STORY OF THE DAY: A Point from a Difficult Hockenheim

On 5 August 1984, Rene Arnoux finished sixth in the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, driving Ferrari 126 C4 M2 number 28. The final championship point reflected a difficult afternoon for Ferrari as Alain Prost led a McLaren one-two ahead of teammate Niki Lauda.

Hockenheim’s long straights rewarded power and aerodynamic efficiency, but Ferrari could not match the complete performance of the McLaren-TAG combination. Prost also claimed pole position and fastest lap, while Arnoux persevered to take the last scoring place behind Derek Warwick, Nigel Mansell and Patrick Tambay.

The 126 C4 M2 represented a modified stage of Ferrari’s 1984 turbo car. It used the Scuderia’s 1.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 within a carbon-composite chassis, with continuing revisions aimed at improving aerodynamics, cooling and handling during a season of rapid technical development.

Frenchman Arnoux joined Ferrari in 1983 after winning races for Renault and immediately challenged for the World Championship. Renowned for qualifying speed and determined racing, he remained a valuable scorer in 1984 even when victories proved elusive. His Hockenheim finish was a modest but hard-earned contribution to Ferrari’s season.