1979 Argentine Grand Prix
The Grand Prix of Argentina in 1979 was on January 21 held at the Autódromo Municipal Ciudad de Buenos Aires, and was the first race of the Formula 1 season 1979.
- 3.1 Start -up
- 3.2 race
- 4.1 Drivers' Championship
- 4.2 Constructors' Championship
Reports
Background
Due to the dominance of the Lotus 79 in the 1978 season the competition teams were forced to develop new racing car for the 1979 season, which also transpose the principle of Wing Cars. This seemed to be the only way to prevent a successful title defense of the Lotus team. When reigning constructors' champion you worked meanwhile on the new Lotus 80, which should represent a further improvement of the previous year model. Financial support was one case by the new main sponsor Martini. The defending champion Mario Andretti remained on the team. At his side now drove Carlos Reutemann whose contract had been signed in 1978 Monza Ronnie Peterson before death. This in turn had then completed a factory rider contract with McLaren, where he was to replace James Hunt. This place was now a John Watson, who at Brabham had no future. For him and his team-mate Patrick Tambay, the new McLaren M28 was completed in time for the season opener. Hunt joined Walter Wolf Racing with a new main sponsor Olympus, where he was to be driven by the new, innovative Wolf WR7, which was developed under the leadership of Harvey Postlethwaite. Watson's place at Brabham alongside Niki Lauda took Nelson Piquet, who had already piloted a third car of the team at the season finale in 1978.
Jody Scheckter took Reute 's place at Ferrari alongside Gilles Villeneuve in. As one of the few teams that started the Scuderia with the previous model 312T3 in the season, there were still problems with the Wing -car technology in the development 312T4 due to the bulky twelve-cylinder engine.
Ligier moved to the Formula 1 exit from Matra to the Ford -Cosworth - standard motors. In addition, we extended the commitment to two factory cars. For this purpose, the former Tyrrell pilot Patrick Depailler was taken as the second driver alongside Jacques Laffite under contract. The Wing Car Ligier JS11, which was developed by Gérard Ducarouge was, in due time. Also a two- car team, Williams, where now Clay Regazzoni alongside Alan Jones took over the role of the second parent driver developed. Even Renault set a second car, which was driven by René Arnoux, one next to that of Jean -Pierre Jabouille. Since the new model RS10 was yet to come, the two started with the RS01 in the season. As before, put this team as a single turbo engine.
After the loss of the main sponsor elf who had decided to henceforth work exclusively with Renault, Tyrrell had financial difficulties. Nevertheless, the new Tyrrell 009 was completed on time. Apparently it had the blueprints of the Lotus 79 worried about a Japanese model car manufacturer in order to be guided in the design of the new car at the hitherto successful Wing Car can. Jean -Pierre Jarier was hired to replace Patrick Depailler on the side of Didier Pironi.
The ATS Racing Team has reduced its exposure to only one car and took Hans -Joachim Stuck under contract. Its predecessor Jochen Mass took place at the supported of the Warsteiner Brewery Team Arrows a new job next Riccardo Patrese. Shadow started after the departure of stucco and Regazzoni with two formula -1 -comers in the new season, with the Dutchman Jan Lammers and the Italians Elio de Angelis.
As a private driver was like last year Héctor Rebaque with a Lotus cars at the start. The Team Surtees and Theodore waived, however, to take part in the season 1979. Emerson Fittipaldi and Arturo Merzario were still with their own designs.
Training
While many expected a new Lotus - dominance, the new Ligier JS11 already proved during exercise as a successful design, with which Laffite and Depailler for the front row qualified. In the third place followed with Reutemann the first Lotus next Jarier and before Scheckter and Watson in series three.
With slower by five or six seconds lap times than the pole sitter, the Brabham pilots Piquet and Lauda qualified only for the grid positions 20 and 23
Race
Patrese and stucco could not start the race, as their racing cars were not operational due to damage.
From the first row, the two Ligier pilots took the lead, while there were few positions behind them to a collision between Watson and Scheckter. Pironi, Tambay, Piquet and Merzario were involved in the subsequent accident. The race was canceled.
On the restart, which was conducted after completion of the cleanup, Piquet and Scheckter took no further part due to injuries sustained. Tambay, Merzario and Pironi could not compete either, since no spare cars were available for them.
Depailler about this time took the lead ahead of Jarier and Watson, who could both go by Laffite. However, this worked his way up to the eleventh round to the front up to the top and defended this position until the checkered flag. Behind Depailler followed at this time Watson before Reutemann and Andretti. The local hero came up to the 44th round to Watson and Depailler into second place. Because of misfires Depailler fell back to fourth place and thus had the Watson place on the podium left. Andretti was fifth ahead of Fittipaldi.
Message list
Classifications
Line-up
Race
WM stands after the race
The first six of the race were 9, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point (s).