Villeneuve and Arnoux in Famous F1 Battle at Dijon
The French Grand Prix at Dijon-Prenois in 1979 was the scene for one of the greatest battles in Formula 1 history. Although the race was significant for Jean-Pierre Jabouille scoring the first victory for a turbocharged Formula 1 car, it was the fight for second place which grabbed the headlines.
Jabouille started from pole and dominated the Grand Prix but, late on, second place came down to a race between Gilles Villeneuve’s Ferrari and René Arnoux in the other Renault. Over the last few miles the pair battled furiously, passing and re-passing each other. At the flag it was Villeneuve ahead by a fraction. While fellow drivers and the governing body condemned their actions neither man regretted it. Villeneuve and Arnoux were both true racers at heart.
There had been some new faces at Dijon. Keke Rosberg was installed at Wolf after James Hunt had walked away from the team at Monaco, disillusioned with contemporary Formula 1. At Ligier the veteran Belgian Jacky Ickx was substituting for Patrick Depailler, who had seriously injured himself in a hang-gliding accident.
Williams Score First GP Win at Silverstone
Williams had been threatening Ligier and Ferrari all season and, at Silverstone, the team finally won a World Championship Formula 1 race. Alan Jones had taken pole but it was not his day. In the race he led comfortably before retiring. Instead, it was left to Clay Regazzoni in the other FW07 to score the historic win. Arnoux was second, but a long way back, with Jean-Pierre Jarier third for Tyrrell.
Jones and Williams Victorious in German and Austrian F1 Races
Jones made up for his British Grand Prix disappointment in the next race at Hockenheim. Jabouille took pole for Renault but Jones was alongside in second. The Williams driver was quickly into the lead, while Jabouille retired early. Regazzoni made it an even better weekend for Williams by passing Jacques Laffite’s Ligier to finish second. The Frenchman had to settle for third place.
In Austria Jones again qualified second, this time behind the pole-sitting Renault of Arnoux. They were both taken by surprise as a fast starting Villeneuve burst through from the third row to take the lead. He stayed there until the third lap when Jones eased past the Ferrari. While Jabouille retired with a broken clutch his team-mate Arnoux held onto second for a long time, before fuel pick-up problems intervened. He would eventually finish sixth. At the flag it was Jones from Villeneuve and Laffite, the latter having passed Jody Scheckter’s Ferrari for third on the final lap.
1979 F1 season review continues here.
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