The best number two in the business
Author
- Mattijs Diepraam
Date
- 8W April 1999 issue
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- Stefan Bellof - Talent overplayed, by Leif Snellman/Tom Prankerd
- Mike Thackwell - Youngest starter, youngest quitter, by Mattijs Diepraam/Oleg Jmarine
Who?Martin Brundle What?Tyrrell-Cosworth 012 Where?Monte Carlo When?1984 Monaco GP (practice) |
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Why?
One of the best drivers in F1 history not to have scored a win, Martin Brundle has rarely come close. The man from King's Lynn did score some second places in his long F1 career (but not many), only to see the best of his runner-up positions - tailing Piquet's turbo Brabham at Detroit in 1984 - taken away by officialdom in one of the most draconian measures ever meted out.
The story of those tiny lead balls in the Tyrrells' fuel tank is still too incredible to believe, Ken's team disqualified for the entire season after its fuel tricks came to light shortly after the Dutch GP. Although Martin lost his 8 points collected up to Zandvoort (his second place at Detroit was backed up by a 5th in his debut race), at the time of the ban he wasn't around to share his disbelief with the team, both his ankles broken in a frought crash at the stupid Dallas street track, after which he was replaced by Mike Thackwell.
And those 8 points could have been quite some more, as the nimble atmo Tyrrells shone on Mickey Mouse tracks, of which the 1984 calendar was full. Alas, Brundle was unable to capitalize on the 012's advantage on slow circuits, as the other street races of the season became true disasters for Martin. A sizeable crash out of Tabac coming towards Rascasse during Monaco practice took the spirit out of the East Anglia resident, who subsequently failed to qualify for the historic wet race in which Ayrton Senna harried Alain Prost to the finish.
Then, coming from his marvelous second place at Detroit, another smacker in dusty Dallas put paid to his further 1984 efforts. After a long and generally fruitless F1 career - briefly interrupted by a successful foray into the World Endurance Championship with Silk Cut Jaguar, Martin taking the 1988 crown - smart and sensible Brundle is now ITV's successor to Murray Walker, moving up from being the legendary commentator's sidekick.
