wil also run a two-car team for Teo Fal?i (Italy) and possibly the Austrian, Gerhard Berger.

Not much is known at this stage of the plans for the Skoal-Bandit-RAM team, as with the small Minardi team. Last year they ran a single car for Pierluigi Martini and it is probable they will do the same this season.

The only other team to finalise plans, is the Ger-man-based Zakspeed team. It is known that one driver will be Jonathan Palmer (Britain), but a No. 2 driver, yet to be decided. GEORGE TANNER