Prost led the championship. But Piquet, driving brilliantly, won the race. Prost finished 2nd. On pure points, Piquet was world champion.
And it proved that in F1, the quiet ones—with the biggest turbos—are the most dangerous. Would you have preferred Prost to win on consistency, or was Piquet’s raw speed the right call? Drop your take below. 👇 1983 f1 season
Drivers raced with fuel bladders in their laps. Turbo engines meant fire was a constant fear. Watch any onboard from ’83—feet inches from the front axle, helmet out in the open. Survival was part skill, part luck. Prost led the championship
Except… the FIA had a weird rule: only the 11 best results counted (from 15 races). Prost had more lower-point finishes to drop. When they recalculated, Piquet won by . On pure points, Piquet was world champion
Here’s why 1983 matters more than you think.
The paddock exploded. Renault cried foul. But the rules were rules. Piquet, the quiet outsider, took his second title. Prost? He’d have to wait two more years.
Going into the last race at Kyalami (South Africa), any of three drivers could win the title: Prost, Arnoux, or Piquet.