1983 Canadian Grand Prix race report

Rene Arnoux in 1st place in his Ferrari 126C2B.

Rene Arnoux took pole and the win for Ferrari

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Arnoux and Ferrari dominate

Montreal, June 12th

A packed motorsporting month means that the Canadian Grand Prix, held on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the island in the St Lawrence river where it runs through Montreal, can only be very brief.

René Arnoux (Ferrari 126C2B) and Alain Prost (Renault RE40) lead the field at the start.

Arnoux leads at the start

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The entry was the same as Detroit, held the week before, and Arnoux dominated both qualifying sessions and the race. All the top teams made pit stops for petrol and tyres and as nobody bungled the job the overall scene did not change as a result.

Niki Lauda (McLaren MP4-1C Ford), leads team-mate John Watson, Roberto Guerrero (Theodore N183 Ford), Danny Sullivan (Tyrrell 011 Ford), Johnny Cecotto (Theodore N183 Ford), Raul Boesel (Ligier JS21 Ford), and Mauro Baldi, (Alfa Romeo 183T).

Niki Lauda (McLaren MP4-1C Ford), leads team-mate John Watson, Roberto Guerrero (Theodore N183 Ford), Danny Sullivan (Tyrrell 011 Ford), Johnny Cecotto (Theodore N183 Ford), Raul Boesel (Ligier JS21 Ford), and Mauro Baldi, (Alfa Romeo 183T).

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After challenging in the early part of the race Piquet’s Brabham-BMW retired with a broken throttle cable and Patrese in the second BMW-powered car retired with transmission trouble. With Prost in trouble with a loss of 800 r.p.m. at the top end of his Renault V6 power range, and further delayed by a puncture, Eddie Cheever stepped in to run a worthy second, ahead of Tambay’s Ferrari, but nowhere near Arnoux’s Ferrari.

Riccardo Patrese, in a Brabham BT52 BMW.

Riccardo Patrese, in a Brabham BT52 BMW.

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