Rare footage from 1983 F1 pre-season test at Paul Ricard with René Arnoux testing for Ferrari. Rare footage from 1983 F1 pre-season test .

Enjoy some rare footage from the 1983 Formula 1 pre-season test at the Paul Ricard circuit with René Arnoux testing for Ferrari. The video also includes footage of Nelson Piquet, Riccardo Patrese, Niki Lauda, Steve Nichols, Alain Prost, Mauro Baldi and Eddie Cheever.

The 1983 pre-season testing session was held at a time when the teams were trying to figure out what a competitive flat-bottomed car should look like. Hence Ferrari’s short sidepods and rear wing extensions, as well as Renault’s tipped-forward rear wing. Euroracing were trying to get Alfa’s V8 turbo engined 183 race-ready. Brabham had Nelson Piquet in their ground-effect pitstop-ready BT51 (with a flat-bottom) as well as Riccardo Patrese in the BT50.