8 Camus, M. (2004) La Fleche Brisee, p.30, Editions du Palmier.
9 Sport-Auto, no. 182, January 1978.
10 Motorsport, July 1977, p.84.
11 Opert gave up motorsport altogether in 1983 when French driver Olivier Chandon of Moet-Chandon champagne fame drowned in one of his cars following an accident at the Florida motorway.
12 Hamilton, M. (2002) Ken Tyrrell: The Authorised Biography, p.216, Willow.
13 The medical term for excessive sweating is hyperhidrosis. It is a condition in which the body generates unnaturally high levels of perspiration. The amount of sweat produced is rarely, if ever, correlated with the actual extent of physical effort. Thus, in the worst cases, even when completing mundane tasks, sufferers can find themselves drenched in sweat.
14 Grand Prix, ‘Didier Pironi’ by Nigel Roebuck.
15 La Fleche Brisee, p.46.
16 Motorsport, March 1980, p.354.
17 Autocar: 1980 F1 review, p.15.
18 Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile, the former governing body of motorsport.
19 Formula One Constructors’ Association, the largely British-based group of chassis builders including Lotus, McLaren, Tyrrell, Brabham and Williams, whose interests at the time were represented by Bernie Ecclestone.
20 Grand Prix International, no.21, page 53.
21 Motorsport, July 1997, p.97.
22 Grand Prix International, no.29, April 1981, p.32.
23 The bike still survives to this day, kept under lock and key by Didier’s nephews.
24 Sport-Auto, January 1981, p. 23.
25 Grand Prix International, no.29, April 1981, p.35.
26 Looking as immaculate as the day it was first manufactured, a private collector bought the car for the sum of CHF 43,651 at a Swiss auction in 2005.
27 Hunt drove in a total of 92 Grands Prix between 1973 and 1979.
28 The top six times were: Piquet 1’08.4, Pironi 1’08.8, Rosberg 1’10.2, Reutemann 1’10.3, Arnoux 1’11.9, Prost 1’12.8.
29 Arnoux’s pole position time of 1’06.3 at the 1982 event compares to Jabouille’s pole time in the 1980 event of 1’10.0.
30 The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, overseer of motoring organisations worldwide.
31 The international image agency Getty images own the rights to the surviving wedding photographs.
32 At one point Balestre hinted at disqualification not only for Piquet and Rosberg, but also for Watson, Mansell, Alboreto and Winklehock, second, third, fourth and fifth respectively in Brazil. Had he carried out this threat, Didier’s sixth place would have become second place. The extra five points would have given him a total of 44 at season’s end – the same as Rosberg’s final total.
33 Franco Gozzi, Enzo Ferrari’s private secretary, confirmed that such a meeting did indeed take place.
34 Profondo Rosso, ‘Gli ultimi giorni di Gilles’. Leo Turrini, 2011.
35 Either way, Gilles’ case does not improve; by overtaking his team-mate a few laps after his error, it was in fact the French Canadian driver who ignored the ‘slow’ signs and who therefore first ‘disobeyed’ team orders.
36 Auto Hebdo, no.315.
37 Gilles Villeneuve: The Life of the Legendary Racing Driver, p.305.
38 1982: The inside story of an astonishing Grand Prix season, p.42.
39 La Stampa, 27April 1982.
40 La Flèche Brisée, p.86.
41 John Keats, ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn’.
42 L’Automobile 435, September 1982.
43 ‘Didier Pironi’ in Grand Prix (1981).
44 Trouver Le Chemin, p.106.
45 Ibid, p.112.
46 Paris Match, no.1745, 5 November 1982.
47 GEO, December 1982, No.46.
48 Trouver Le Chemin, p.114.
49 Cine Revue, 24 May 1984.
50 La Stampa, 10 May 1984.
51 L’Equipe, January 1985.
52 Seven Days, June 1985.
53 When he met an untimely end in the Himalayas, Midy would become yet another casualty from the pool of characters associated with Didier and his story.
54 Powerboating International, June 1987.
55 The quote approximates to a line from Jacques’ ‘Seven ages of man’ speech in William Shakespeare’s As You Like It. The actual line reads: ‘Last scene of all that ends this strange, eventful history.’ Act II, sc. 7.
56 The powerboat accident, which would claim his life in Monaco in October 1990, Casiraghi had vowed, would be his last.
57 The 1987 Poole Bay Needles Trophy Offshore Powerboat Race Accident Report: Exhibit 2: Paul Wavell testimony.
58 The 1987 Poole Bay Needles Trophy Offshore Powerboat Race Accident Report: Exhibit 6: Tim Mellery-Pratt testimony.
59 In a strange twist of fate, Sub-lieutenant Crowther would die in an accident himself not long after the Colibri incident. On holiday in Calpe, Spain, the Royal Navy man bungee-jumped from the town’s famous bridge, but had miscalculated the length of rope required. The unfortunate man died of his injuries.
60 Lettre a Didier, p.19.
61 Ibid. p.19.
62 Ibid. p.57.
Select Bibliography
Bamber, J. Hodges, D. Nye, D. & Roebuck, N. (1981) Grand Prix, (London: Joseph).
Camus, M., (2004) Didier Pironi: La Flèche Brisée, (Editions du Palmier)
Courtel, C., (1981) Formule Renault, (Editions du Palmier)
Donaldson, G., (1989) Gilles Villeneuve: The Life of the Legendary Racing Driver, (McClelland & Stewart)
Goux, C., (1988) Lettre a Didier, (Fillipacchi)
Hamilton, M., (2002) Ken Tyrrell: The Authorised Biography, (Willow)
Hilton, C., (2007) 1982: The Inside Story of the Sensational Grand Prix Season, (J.H. Haynes and Co Ltd)
Jannot, V., (2006) Trouver Le Chemin, (J’ailu)
Pironi, I., (1995) La Trajectoire Brisee, (unpublished)
The Royal Motor Yacht Club, (1987) The 1987 Poole Bay Needles Trophy Offshore Powerboat Race (unpublished)
40 Rue de Valenton, The ‘Castle’ at Boissy © David Sedgwick
War hero, athlete and businessman: Louis Dolhem, a name to be reckoned with in post-war Paris © Laurence Villaume-Dolhem
Didier and Douchka © Laurence Villaume-Dolhem
Best behaviour: Louis (second from right) with his daredevil sons, Jose (third from right) and Didier (fourth from right) © Laurence Villaume-Dolhem
“He had a soft voice, looked shy, but had the inflexible will to reach his objectives.” Serenely calm prior to the start of the 1972 Pilot-Elf competition © Jeff Lehalle
Early days in Formula Renault. Didier (14) tails Bochet (18) at La Châtre, May 1973 © Christian Courtel
Time out at Albi, September 1973 © Christian Courtel
A beaming ‘baby’ Pironi (left) takes his first ever podium behind Couderc (centre) at Nivelles, September 23, 1973. Mathiot (right) finished third © Christian Courtel
Cheever (15) takes the lead at Rouen 1977 F2, as Didier slots into second. Meanwhile teammate Arnoux (4) collides with Tambay. © S le Bozec
Familial accord. Throughout his life Didier could always rely on the support and counsel of his father (centre) and brother (right) © Laurence Villaume-Dolhem
Riviera Days – Having fun in St. Tropez cerca 1980 © St Tropez Magazine
They seek him here, they seek him there ... Michelle Thieme offers some moral support prior to the off © Emmanuel Zurini
Young man in a big hurry. Didier’s Tyrrell launches over Lauda’s Brabham-Alfa during the 1979 Monaco Grand Prix © Eric Lemuet
With Manfred Schurti at the 1980 Hockenheim Procar race scene of a particularly tenacious Pironi performance © Jurgen Tap
Royal hussar. The Ligier JS11/15 though fast, often flattered to deceive as it did here in the 1980 Austrian Grand Prix © Emmanuelle Zurini
Laurence (right) with Didier and Jose, the brothers who would be lost to her all too soon © Laurence Villaume-Dolhem
T
he golden child: Rio 1982 © Bernard Asset
Didier (left) and Rene Arnoux (right) chillin’ at Rio 1982. © Bernard Bakalian
Ephemeral summer – Didier and his 126C2 emerged as the combination to beat during the 1982 season © Emmanuel Zurini
Always time to listen to big brother, Jose, even as world champion elect © Laurence Villaume-Dolhem
An exhausted Didier faces the 1982 post-Imola media as Laurence (far left) looks on © Laurence Villaume-Dolhem
In recognition for the work he did restoring his legs, Didier sent Professor Letournel this personalised photograph at the end of his stay at Porte de la choisy. The inscription reads: “No word can express the admiration and the respect which I bear you but you will find in my look all the hope and the trust which I have in you.” © Francine Letournel
Monaco Grand Prix 1987 with protege and fellow powerboat enthusiast Phillipe Streiff © Phillipe Streiff
‘Always on the razor’s edge’ powerboating with Tullio Abbate, Lake Como 1979 © Emmanuel Zurini
Pironi Page 28