Two-time Ferrari Formula 1 race winner Patrick Tambay has passed away aged 73 in France following a long illness. Tambay - who started 114 Grands Prix between 1977 and 1986 - had been suffering from Parkinson's disease and died in his native France where his family confirmed the news to French news agency AFP. During his spell in F1, Tambay made his debut for the Surtees team, having finished third in the 1976 European Formula 2 Championship. He then spent time with McLaren as the team's performance dropped off in the late 1970s after James Hunt's title win, before moving back into the midfield. However, the death of Gilles Villeneuve in 1982 meant Ferrari drafted Tambay in as his replacement, with the Frenchman going on to secure a maiden victory at the German Grand Prix - the same race where teammate Didier Pironi suffered career-ending leg injuries in a practice accident. For 1983, Tambay enjoyed his best season in F1, claiming another win at Imola and four other podiums as he secured fourth in the standings - beaten only by Nelson Piquet, Alain Prost and Rene Arnoux. He would move to Renault in 1984, with a smattering of podiums over the next two seasons before retiring at the end of 1986 after a season with Carl Haas's team. Tambay also raced at the Le Mans 24 Hours four times, retiring in three of them, but taking fourth overall in 1989 alongside Jan Lammers and Andrew Gilbert-Scott in a Jaguar XJR. His links with Haas also extended to North America where he claimed the Can-Am title in 1977 and 1980 in a Chevrolet-powered Lola, claiming wins in 12 of the 16 races he contested across the two campaigns.
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