1980 South African Grand Prix
The Grand Prix of South Africa 1980 took place on March 1, held at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit and was the third race of the Formula 1 season 1980.
- 3.1 qualifying
- 3.2 race
- 4.1 Drivers' Championship
- 4.2 Constructors' Championship
Reports
Background
During the five-week break, which lay between the second and third World Cup race of the year, the ATS Racing Team had completed a first copy of the new model D4. The car was driven by Marc Surer. In Tyrrell also came a new vehicle with the name Tyrrell 010 used. From this model already existed one copy for both factory riders.
In Shadow Stefan Johansson after two failed qualification tests in Argentina and Brazil replaced by Geoff Lees.
Training
The two Renault drivers Jean -Pierre Jabouille and René Arnoux formed the front row in front of Nelson Piquet and Jacques Laffite. This was followed by Didier Pironi and Carlos Reutemann.
Marc Surer crashed during training hard, had to be cut out of his destroyed vehicle and carried away leg injuries. Alain Prost crashed regardless and also had to avoid participating in the race.
Race
While Jabouille and Arnoux could easily settle, Alan Jones, Jacques Laffite, Carlos Reutemann, Nelson Piquet and Gilles Villeneuve fought behind for second place. During the first round also Jody Scheckter intervened in the action by filed past Villeneuve and Piquet.
While Villeneuve far back fell through a pit stop, Jones was overtaken by Laffite. Due to engine problems coincided with Scheckter from the twelfth round, the second Ferrari driver hopeless back and finally in the 15th round completely.
Jones was forced to retire on lap 35 due to a gearbox failure. Jean -Pierre Jarier, who had meanwhile occupied the fifth rank, fell from the 55th lap behind Piquet Pironi and back.
The Jabouille until then lying in the lead in the 62nd round of arbitration due to a puncture. Nevertheless, it came with Arnoux before Laffite and Pironi to a French triple victory. Such a success three countrymen had recently given at the U.S. Grand Prix in 1968, when three British stood with Jackie Stewart, Graham Hill and John Surtees at the same time on the podium. This was surpassed, however, by the fact that this time the first three places of the designers were achieved exclusively by French teams, as well as the pole position and the fastest lap of the race.
Message list
Classifications
Qualifying
Race
WM stands after the race
The first six of the race were 9, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point (s).