1983 Formula One Season - FIA World Championship Season Review - Early Season

Early Season

The South African Grand Prix which had started the 1982 season had been moved to the end of the year, and so the season began in Brazil. Defending champion Keke Rosberg did something he had done only once in 1982 and took pole position for the race. However, his race gradually deteriorated from there as he lost the lead early on to Nelson Piquet and then caught fire during his pitstop. With the fire extinguished, the Finn valiantly fought his way back from ninth to finish second behind Piquet, but was subsequently disqualified for receiving a push start in the pits. This left an unprecedented situation, as the organisers decided not to award second to Niki Lauda, who finished third, as was convention, but to leave the position vacant. As such, only five drivers scored points, and other than Piquet and Lauda, these were Rosberg's teammate Jacques Laffite, whose presence in fourth was a surprise given his 18th place grid slot. Ferrari had a difficult race and had a best finish of only fifth with Patrick Tambay, who had started a promising third. The final point went to Marc Surer, whose charge from 20th was equally as impressive as Laffite's, and could well be attributed to his magnificent start, which left him 14th at the end of the first lap.

The next race was the first of two to be held in the USA, the United States Grand Prix West, held at Long Beach, California. Tambay started the race from pole, and he led until lap 25 from Rosberg, who had made easy work early in the race of both the other Ferrari of René Arnoux and his own teammate. With all of the top six in very close attendance, Rosberg found that he had to pass Tambay or else be passed by Laffite. In a moment of desperation, the Finn charged down the inside of the Ferrari and put both cars into a spin. Tambay was out on the spot, while Rosberg was able to continue, relatively undamaged, and in the lead. However, this did not last long, as Laffite, now even closer than before, attempted to pass his teammate later on the same lap. His attempt punted Rosberg into the wall, and he too was out. Jean-Pierre Jarier's Ligier was also caught up in the trouble, and he was forced into retirement a lap later. Laffite, meanwhile, was able to continue in the lead, and was left to battle with Riccardo Patrese for the victory. However, by the time the race reached lap 40, the McLaren pair of John Watson and Niki Lauda were looking extremely dangerous, despite having started from 22nd and 23rd on the grid. Both Laffite and Patrese were struggling with worn tyres, and were being caught at a vast rate of knots by the McLarens. Patrese attempted to pass Laffite on lap 44 but slid wide, and was passed by both McLarens. They also both found a way past Laffite on the next lap. From there Watson was left to lead home his teammate for a 1-2 victory, and one that still stands as the most places climbed from a lowly grid position to win the race. Patrese looked as though he would hold on for third, but an engine failure three laps from home gifted this position to Arnoux, with Laffite following home, a lap down in fourth. The points were rounded out by Surer, consistent in his Arrows, and the presence of Johnny Cecotto's Theodore.

Chico Serra had been booted out of the second Arrows in order to give a chance to 1980 world champion Alan Jones, but the Australian's return to F1 was unsuccessful, and Serra would be back in the car for the next race.