Depailler and Ligier Win Spanish GP
The first European race of the 1979 Formula 1 season was the Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama. Ligier were back on form, with Jacques Laffite taking his third pole of the year and team-mate Patrick Depailler alongside. Gilles Villeneuve, winner of the previous two races, lined his Ferrari up in third.
Depailler jumped into the lead at the start and went on to score the second victory of his Formula 1 career. Carlos Reutemann had a strong race for Lotus, progressing from eighth on the grid to second at the finish. 1978 World Champion Mario Andretti brought the other Lotus home in third. Laffite had a frustrating day, being forced into retirement by engine failure.
Scheckter Wins for Ferrari at Zolder and Monaco
There was an interesting new car at Zolder for the Belgian Grand Prix in 1979. Alfa-Romeo, winners of the first two Formula 1 titles in 1950 and 1951, had decided to re-enter the sport as a constructor. The driver of the car was the young Italian Bruno Giacomelli. The timesheets had a familiar look to them after qualifying, with Laffite on pole from Depailler. Brabham’s young start Nelson Piquet impressed by qualifying third fastest. Alan Jones was also encouraged with the performance of his Williams FW07 and started fourth.
In the early stages Depailler led from Piquet, before Jones passed the Brabham driver. Villeneuve’s race was hampered by a collision with Clay Regazzoni’s Williams which necessitated a pit stop for a new nosecone. Regazzoni was less fortunate and retired on the spot. Another collision occurred between Giacomelli in the new Alfa-Romeo and Elio De Angelis, in his first year of Formula 1 with Shadow.
Jones eventually took the lead of the race, only to be forced out with a faulty fuel pump. Depailler went off track of his own accord and retired, which left Laffite in first position, ahead of Jody Scheckter’s Ferrari. The South African eventually passed Laffite’s Ligier and held the lead until the end. In third place was Didier Pironi in a Tyrrell. Villeneuve had been running third until the final lap when his Ferrari ran dry. He was classified just outside the points in seventh.
Renault appeared at Monaco with a revised engine featuring twin turbochargers. The tight Monte Carlo circuit was not ideal for the French cars, but their time would come. Ferrari locked out the front row with Scheckter on pole ahead of Villeneuve.
Scheckter led away while Niki Lauda managed to squeeze his Brabham past Villeneuve. It didn’t last for long, and Villeneuve regained second before closing right up to his team-mate. Jones was also fast in the Williams but retired after hitting a kerb. Villeneuve also retired when his gearbox broke, but Scheckter soon had another car to worry about. Clay Regazzoni was closing fast in his Williams but, despite his best efforts, the Swiss driver crossed the line less than half a second behind Scheckter. The podium was completed by Reutemann in third.
The 1979 Formula 1 season review continues here.
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