F1 champion attacks rival in bizarre incident - On This Day

The 1982 German Grand Prix at Hockenheim is remembered for many things, not least the career-ending qualifying crash that befell Didier Pironi.

But it was an act of raw fury between two drivers on the circuit that has endured in Formula 1 folklore for over four decades.

Nelson Piquet had been in imperious form that afternoon, leading all 18 completed laps and building a lead of roughly 26 seconds. 

On his 19th tour, the reigning world champion caught the backmarker ATS of Eliseo Salazar on the approach to the Ostkurve chicane. Piquet moved alongside and expected the Chilean to yield under braking. 

Salazar, however, misjudged his braking point, failed to slow sufficiently, and struck the rear of the Brabham. Both cars were pitched into the barriers and out of the race on the spot.

What followed turned a racing incident into one of the sport's most notorious confrontations. Piquet tore off his seatbelts, climbed from the wreckage, marched over to Salazar, and launched a sustained volley of punches and kicks at the Chilean driver. 

Marshals and television cameras looked on as the assault continued for several seconds before it was finally broken up.

Despite the outburst being broadcast live, Piquet faced no official sanction from the stewards or the FIA for his actions. 

Reports suggest he later contacted Salazar privately to apologise. Patrick Tambay inherited the lead and went on to take his maiden Formula 1 victory for Ferrari, with only he and René Arnoux completing the full race distance.