Jody Scheckter and Ferrari were the defending world champions heading into the 1980 Formula 1 season but the new 312 T5 proved to be hopelessly uncompetitive. Scheckter struggled throughout 1980, while his spectacular team-mate Gilles Villeneuve managed to haul the machine into positions where it did not rightly belong.
Jones and Williams Victorious in Argentine Grand Prix
Throughout the latter half of 1979 Alan Jones and Williams had been the class of the field. They carried this form into 1980, with Jones taking pole and winning the opening round in Argentina. A young Brazilian, Nelson Piquet, finished second for Brabham and would establish himself as a genuine title contender as the season progressed. Keke Rosberg’s third place provided a rare podium appearance for the beleaguered Fittipaldi team.
Arnoux and Renault Score Formula 1 Double
Renault had scored the first victory for a turbocharged Formula 1 car at the 1979 French Grand Prix and, in 1980, became a serious threat to the normally-aspirated cars. In the second race in Brazil Jean-Pierre Jabouille qualified his Renault on pole and the race win was taken by his team-mate, the diminutive Frenchman René Arnoux. Jones could only manage third place in his Williams FW07.
Jabouille and Arnoux were even more at home when the Formula 1 championship moved to Kyalami in South Africa. Sitting high above sea level the rarified air gave their turbo engines a distinct advantage. Jabouille again claimed pole, with Arnoux second. In the race Jabouille looked to be heading for victory until a tyre failure late in the race. The win went to Arnoux, and with it he gained the lead in the world championship. Jacques Laffite and Didier Pironi finished second and third for Ligier respectively.
Piquet Wins for Brabham
The fourth round of the championship, the US Grand Prix West, took place at Long Beach. Piquet stormed to a sensational pole position in qualifying. Jan Lammers, standing in at ATS, was just as impressive, recording the fourth fastest time, although his race would be short-lived. Piquet was unchallenged in the Grand Prix, leading the whole way. Riccardo Patrese finished second in the distinctive gold Arrows, with Emerson Fittipaldi third in his eponymous car. A shadow was cast over the weekend by a devastating accident suffered by Clay Regazzoni when his Ensign’s brakes failed. As a result the popular Swiss driver remained paralysed for the rest of his life.
Pironi Wins in Ligier at Zolder
Jones was back at the sharp end of the grid in Belgium, taking pole ahead of the improving Ligiers at Zolder. Pironi’s Ligier led the race from Jones, and that was the way it finished. Carlos Reutemann, in the second Williams, finished third. Arnoux demonstrated his fighting ability, passing Jean-Pierre Jarier’s Tyrrell for fourth on the last lap.
1980 F1 season review continues here.
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