The Day that Reutemann returned to Williams factory

It took a quarter century, but the Argentine Carlos Reutemann appears to have "exorcised" His biggest disappointment: the loss of the world championship of Formula 1 in 1981 at the hands of Brazilian Nelson Piquet.

Reutemann, 69 years old, is a man of very words. So it is significant what he said during a trip to London to receive an award from the magazine Autosport. He showed he has feelings, but so often been hidden. He is considered the greatest driver who gave his country after the five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio

During the visit to the central Williams factory, Reutemann is immediately attracted by the Williams FW07C/12 which won in 1981 in Brazil and Belgium. We realize that this is the first time that Charles looked straight back into the 1981 season.

That year is an unforgettable moment for Argentine motor fans and a milestone in the history of the F.1 by the way the title was decided. Reutemann, who debuted in the category in 1972 with a pole at GP of Argentina, had his big chance in 1981. Lotus had disappointed him in 1980 and came to Williams with enthusiasm and determined to fight for the crown. His team mate Alan Jones was the Australian world champion.

But hopes were unfounded: Already in the first race in Long Beach, was ordered to let pass by Jones. He chose to obey. But in the next race, the Argentine won the Brazilian Grand Prix in the pouring rain ignoring radio instructions to move to let pass Jones.

The relationship with Williams broke down. Reutemann won in Belgium and South Africa. In the middle of the championship, Williams decided to change tires, replaced the Michelin, which were the favorite of Reutemann, by Goodyear. The Argentine felt the blow: in the first seven races obtained 37 points, but in the following seven only 12 points.

Despite all obstacles, Reutemann came to Las Vegas, last race, a point ahead of Piquet, and took pole in the intricate circuitry mounted in the hotel parking lot of Caesar s Palace.

Frank Williams, Team Leader, denied the powerful new engine to Reutemann and gave it to Jones. The end was dramatic: a fever Piquet overcame poor form in the final laps to win the championship from Reutemann only by one point. With such a history still alive in his soul, not surprisingly, Reutemann ask questions to Jonathan Williams, eldest son of Frank, when he arrived at the headquarters of the team and saw his old car. "So this is chassis 12. Very nice car. So then why we ran with the 17 the last few races?". "A question for my father...", admits the child.

And then Frank Williams appears, asking how's Reutemann. "Im Fine" said Reutemann, immediately and hard not to lose time, "Frank, why we change from Michelin to Goodyear halfway that year? I scored 37 points with Michelin and only 12 with Goodyear. I do not understand" .

"I think it was a political issue," Williams tries to explain. "Bernie [Ecclestone] thought it was best to use Goodyear because Michelin had a growing relationship with Renault." Reutemann is not satisfied with the explanation and appeal to irony: "Of course it was better for Brabham [bought by Ecclestone in 1972] that we use Goodyear. In Austria i had no grip. And the engines ... I remember the 349 was very fast, but do you remember the problem with the 310 in Hockenheim, I think we lost the championship in that race ... "

Reutemann and Williams continued talking for over an hour. "Very shocking, very shocking," Williams said when leaving.

Two days later he saw Neil Oatley, the engineer of those times. Defined as "the architect of some of the best laps ever race in Formula 1". Neil: "Monza and Las Vegas..... Why we ran with the chassis 17 and why we did some brake tests on the morning of the crace? We never found a proper set of tires for the race. A disaster " he says, to the astonishment of his companion (Reutemann).

And so it continued to raise questions, the ones that surely made in his head many times since that 1981. "Are you asking me if the era that i was in Formula 1 was the best of alltimes? No at all. I would love to race now, everything is ready for you to do your job perfectly," says Reutemann.

The Argentine did not lose the title of 1981 in a single race. "It was draining in a confusing mix of absurd events: the failure to recognize the points of the South African GP in the last minute ban on flexible diffuser (which generated the "ground effect") in the switch to Goodyear. In the crucial and unexplained engine problems. "

The photos were taken at Reutemann office, he is very kind to interviews and chats with Formula 1 fans.

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