René Arnoux vs Patrick Tambay

1983·

Patrick Tambay out-qualified René Arnoux 8–7 at Ferrari in 1983, but René Arnoux won the races 8–7. Grid slots, finishes, points and retirements compared.

René ArnouxPatrick Tambay

7Qualifying8

15 shared races

8Race day7

15 shared races

49Points40

in shared races, as awarded at the time

161Points (today’s rules)139

in shared races, rescored 25-18-15…

Wins: 3/1
Podiums: 7/5
Poles: 4/4
Retirements: 4/6
Best finish: P1/P1
Avg. grid: 3.3/3.1

Race by race

Round-by-round comparison of René Arnoux and Patrick Tambay
R	Grand Prix	Grid	René Arnoux	Patrick Tambay	Points
1	1Brazilian Grand Prix	6/3	P9▼	P4	0 / 2
2	2United States Grand Prix West	2/1	P3	Collision	4 / 0
3	3French Grand Prix	4/11	P7	P4	0 / 3
4	4San Marino Grand Prix	1/3	P3	P1	4 / 9
5	5Monaco Grand Prix	2/4	Suspension	P4	0 / 3
6	6Belgian Grand Prix	5/2	Engine	P2	0 / 6
7	7Detroit Grand Prix	1/3	Electrical	Engine	0 / 0
8	8Canadian Grand Prix	1/4	P1	P3	9 / 4
9	9British Grand Prix	1/2	P5	P3	2 / 4
10	10German Grand Prix	2/1	P1	Engine	9 / 0
11	11Austrian Grand Prix	2/1	P2	Ignition	6 / 0
12	12Dutch Grand Prix	10/2	P1	P2	9 / 6
13	13Italian Grand Prix	3/2	P2	P4	6 / 3
14	14European Grand Prix	5/6	P9▼	Spun off	0 / 0
15	15South African Grand Prix	4/1	Engine	Turbo	0 / 0
	Average finish		P3.9	P3.0

How to read this table

The driver ahead in a round is shown in bold, the other in grey. Grid shows René Arnoux / Patrick Tambay.
P1 a win,P3 a podium,DNF a retirement.
▲ a finish at least 4 places better than that driver’s own average finish this season (see the average row), ▼ at least 4places worse. Retirements are not counted in the average.

René Arnoux’s career Patrick Tambay’s career Ferrari 1983 season All teammate battles

How these numbers are calculated

Only races both drivers started are counted. Entries that did not qualify, did not pre-qualify or were withdrawn are excluded, as are cars that never left the grid or the garage, and the Indianapolis 500 of 1950–1960.
Until the mid-1960s drivers could share a car during a race. Each driver is compared from the car they started (which sets their grid position), with the best result of any car they drove and the points from all of them, as officially credited.
Qualifying is compared on grid position rather than session times. Session-by-session qualifying data only exists from 1994, while grid position is recorded for over 99% of entries right back to 1950 — including every race of the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
On race day the driver classified ahead takes the round. If neither was classified, the one who completed more laps is credited; if both retired on the same lap it is scored as a tie and excluded from the tally.
Points are those awarded at the time and include sprint races from 2021. Where the season used an older system, a second points row rescores every round under the current system so seasons from different eras can be compared.
These are points scored in the races both drivers started, not their season totals: races either missed, or contested alongside a different teammate, are left out. Up to 1990 even full-season totals differ from the championship standings, because only a driver’s best results counted towards the title. In 1988 Alain Prost outscored Ayrton Senna 105 to 94 and still lost the championship. Theseason page has the final standings.