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Formula 1 Brazilian GP

When Senna, Brundle and Bellof made their F1 debuts together

In 1984, the Brazilian Grand Prix was the opening round of that year’s Formula 1 World Championship and was remarkable for the quintet of rookie drivers making their debuts.

Charles Bradley

Edited: Mar 31, 2024, 6:11 PM

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Ayrton Senna, Toleman TG183B Hart, Teo Fabi, Brabham BT53 BMW, Johnny Cecotto, Toleman TG183B Hart, Martin Brundle, Tyrrell 012 Ford, and Thierry Boutsen, Arrows A6 Ford

It marked the maiden grand prix starts for Stefan Bellof, Ayrton Senna and Martin Brundle – as well as the less heralded Philippe Alliot and Francois Hesnault.

Of the bunch, Senna qualified highest – the future three-time world champion taking 17th on the grid, albeit over 5s off the pole time, but ahead of Toleman-Hart teammate Johnny Cecotto.

Brundle, whom Senna had beaten to the 1983 British Formula 3 title, would line up two places behind in 19th in his normally aspirated Tyrrell-Ford.

Hesnault was 20th in his Ligier-Renault, with Bellof 23rd in the second Tyrrell, and Alliot beating RAM-Hart teammate Jonathan Palmer to the final spot on the 26-car grid – although he was over 9s away from the fastest qualifying time.

Ayrton Senna, Toleman TG183B

Photo by: Sutton Images

In the race, Senna was the first to drop out, his debut lasting only eight laps before suffering a turbo failure. Bellof made it little further, out on lap 11, with Alliot (dead battery) and Hesnault (overheating) retiring after 24 and 25 laps respectively.

Brundle – who would go on to score nine podium finishes in a lengthy F1 career – was the only rookie to see the chequered flag, finishing fifth on the road. However, the Tyrrells would later be disqualified from the entire championship for various technical infringements, including the use of lead shot in a water tank as ballast during races.

Martin Brundle, Tyrrell 012

Photo by: Sutton Images

Tragically, Bellof would lose his life in a Porsche Group C sportscar crash at Spa-Francorchamps a year later, an accident Brundle witnessed from the pitlane.

“Bellof was wild, but he wasn't the crasher that some people seem to remember him as,” Brundle told Autosport. “I was about to jump in the Jag and saw that accident up at Eau Rouge as it happened. His accident was clearly a big one, but it didn't look horrific.

Stefan Bellof, Thierry Boutsen, Porsche 956

Photo by: Motorsport Images

“I didn't look at it and think that my F1 team-mate was dead, but at that time in sportscar racing there was ‘what's going to happen next?’ feeling. It was the same feeling that we all had over the Imola weekend in 1994 [when Senna was killed] and the weeks that followed.

“There was obviously a lot more energy involved than was apparent from where I was standing. From what I understand, he didn't stand a chance.”

François Hesnault, Ligier JS23 Renault

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Hesnault, who went on to race for Brabham, was most notable for being entered in a third Renault to carry an on-board camera in the 1985 German Grand Prix.

F1 journeyman Alliot amassed over 100 starts (but scored only seven points) for RAM, Ligier and Larrousse, although he once subbed for the banned Mika Hakkinen at McLaren in the 1994 Hungarian GP.

Philippe Alliot, RAM 02 Hart

Photo by: Motorsport Images

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