Patrick Depailler facts for kids
Depailler at Dijon in 1975
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| Born | 9 August 1944 Clermont-Ferrand, France |
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| Died | 1 August 1980 (aged 35) Hockenheim, West Germany |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  French |
| Active years | 1972, 1974–1980 |
| Teams | Tyrrell, Ligier, Alfa Romeo |
| Entries | 95 |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 2 |
| Podiums | 19 |
| Career points | 139 (141) |
| Pole positions | 1 |
| Fastest laps | 4 |
| First entry | 1972 French Grand Prix |
| First win | 1978 Monaco Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1979 Spanish Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 1980 British Grand Prix |
Patrick André Eugène Joseph Depailler (born August 9, 1944 – died August 1, 1980) was a famous racing driver from France. He competed in 95 World Championship Formula One races, starting his first one on July 2, 1972. He also raced in other Formula One events that were not part of the championship.
Patrick was born in Clermont-Ferrand, France. When he was a kid, he looked up to another racer named Jean Behra. In Formula One, he joined the Tyrrell team. Later, he moved to the Ligier team and then to the Alfa Romeo team in 1980. Patrick was helping Alfa Romeo improve their cars when he sadly died in a crash. This happened during a practice session at Hockenheim on August 1, 1980. He was 35 years old.
Patrick won two races and got one pole position (starting first on the grid). He finished on the podium (top three) 19 times. He scored a total of 141 championship points in his career. As of 2024, Patrick Depailler shares a record with four other drivers. They all achieved 15 podium finishes before winning their first Grand Prix race.
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Patrick Depailler's Racing Journey
Patrick Depailler was a talented driver who competed in different types of racing. He showed his skill in both Formula Two and Formula One, which are two major categories of open-wheel racing.
Early Racing: Sports Cars and Formula Two
Patrick started his racing career in Formula Two, which is a step below Formula One. In 1972, he finished very close behind Peter Gethin in the Pau Grand Prix in France. He drove a March car and fought hard for the win.
In April 1973, Patrick finished third in a Formula Two race at the Nürburgring in Germany. He was driving a Ford Alpine car. In May 1974, he got the fastest qualifying time for the Formula Two Pau Grand Prix. Later that year, he had a crash during practice in Salzburgring, but he was not hurt.
Patrick also raced in sports car events. In 1976, he was suspended for three races by the Renault sports car team. This happened after he was involved in a crash with his teammate, Jean-Pierre Jabouille, at the Nürburgring. Even with this setback, Patrick finished second in the 1976 Swedish Formula One Grand Prix.
Formula One: Tyrrell Years (1972–1978)
Patrick Depailler first drove for the Tyrrell team in 1972 at races in France and Watkins Glen. In December 1973, he was chosen to be a full-time driver for Tyrrell. He replaced the famous Jackie Stewart, who had retired.
In 1974, Patrick achieved his first pole position at the 1974 Swedish Grand Prix. This meant he started the race from the very front. He finished second in that race, right behind his teammate Jody Scheckter. This was his only podium finish that year.
In 1975, Patrick was considered a strong contender for the Formula One World Championship. He finished fifth in Argentina and third in South Africa. During qualifying for the 1975 United States Grand Prix, he crashed his Tyrrell car but was not injured.
The 1976 season was a good one for Patrick. He finished second in the 1976 Brazilian Grand Prix. He also got a third-place finish at the 1976 United States Grand Prix West. At the 1976 Monaco Grand Prix, he placed his unique six-wheeled Tyrrell car in third position for the start. He finished second to James Hunt at the 1976 French Grand Prix and again at the 1976 Canadian Grand Prix. After the Canadian race, Patrick felt unwell from inhaling fumes but quickly recovered. He also finished second at the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix.
In 1977, Patrick had a crash at the 1977 Brazilian Grand Prix and injured his leg. Later that year, he became Tyrrell's main driver. Tyrrell also decided to stop using their six-wheeled cars.
In 1978, Patrick finished third in the 1978 Argentine Grand Prix and second in the 1978 South African Grand Prix. He also climbed from 12th place to finish third at the 1978 United States Grand Prix West.
Patrick's first Formula One win came at the 1978 Monaco Grand Prix. He drove a Tyrrell-Ford 008 car and won the famous race. This was his first victory in 69 championship races, even though he had finished second eight times before.
Joining Ligier (1979)
For the 1979 season, Patrick Depailler moved to the Ligier team. The team started using V-8 Ford Cosworth engines instead of their older French-built Matra engines.
Patrick led the first 10 laps of the 1979 Argentine Grand Prix but had engine problems. He still managed to finish fourth. He then finished second to his teammate, Jacques Laffite, at the 1979 Brazilian Grand Prix.
Patrick achieved a great victory at the 1979 Spanish Grand Prix, leading the race from start to finish. This win put him tied for the lead in the Formula One world championship standings with Gilles Villeneuve.
However, in June 1979, Patrick broke both his legs in a hang gliding accident near his hometown. He also badly injured his heel. Because of this, Ligier had to replace him with another French driver, Jacky Ickx. Patrick spent a long time recovering in the hospital. He hoped to attend some races as a spectator later that year.
Final Season with Alfa Romeo (1980)
In 1980, Patrick joined the new Alfa Romeo team, which was making a comeback. Patrick was still recovering from his hang-gliding accident. He even used special brakes in his car to help strengthen his leg muscles. The Alfa Romeo car was fast, but it often broke down during races. He qualified third for the 1980 United States Grand Prix West, showing the car's speed.
Patrick Depailler's Legacy
Patrick Depailler's death led to important safety changes in racing. Because of his fatal accident, a new chicane (a sharp turn designed to slow cars down) was built at the Ostkurve section of the Hockenheim circuit. This new chicane was first used in the 1982 German Grand Prix.
A radio-controlled car racing track in Patrick's hometown is named in his honor. The Mini Circuit Patrick Depailler is one of the oldest tracks in France.
Patrick Depailler was played by actor Xavier Laurent in the 2013 film Rush, which was directed by Ron Howard.
Images for kids
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Depailler at Dijon in 1975
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Depailler driving a Formula Two car at the Nürburgring in 1970.
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Depailler in 1977.
See also
In Spanish: Patrick Depailler para niños
