1983 Formula 1 season: Second not Piquet
The dynamics of the past season carried over into 1983, but on the track, where the real racing should take place. Protests and disagreements take a back seat, leaving a real drama to decide the fate of the Formula 1 title.
Four drivers embark on the pursuit of motorsport's most coveted trophy. These are Alain Prost with Renault, the Ferrari duo of Rene Arnaud and Patrick Tambay and Nelson Piquet with Brabham-BMW. The calendar in 1983 contains 15 starts, and after the 6th for the Belgian Grand Prix, the points leader is Prost. The Frenchman maintains his leadership until the last race of the Grand Prix of South America. There, however, a technical problem forced him to return to the pit and give up the fight for the title. The moment is perfect for Nelson Piquet and the Brazilian is not missing a chance to win his second world title, albeit with a minimal lead. Alain Prost remains second in points, and Ferrari driver Rene Arnault is third.
Scuderia Ferrari returns to the constructors' top, followed by Renault and Brabham-BMW.
In 1983, the FIA imposed certain regulations on the cars with the aim of greater safety for the drivers on the track. The change is related to Lotus technology from the 1977 season, related to the location of the car in relation to the ground. Its purpose is to ensure greater stability of the cars in the turns, thereby reducing the number of deaths.