Didier Artzet

Didier Artzet
Nationality	French
Born	(1963-02-10) 10 February 1963 (age 62) Nice, France
Previous series
1988-1990 1987-1988 1987 1986 1985 1985	International Formula 3000 French Formula Three Championship World Touring Car Championship Formula Renault France Peugeot 505 Trophy French Formula Three Championship
Championship titles
1985	Peugeot 505 Trophy [1]

Didier Artzet (born 10 February 1963 in Nice) is a French former racing driver.

Career

Artzet began his professional racing career in Formula Renault and Formula 3 in his native France. In the 1986 International F3 race at Monaco, Artzet qualified on the front row of the grid driving a Ralt RT30. Although he ultimately finished the race in 12th, Artzet progressed to finish third in the Formula Renault France championship of the same year behind runaway champion Érik Comas and future Simtek driver Jean-Marc Gounon. ^{[2] [3]}

The following year, Artzet comprehensively took victory in the International F3 race at Monaco, having qualified on pole and set the fastest lap. He was joined on the podium by countryman Jean Alesi. ^{[4] [5]} He would finish 7th overall in the seasons Formula 3 France series. In the same year, Artzet also raced a single event in the World Touring Car Championship for Wolf Racing in their Ford Sierra.

For 1988, Artzet entered three race weekends in the International Formula 3000 series with Team Racetech 3000. He failed to qualify for two events, completing one race at Zolder where he qualified 17th and finished 14th. Artzet would compete again in that years International F3 race at Monaco, but despite securing pole position he failed to finish due to a collision on lap 10. ^[6] He would race six times in the Formula 3 France series in 1988, securing two podium finishes. ^[7]

A return to Formula 3000 in 1989 once again with Team Racetech 3000, Artzet qualified for the first three rounds of the season, his best result and only finish was 7th in the 1989 Rome Grand Prix at Vallelunga. For 1990, he switched to Apomatox 3000 and in his final race in the series at Birmingham managed to secure a podium finish in 3rd place. ^{[8] [9] [10] [11]} At the time, future Toyota F1 engineer Rémi Decorzent was the teams race engineer. ^[12]

Artzet teamed up with Toyota Motorsport's TOM'S racing division in 1989 racing a Toyota 88C at the Coupe de Dijon and 24 Hours of Le Mans. He would also compete in the 24 Heures de Francorchamps in a TOM'S run Toyota Supra. After not racing in 1991, Artzet returned for a single race with Welter Racing at the 1992 24 Hours of Le Mans, qualifying 27th and retiring from the race. ^{[9] [13]}

Personal life

Artzet now resides in Nouméa, New Caledonia. He often races his superbike at Eastern Creek. ^{[9] [14]}

Career summary

Season	Series	Team	Races	Wins	Poles	F/Laps	Podiums	Points	Position
1985	Formula 3 France	D.R.S	1	0	0	0	0	6	19th
	Peugeot 505 Turbo Trophy	Peugeot Sport							1st
1986	Formula Renault France	Ecurie Motul Nogaro	13	1	0	0	7	87	3rd
	XLIV Grand Prix de Monaco de Formula 3	Monaco Sponsoring	1	0	0	0	0		12th
1987	XLV Grand Prix de Monaco de Formula 3	KTR	1	1	1	1	1		1st
	XXXIV Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix	ORECA	1	0	0	0	0		7th
	Formula 3 France	Danielsson, KTR	13	0	1	1	2	52	7th
	World Touring Car Championship	Wolf Racing	1	0	0	0	0	0	NC
1988	XLVI Grand Prix de Monaco de Formula 3	BSL Compétition	1	0	1	0	0		NC
	XXXV Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix	Intersport Racing	1	0	0	0	0		NC
	Formula 3 France	BSL Compétition	6	0	2	2	2	32	8th
	International Formula 3000	Racetech 3000	1	0	0	0	0	0	NC
1989			3	0	0	0	0	0	NC
	XLVII Grand Prix de Monaco de Formula 3	Cellnet Intersport Racing	1	0	0	0	0		5th
	24 Hours of Le Mans	Toyota Team Tom's	1	0	0	0	0		NC
1990	International Formula 3000	Apotamox	7	0	0	0	1	4	15th
1992	World Sportscar Championship	Welter Racing	1	0	0	0	0	0	NC

References

1. "La compétition". club505.fr (in French).
2. "XLIV Grand Prix de Monaco de Formula 3". racingyears.com.
3. "Formula Renault France 1986". driverdb.com.
4. "XLV Grand Prix de Monaco de Formula 3".
5. "1987 Monaco F3". Autosport. UK: Haymarket. 17 October 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
6. "XLVI Grand Prix de Monaco de Formula 3". racingyears.com.
7. "1988 French F3 Championship". motorsportmagazine.com.
8. "Dominique Delestre". grandprix.com.
9. Smith, Sam (20 August 2017). "Didier Artzet: The French F1 talent that slipped through the net". us.motorsport.com. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
10. "60,000 watch as Eric nurses his car home B St ¢ of more than 60,000 at Tao". Express & Star. UK. 28 August 1990. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
11. "Throttle trouble chokes McNish". The Scotsman. UK. 28 August 1990. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
12. "How to be an ace engineer". Autosport. UK: Haymarket. 24 February 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
13. "Didier Artzet". 24h-lemans.com.
14. "Didier Artzet". oldracingcars.com.