RICCARDO, TELL

Riccardo, if all goes well, 1982 will be the year of "consecration" for you. Shall we look back into your past, tell your life, confess the little and big secrets?

Let's do it. I'm ready!

Identity Card...

I was born in Padua, in the sign of Aries, on April 17, 1954.

Firstborn?

No, I have a brother who is 13 years older. His name is Alberto, he is an engineer, he works at Alfa Romeo. He is married, has an 8 -year-old daughter, Francesca, lives in Milan and is a "fanatic" of model cars.

Tell me about your parents...

My mother is called Elena Zorzati. She is from Padua. She taught in middle school. A literature teacher. Good, I think. Five years ago, she retired. She is very dynamic, still a beautiful woman, despite being in her sixties.

And your father?

Father Mario looks like me, he is more slender, perhaps more likeable, but methodical, precise, fussy. He is older than my mother. He is a grocery wholesaler. He is also from Veneto, from Badia Polesine. The Patrese family was born 42 years ago, in the church, in the cathedral of Padua.

Economic problems?

No, we lived normally, without worries.

You have a scar on your face, under your lower lip. What happened to you?

I cut myself as a child.

Did you grow up well, a happy childhood?

I think so. My brother, Alberto, was almost like my second father, he has always followed me with affection, and still does so, with precious advice.

From whom did you inherit your passion for cars?

Certainly not from my mother, until a while ago she was always against motoring. From my father, who was a great enthusiast, and from my brother.

Did you play with electric cars?

Sure, and with the little trains...

What schools did you go to?

The scientific high school in Padua. I am enrolled at the University, Faculty of Political Science.

University, which, I imagine, you neglect…

From 1973 to today, I have taken a total of eight exams. But I haven't given up hope of graduating. I would like to continue.

When was your passion for motoring born?

Well, at the beginning I didn't have the passion for racing. Yes, I liked them, but I didn't go crazy, my brother, on the other hand, had a real passion. At 19 he bought a go-kart: and I began to climb on it, with the curiosity of a six-year-old boy. The decision to do karting seriously came ten years later.

And in the meantime, what other sports did you practice?

Skiing and swimming. I was also good, you know? I have been skiing for about six to twenty years. In the Tre Venezie I was quite popular; I had a decent score in the national ranking. I was strong in the giant slalom and the special. When summer came, I ran to the pool. I liked it very much. From 10 to 15 years old, I swam for the Rari Nantes Patavium, in the team, with me was Novella Caligaris. I was a "free-stylist", then I switched to the back, for relay needs. I was not doing bad times.

So why didn't you continue? Could you have become a swimming champion?

I think so. But you know how it happens. We were about fifteen very close boys, we lived and played in the pool. When the company disbanded, I lost the incentive. Meanwhile, my interest in karting was growing. I couldn't do everything. I was forced to choose, either swimming or karting. You know how it ended...

Then in the end Riccardo Patrese was world kart champion. It happened in 1974, if I'm not mistaken.

Sure, it was on the Estoril circuit in Portugal. I remember beating Prost, among others.

How many years have you been racing in karting?

Many. In a serious, professional way, from 1970 to 1974.

And who were the other Italian drivers?

I don't remember them all. Necchi, Gorini, Mombelli, Cheever, Gabbiani and Rovelli, these were the most dangerous...

At that time, you started earning, right?

A little something. Two or three million. In those days, it was a cipher.

At the age of twenty, you took the big leap, from karts to a real car. Was it easy?

Even today, I must say thanks to the Scuderia Nettuno of Bologna for offering me a car to race in Formula Italia. Among other things, the karting federation had assigned me another one. I was therefore in a good situation.

But not everyone in the family agreed, did they?

My brother Alberto of course, yes. My father pretended to be neutral. My mother just didn't want to know. Eventually, I convinced her. My commitment, in Formula Italia, was to be only for one year...

In Formula Italia, you met Giacomelli, who beat you.

One moment, one moment. Giacomelli won the championship, but overall, I had collected the most points. The fact is that he won 5 races, and I only won three. Vallelunga, Mugello and Imola. I also made several "pole positions", and many lap records.

While you were racing in Formula Italia, Eddie Cheever had emigrated to England to race in Formula 3 and Formula Ford; Piero Necchi and Beppe Gabbiani continued to race in karts where Elio de Angelis also arrived, while Prost had switched to Formula Renault. In a way, Cheever had forged ahead, don't you think?

Well, then in '76 he raced with a March, 6-cylinder Lancia engine prepared by Brambilla. He never qualified.

Let's go back to Patrese. What happened in 1976?

I asked myself, why not try a Formula 3...

And your mother?

By now she was involved, she was beginning to believe.

With Formula 3, you encountered the first difficulties. You were young and talented, but not everyone wanted you.

I have knocked on many doors. Those of Osella and Pavanello, I found closed. Luckily, I met Trivellato, who had just broken up with the March and was preparing a brand new Chevron. It was he together with the sponsor Stebel who gave me confidence. It was an extraordinary year. I won, in one go, two championships: the European and the Italian. In Italy, I had clashed with Piercarlo Ghinzani, in Europe, with Brancatelli and Anderson.

And Giacomelli?

He had gone to race in English Formula 3. We met at the Monaco Grand Prix and the Monza Lottery Grand Prix.

In Montecarlo, Giacomelli beat you...

Yes, but I gave him a good lesson in the Lottery. So, in 1976, between me and Bruno, 1-1.

And both, in 1977, landed in the Formula 2 European Championship.

Yes, always with Chevron and with Trivellato. Let's go right now. At Silverstone, I remember, I take a point. At Thruxton, due to a tire, I have to settle for fifth place, a shame, because I was in the lead. Also, at the Nürburgring, I am in command, but I go off the track, because the asphalt was very wet. In the European championship, I finished second four times: fourth, eventually in the championship. It was a pretty good and hard-fought championship. There were Arnoux, Pironi, Cheever, Daly, Zunino, Hoffman and Giacomelli.

The decisive race for your Formula 1 career was the Nürburgring, right?

In formula 2, some Formula 1 drivers were also racing that year. At the Nürburgring, I made a wonderful "pole position". Think, 7'15 ". I gave Jochen Mass three seconds and Clay Regazzoni four seconds. That qualifying time was my introductory card for Shadow, who was looking for a driver to replace Renzo Zorzi.

I still remember your debut in Montecarlo, everyone said you wouldn't even qualify, and instead...

I had never driven in a Formula 1. At the end of practice, I had the fifteenth best time. At the finish of the grand prix, I was ninth. What a pleasure! And already that year I managed to get my first points, in Japan. But I cannot forget the emotion of Monte Carlo, also for another reason...

Which one?

My son Simone was born on the day of the Monaco Grand Prix, May 18, 1977.

Let's talk a little about Ambrosio, the sponsor of Shadow, the "enfant prodigy" financier who then ended up in prison...

When I met him at Shadow, in England, I didn't even know who he was. I certainly hadn't investigated. Ambrosio, he behaved very correctly with me.

What is your opinion of Ambrosio?

I have already given it. He was very correct as far as I'm concerned. I remember him very lively and enterprising. He didn't seem like a Formula 1 man to me, but he was slowly integrating. Of course, he loved the rest, in Formula 1.

And then, the Arrows arrived. How did things really go?

Already at the end of '77, there was a general discontentment in the team, no one got along with Nichols anymore. The split was somewhat natural. At that time, I was on the team with Alan Jones. The Arrows preferred Patrese, Jones was set free.

And then you rejected a proposal from Frank Williams. Think, if you had accepted...

It's true. Williams approached me. But then there was no difference between Williams and Arrows. Frank, I remember it well, said to me: "I want you or Jones, the first one who comes has the place." I was undecided, I had the Arrows proposal: Jones, on the other hand, was free, he had nothing in his hand.

I repeat: if you had accepted...

It's easy to say.

Have you ever regretted that choice?

The fact is that in the key, important moments of my life, luck was not very close to me. On my way, I've always found either someone or something in front of me. The engine that breaks in South Africa, with 14 laps to go, when I was clearly first. Or the fan from Lauda, Sweden. Do you think it is right?

And with Enzo Ferrari? It was certainly not a "love" novel with a happy ending. Come on, tell...

In 1978, immediately after the South African Grand Prix, I was called up by the engineer Ferrari. The meeting took place in Modena at the Scuderia Ferrari headquarters. Engineer Ferrari wanted to meet me, to establish a first contact.

And then?

I was summoned, a second time, towards the end of '78. The Ferrari engineer told me that for the following year he could not give me a place in his team. For major cause. But I was still the first on the "waiting list".

Did you sign an option for Ferrari?

Yes, in April 1978.

If you didn't get paid, when Ferrari couldn't keep faith with the option...

No, no. Look, I found myself in front of the accomplished fact. When I was called to Maranello, first they gave me the check, saying "here's what is due", and then I met the engineer Ferrari. Let this be clear.

In the meantime, you also received an offer from Brabham...

Yes, but I would have had to sign a three-year contract, as Piquet did later, and I always dreamed of being able to race with Ferrari one day.

But at Brabham you didn't want to play Lauda's second. Just think, before the end of the championship, the Austrian driver retired... And you would have immediately become the top driver, and maybe you would have already reached the title last year, in 1980, maybe you wouldn't have made all the mistakes by Piquet, maybe...

Maybe, maybe, maybe... I have already told you, in the decisive moments, what seemed right to me, in the end it turned out to be wrong.

In 1978 Alfa Romeo also approached you, right?

Yes, before the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. Nothing concrete. I talked a lot with Corbari, very little with engineer Chiti. Mind you, I stayed at Arrows, not as a fallback, but because it was a team that I liked, that I knew by now in its strengths and weaknesses.

Let's go back to Ferrari, because the story of this Patrese who at any moment had to race for the prancing horse, kept us all in suspense. Tell!

At the end of '79, I met the engineer Ferrari again. Basically, he tells me: "Look, Patrese, the team went very well". My hope falls, but is rekindled in March 1980, a request arrives: "How much does Patrese want to race with us in 1981?". I had to give an answer within 24 hours. It wasn't a difficult answer. "No, I ask it a question of money. Make you an offer ". No, I had to be the one to take the first step. Finally, I said, "What I'm taking today, nothing more." I'm going to race in South Africa with high spirits. I come back, and they tell me, from Ferrari: "Feel free, Patrese. We are unable to guarantee you anything". And the story ended.

And then Pironi arrived. At the end of 1980, Alfa Romeo is still being talked about. Why did this negotiation also vanish?

I don't know the reason. Engineer Chiti called me to Autodelta, before the Italian Grand Prix in Imola. I was determined to accept. But Alfa chose Andretti.

Yeah, back then you had a second proposal from Bernie Ecclestone...

And not only from Brabham. As you know, Ragno wanted to enter Formula 1. With Ecclestone we were unable to conclude, then, due to a matter of advertising space on the car. At the same time, the contract with March was canceled due to Robin Herd, the same with Fittipaldi and Tyrrell. With the Toleman it was almost done. With Osella, on the other hand, I have never spoken. Eventually, I did another year with Arrows. Now, finally, I'm with Brabham.

And here ends a chapter of your life; another one opens, probably much happier and more profitable.

One moment. I want to remind you of something. I have no regrets. I've always done what I thought was right to do. I was convinced of it. And if things did not go the right way... Here now I am in a moment more philosopher, more fatalistic.

Among other things, we must not forget what happened in Monza in '78, a story that certainly did not help you.

Let's not talk about it. Thing of the past.

Everyone said you were a grumpy driver. Because?

You mean my relations with journalists. Yes, they said it, but now relations have improved. Maybe because I've changed too.

And it was said that you were also presumptuous and unpleasant.

My shyness was mistaken for presumption. The fact that I was trying to be on my own, a little secluded, made me look unpleasant. I never gave confidence to people I didn't know well.

Have you ever had a few moments of fear?

For a driver, fear does not have to exist. If it existed, it would be a terrible anguish. Of course, there are moments of tension, which you experience inside the cockpit of your car. It is not fear. They are violent adrenaline rushes.

Are you a driver, and a man, who always tells the truth?

Rather than lie, I am silent.

How do you behave in everyday life?

I am decided. I go straight. Until the end.

And how do you find yourself in the role of a father?

Simone is a splendid reality. He is beautiful, a little chubby, at four years old he weighs more than 18 kilos. A little shy, perhaps, like his father.