Niki Lauda won the last Formula One race held at Dijon-Prenois, with Patrick Tambay taking pole for the all-French Renault team.
Key Facts
- Race date
- 20 May 1984
- Championship round
- 5th race of the 1984 season
- Circuit length
- 3.801 km
- Winner
- Niki Lauda (McLaren-TAG)
- Pole position
- Patrick Tambay (Renault RE50)
- Last race at Dijon-Prenois
- Circuit deemed too short by FISA
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The 1984 Formula One World Championship brought the field to Dijon-Prenois for the fifth round of the season. Patrick Tambay secured pole position for Equipe Renault, representing a fully French combination of car, engine, tyres, and fuel. Championship leader Alain Prost was hampered during the race by a loose wheel, forcing an unplanned pit stop.
Niki Lauda drove his McLaren-TAG to victory on 20 May 1984 at the 3.801 km Dijon-Prenois circuit near Dijon, France. Tambay finished second in his Renault RE50, while Nigel Mansell took third in the Lotus-Renault. A controversy surrounded Andrea de Cesaris, who failed to qualify yet started after Ligier withdrew François Hesnault's qualified car to allow de Cesaris to race.
Lauda's win was his first in France since 1975, adding to his points tally in the 1984 championship. Prost's pit stop relegated him to seventh, denting his title lead. The race marked the permanent end of Formula One at Dijon-Prenois, as FISA ruled the circuit too short; Renault would not claim another pole position until their return to the sport in 2002.