Pironi by David Sedgwick

Author:David Sedgwick [Sedgwick, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781785313493
Publisher: Pitch Publishing
Published: 2017-03-15T04:00:00+00:00

Sixteen

Riviera days

On a sultry afternoon in late summer 1980, an Italian television crew headed for the French Riviera. Their mission: an interview with Didier Pironi. Ferrari rumours had been mounting for some time, the ensuing speculation at least partly accounting for this pilgrimage. Did the programme makers hope to obtain a scoop perhaps? If so, they would be disappointed. Weeks later, the French lieutenant would indeed be announced as a Ferrari driver.

Leaving the chic resort of St Tropez behind, the crew ascended the tight and twisty roads that led them to La Garde Freinet, a medieval village nestled in the hillside overlooking the spectacular Gulf of St Tropez. The Pironi-Dolhem villa was one of several similar properties that peppered the landscape, the retreat of people like themselves, well-to-do Parisians who would think nothing of jetting down to the Riviera for a weekend break to escape the hustle and bustle of the French capital. Ever since Brigitte Bardot first strutted her stuff in the movie And God Created Woman, the port had become a magnet to the international jet set. Its quayside crammed with superyachts, St Tropez had a reputation for hedonism. Venture just a few kilometres inland, however, into the hillside villages, and the vibrant, at times brash ambience of the port could not have been farther away.

During his teenage years, Didier had spent much time in this area, holidaying at the same rented property year on year. Subsequently, the family had constructed their own villa complete with swimming pool. Tucked away in a secluded spot deep in the hillside, the property boasted breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. Paradise, or near as dammit. Seclusion and tranquillity certainly, a place where the Pironi-Dolhems could unwind far, far from the madding crowd. Characterised by a climate in which endless sunny days would morph into even balmier evenings, this was an environment cherished by the whole family. A piece of heaven.

His celebrity rapidly growing, Didier would become an instantly recognisable figure in and around St Tropez and its environs. Appearances at one of the resort’s swish bars or restaurants would inevitably draw a crowd of onlookers, female fans proving particularly adept at grabbing (and keeping) his attention. At other times, he might be found tearing along the twisting roads that connect villages such as Grimaud and Cogolin on his Honda CBX superbike, sans helmet, naturally. Capable of hitting speeds of 135mph and with fearsome acceleration, the Japanese-built machine had a notorious reputation. Indeed, the bike had already claimed the life of one of Didier’s circle.23 Riding this supercharged monster without a helmet was asking for trouble – not that it deterred either Didier or José. On the contrary, the brother-cousins seemed to revel in the brute power of a machine for which the moniker ‘death-trap’ could have been specifically coined. Long hot days, comprising of adrenaline-fuelled adventures in car, bike, boat or plane followed by frivolity and adulation down in the bars and restaurants of St Tropez. At 28 years of age, the golden child stood at the peak of his considerable powers.

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