René Arnoux

French racing driver

Turbo speed with Renault and Ferrari

René Arnoux won seven Grands Prix in the early turbo era, three of them for Ferrari in 1983, and took 18 pole positions.

René Arnoux was born in Pontcharra, France, on July 4, 1948. He came through a racing school scholarship in 1973, won the Formula Super Renault title in 1975, and after narrowly losing the 1976 European Formula Two championship he won it in 1977 with Martini. Martini moved up to Formula 1 in 1978, and his first entry came at the 1978 South African Grand Prix, where he did not qualify. The underfunded team withdrew during the season, and he finished the year with Surtees.

Renault signed him for 1979, when he fought Gilles Villeneuve wheel to wheel for second place at the French Grand Prix. In 1980 the turbocharged Renault carried him to his first win at the 1980 Brazilian Grand Prix and to another in South Africa straight after. Alain Prost joined in 1981 and the two became rivals. At the 1982 French Grand Prix Arnoux led home a Renault one and two ahead of Prost, a result that strained relations within the team, and he also won the Italian Grand Prix that year.

Arnoux moved to Ferrari for 1983 and won the Canadian, German and Dutch Grands Prix, staying in the title fight until the final race and finishing third, the best championship result of his career. He drove for Ferrari into 1985 and then spent 1986 to 1989 with Ligier, ending his career at the 1989 Australian Grand Prix.

Our record shows 149 starts, 7 wins, 18 pole positions, 12 fastest laps and 22 podiums across 12 seasons. His pole total is among the highest for a driver who never won the title. In 2005 he took part in the first season of Grand Prix Masters.

0 world titles, 7 wins, 18 pole positions, 149 starts.

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