21 replies to this topic

[Vilcornell]

Someone know what really happend between Ferrari and Renè Arnoux in 1985?

[FEV]

Some answers here : http://www.atlasf1.c...ux ferrari 1985

[Vilcornell]

...thanks!

[Ray Bell]

Similarly, using search, I found several threads that touched on the subject...

This one is perhaps salient...

http://www.atlasf1.c...?threadid=10428

[mp4]

Vilcornell,
If it's true that he was sacked because he was banging a relative of Enzo, I find that very sad as my helmet is exactly modelled after his -ie- simple white with two sets of stripes.
I always liked Rene and was a tad surprised when he was sacked. I recall an American publication saying he'd been dismissed because his health wasn't the best. Perhaps Ron Walker was trying to be polite as he churned out the article for Road and Track.
If you have access, give it a read.

[Ray Bell]

I wonder what Doug could add to this thread?

Colour? Excitement? Inside information? Names and dates?

[stuartbrs]

Id be interested to hear what Doug has to say about this too. However, it seems that most people who know the truth about this subject are ALWAYS extremely reluctant to enlighten the rest of us. Ive wondered if its because Rene was just a nice bloke that no-one wanted to drag through the muck with sordid rumours or whether there was something more sinister involved, that no-one is prepared to say on record.

Personally I hope its just because Arnoux was a descent sort of chap who deserves some privacy. Most Ferrari drivers end up fairly shattered through the experience of driving for Maranello.

[Mark Beckman]

Originally posted by stuartbrs

Personally I hope its just because Arnoux was a descent sort of chap who deserves some privacy. Most Ferrari drivers end up fairly shattered through the experience of driving for Maranello.

Yeah but having that on your resume is pretty special as well and worth the cost I would think

[stuartbrs]

Tell that to Alesi


But I do agree though, much as they can totally annoy us and treat F1 with a certain contempt from time to time it would be soooooooooooo cool to have that prancing horse on your driving suit.

[Vilcornell]

In those days, there were a lot of people chatting around the "old" Ferrari; it's hard to belive that he taked this decision by himself, less than three year before his dead.
Listen to the "out of the chorus" voices, he was no more able to work properly in the factory.
It's also true that many people have seen RN around '84 / '85 in different trendy discoteque in the Garda Lake area (not fat from my home), having a "James Hunt lifestyle"; but I don't know how much this can be true, 'cause I've never saw by myself.
For shure that wasn't (if it was) at the time, the right politic in order to stay in Ferrari....with all that power game running.....

Bah, hard times........

[Dan_ITA]

According to one of my friends, who worked for Ferrari (not racing cars) Rene was banging the wife of Marco Piccinini, chief manager of Ferrari Formula 1 team.
This is what I know.

[Twin Window]

I was always under the impression it had something to do with nose candy...

[jj2728]

Originally posted by Twin Window
I was always under the impression it had something to do with nose candy...

i was living in italy at the time and from what i recall even the italian press was uncharacteristically quiet on the arnoux situation though the nose candy scenario was implied....

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by Twin Window
I was always under the impression it had something to do with nose candy...

I also was under the impression it was a touch of the Adrian Mutu's, which beggars the question do modern day F1 drivers and other classes get random drug tests, away from the track? Being rich and young they are of the type who routinely indulge in the columbian marching powder, and from what I have read its gone from your system within one to two days making it incredibly hard to detect, except by random testing. Now in the wake of the Adrian Mutu fiasco in this country a lot of pundits have been saying its rife in Football, surely the same is true of F1? In Mutus case if you are being paid £120,000 a week and your 25 and injured or have'nt got a game coming on, well its fairly inevitable you are going to come across it. I can well imagine Rene sat bored in Italy waiting in line behind Michele, Dumfries et al to test at Marranello succumbing to temptation. And when you get hooked on coke and your not thining straight sleeping with your bosses grand-daughter/niece or team managers wife probably does'nt seem that risky thing to do!

[Ross Stonefeld]

Keep in mind though footballers dont tend to be on the enormously bright side, and are known for an excessive lifestyle at very young ages; whereas racing drivers are in a very controlled and polished environment and are quite chaperoned throughout their careers. The junior guys who have too much play time tend not to amount to much.

[theunions]

Originally posted by ghinzani
I also was under the impression it was a touch of the Adrian Mutu's, which beggars the question do modern day F1 drivers and other classes get random drug tests, away from the track?

Someone refresh my memory how Enge got caught.

[ivanalesi]

If you are in a club, and someone, say in the toilet is smoking this **** and you just go to the toilet wearing t-shirt - you have smoked marijuana:) this lasts for like 2-3 months...

[Ross Stonefeld]

Originally posted by theunions


Someone refresh my memory how Enge got caught.

At track drug test during the Hungarian GP weekend

[Zawed]

Originally posted by theunions


Someone refresh my memory how Enge got caught.

Yeah, what Ross said. The drug Enge was busted for was cannabis.

Follow the link for an article about drugs testing in F1.
http://www.rediff.co...02/sep/19f1.htm

[Graham Gauld]

Purely for your amusement I quote the following from a certain publication I refuse to mention again. Johnny Dumfries is talking about Brenda Vernor who was Mike Parkes' fiance and who, after Mikes death became Enzo Ferrari's personal secretary.

She is a great character with a tremendous sense of humour and I found everybody there was **** scared of her except the old Man.

“ When they fired Rene Arnoux at the beginning of 1985 Brenda went completely ballistic, marching up and down the corridor screaming her head off in Italian and everybody was running for cover

[Arjan de Roos]

Stories heard at the time:

-1- Mr. Arnoux not being fit.... (? reliable old Ferrari excuse)
-2- Rene was caught by the old man flirting with his grand daughter (mother of Enzo II).

[FLB]

The nose candy story was (is) also supported by a member of the French press. When asked about drug use in F1 on a radio show during one Canadian GP week, the French journalist muttered something about the 1980's. Then, as they went to break, the journalist mentioned Arnoux. Presumably, the journo thought the mic was closed, but it wasn't...