Elf Scan 20: Patrick Depailler
Tuesday, June 14, 2011 at 10:03AM 
This is one of my favorite photos in the entire Elf Scan series. A 25 year old Depailler looks past the camera with a gaze of intensity and focus. Born in 1944, Patrick Depailler was one of the few drivers whose parents fully supported his interest in racing, and encouraged it. He began by racing motorcycles, but after meeting Alpine boss Jean Rédélé, he transitioned to 4 wheels. He began at Alpine as a mechanic, then a test driver, and finally a works racing driver. At the time of this photo, his F1 career was still ahead of him. His talent was never fully rewarded with a top-line drive, but he did manage 2 wins and 19 podiums in his 95 races in F1 -- most of them for Tyrell and Ligier. Tragically he was killed in 1980, at age 35 during a test session at Hockenheim.
F1, Grand Prix, Patrick Depailler in Elf Scans
Reader Comments (1)
Think how proud of themselves his parents must have been for encouraging him in his racing career. Surely they lived out the rest of their lives happy as clams. Widowed daughter-in-law? Fatherless grandchildren? It could have been worse, of course: he might never have stood on a little podium and been sprayed with Champagne. All's well that ends well.