5 replies to this topic

[duby]

Hi all and happy chanuchristmes

 

as i am alfa-romeo fan and in the last couple of month managed to see many late 70's grand-prix and 80-85 seasons wandered

how good/bad they were?

 

they took a few poles and were fast but with alot of mechanical issues.

 

and what about the drivers there? were they good enough?

 

 

thnks

 

duby

[opplock]

Towards the end of 1980 they looked very competitive in Giacomelli's hands. Good enough for Mario to sign for 1981. I watched De Cesaris lead the 1983 Belgian GP until almost half distance before a Fred Karno pitstop and subsequent engine failure ruined his day. He did have 2 second placings that year but few other finishes. I was also at Monaco in 1982 where De Cesaris ran out of fuel on the last lap, one of 3 drivers who could have won had they completed that lap.

 

I'm not sure that Giacomelli and De Cesaris were top rate but if Mario couldn't get results in the 1981 Alfa no-one would have done. Don't forget his pole and 3rd place finish at Monza in 1982 after almost a season away from F1.

 

Conclusion - Loads of potential but sadly little to show for it.  

Edited by opplock, 26 December 2016 - 16:40.

[TennisUK]

Euroracing took over from Alfa Corse from 1984 which coincided with a down turn in form. From memory 1985 was more quasi works than a full blown manufacturer entry, too?

Edited by TennisUK, 27 December 2016 - 15:11.

[TennisUK]

Also the turbo V8 introduced in 1983 was very thirsty. Introduced (replacing the 3 litre V12) just when fuel consumption became more of an issue due to the banning of refuelling. So they had to run with lower boost. And we're therefore rather slow.

[Doug Nye]

If gossip of the time was correct - and I heard first-hand accounts declaring it to be accurate - Alfa Romeo in this period tended to perform best when incorporating rival teams' technologies...not always legitimately acquired...  But at one stage they certainly did produce competitive horsepower.

 

 DCN

[john aston]

The 1979 V12 - BT 49 I think - was very , very quick in Lauda and Piquet's hands . I recall Lauda setting a quite extraordinarily quick time in pre GP test at Silverstone . Equally importantly - it sounded just spine tinglingly divine .