Keke's diary
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Qualified: 7th Finished: 3rd
“I wasn’t going to qualify well here any way; the only way to get some success out of the weekend was drive the best I could in qualifying, but spend time with Patrick sorting auto good race set-up. It didn’t make a lot of difference whether we were sixth or eighth.”
Well, not when you drive as incisively and aggressively as Keke. He had passed Giacomelli and Lauda by lap 10, but his most notable scalp came on lap 12, drafting past the turbo Ferrari of Tambay on the pitstraight, having clung almost suicidally close through tie final turn.
“We were lucky the Ferraris were dragging quite a big wing and, because we had much less power, we needed a small one. But also, the 08’s grip and roadholding were phenomenal.”
Keke used it to perfection. With a Rick right, he braked hard and late for Tarzan and was through.
When Renault’s challenge faded, Rosberg was left a clear run at Piquet, who was desperately trying to conserve fuel in second place. Keke finished less than a second behind. But the man on the centre of the podium, Didier Pironi, appeared to be getting his title challenge right on track.
Championship positions:
1 Watson; 30;
2 Pironi; 29
3 Rosberg; 21
4 Patrese; 19
5 Prost; 18
6 Piquet; 17