38 years ago today: When traffic hooligan Andrea de Cesaris lost the lead

(Motorsport-Full.com) – Today before 38 years ago Andrea de Cesaris started his only Broad Prix in Long Beach from the pole location. Perhaps the Italian's career could have taken a different direction if he had turned it into a victory. But a brief bout of traffic hooliganism cost him the tour, and in the end he ended up in the wall – as so often.

Instead, the race became a memorable first comeback win for Niki Lauda. The driver who replaced de Cesaris at McLaren. This victory justified Ron Dennis' decision to lure Lauda out of retirement, and put the Austrian on the path to his third World Cup a few years later.

De Cesaris stepped in during his career between 1980 and 1994 at 208 Grands Prix and drove for no less than ten different teams: Alfa Romeo, McLaren, Ligier, Minardi, Brabham, Rial, Scuderia Italia, Jordan, Tyrrell and Sauber.

He could make became once he wanted: His wild reputation from the first full season with McLaren 1981 he was never completely rid of. Back then, a series of accidents put the strength of John Barnard's MP4 chassis and the team's patience to the test.

No more McLaren space

Long before the end of the season Dennis started his conception to get Lauda on board, so that for de Cesaris 1982 no place battle. Since de Cesaris had the support of Marlboro behind him, it wasn't a surprise when he switched to the other crew of the cigarette brand: Alfa Romeo. Already end 1980 he had contested his first two Formula 1 races for Alfa.

The biggest change since then was the commitment of former Ligier chief designer Gerard Ducarouge, who had a direct impact on the once had ailing crew. He brought the new 182 – carbon fiber chassis, became once together with the proven V 12 – Motor turned out to be a neat package.

At the first race in South Africa, de Cesaris and team-mate Bruno Giacomelli had to make do with the old car. The first race with the new car in Brazil was also unsuccessful.

But in the third race in Long Beach battle the Alfa was fast from the start. Giacomelli finished second in the first free practice, de Cesaris sixth. Due to some problems they were only tenth and twelfth in Friday qualifying, but when it came down to it on Saturday, everything came together for de Cesaris.

Location

In the final minutes of the last qualifying session, Lauda drove a typical clean lap and already seemed to have the pole. The TV crews were already gathering around him when there was suddenly an unexpected change at the top of the time monitors. De Cesaris won the pole location, 0, 120 seconds before the man who replaced him.

In tears, he returned to the pit lane, where already There was a party atmosphere in the Alfa warehouse. The price at that time included a special trophy, 1st 000 US dollars, a bottle of brandy and a razor.

For Ducarouge battle it was a great moment after being in the year previously released from Ligier battle. And the people of Marlboro were happy too: Not only did their trust in Lauda justify battle, they now had two competitive cars at the front of the field.

There was a brief panic because of an unmarked tire used after de Cesaris brushed the wall and needed a spare tire. But a Marshall admitted a mistake and everything was battle intestine.

Lauda spoke with de Cesaris before starting up

With 22 years battle de Cesaris at that time the youngest Pole man of all time. The record should only 1994 broken by Rubens Barrichello. “I don't want to think about the first lap,” he said at the time. “Otherwise I can't sleep.”

Now he had to do his job in the race. Lauda battle determined to take the lead. However, he knew exactly the reputation of his opponent and did not want to clash with him in the first round.

Lauda even went so far as to talk to his opponent before the race to make sure that there would be no accident in the first corner. He made it clear that he wouldn't try anything in turn 1 if he didn't take the lead off the line.

“In this descend I have to be patient and not overdo it,” he said Journalist Heinz Prüller before the starting up. “You can't take any risks with de Cesaris.”

Problems when lapping

In the race, the Pole man came away intestine and drove a flawless first lap, while Renault's Rene Arnoux came from third to second. Lauda battle third ahead of Giacomelli. In the sixth lap, the second Alfa driver absolutely wanted to go ahead and overtook Lauda. But he drove into the rear of Arnoux and took himself and the French out of the race.

Lauda now safely ranks second, but the gap to the leader increased to 4.8 seconds before he in round 13 dropped back to 2.8 seconds battle. In the next round, however, de Cesaris lost some time lapping Brian Henton's Arrows. And suddenly out of nowhere battle Lauda on him and the pressure battle big.

De Cesaris then caught up in the new chicane at the beginning of the pit lane on the slow March by Raul Boesel and quickly came to a stop behind the Brazilian. In the left turn he tried the outside lane, but Boesel stayed on his line and forced de Cesaris to stay outside.

Finally he overtook him in the last right part of the complex before the straight line, however he battle alongside the ideal line and had lost momentum – and told Boesel exactly, became once he thought.

Lauda takes advantage of the moment

“De Cesaris overtakes the slower car and gestures with his fist towards the driver,” says Lauda in his autobiography 'To Hell and Attend'. “I see that he raises his hand to make a threatening gesture and think: Actually, he should change gear now.”

“I hear the terrible whimper of his limiter when he 11. 000 Turns reached. I pull next to him and make a big bend around him. You have to be careful when you pass someone so busy waving their fists that they forget to change gears. “

Lauda passed on the right and was able to at the end of the long Stay straight ahead in the pit. Then he was able to move away from the Alfa because de Cesaris – who was only his 19. Broad Prix drove – difficult to get through traffic.

Nevertheless, he was still in strong second place when he was in lap 34 some smoke in his Rearview mirror noticed – probably from burning plastic around the brakes. However, he was so distracted that he built a serious accident and was able to write off the new chassis.

An accident and missed reparation

The damage to the front battle was so enormous that he lost his shoe when he wanted to get out of the smoking wreck and had to pause to put it back on. It was a sad end to his working day, but everyone agreed that he had polished up his reputation – besides, he wasn't the only driver in the wall on this label.

Lauda cruised unimpressed on the Top and protect its fabric in the final phase. In the end he wander 14, 6 seconds ahead of Keke Rosberg. With the victory in the third race after the two year break battle Lauda back.

Just a few weeks later, de Cesaris in Monaco the likelihood for reparation. He drove a controlled race and even survived a late shower. Car after car ran into problems, so the win came closer in the end, but lack of fuel meant that he had to park his Alfa on the last lap and drove winner Riccardo Patrese past. In the end he finished third.

There were other good days to come: The following year he started at Spa and finished second in Germany and South Africa. Later in his career, he became the first teammate to write headlines for Michael Schumacher. If his engine hadn't given up at the time, he would have been on the podium again.

The first victory should never come.