Jean-Pierre Jabouille celebrated his first F1 victory at Dijon on this day in 1979, which was also the first F1 victory for Renault and turbo engines, but the race was remembered for the legendary battle between Gilles Villeneuve and Rene Arnoux for the second place.
Renault started its F1 adventure in 1977 as a constructor and engine manufacturer, and in their first F1 car was RS01 in 1977 when they first used a turbo engine. This was the 1,5-litre V6 engine tested for the first time in 1976, and the first race they used it was the British GP in 1977 .
Renault has prepared its version of its turbocharged twin turbo V6 engine for Monaco GP in 1979 making a big step forward in solving turbo lag, and in the next race at French Dijon Jabouille won from pole position and gave French manufacturer their first victory in Formula 1, which is also the first victory for a turbo engine.
Gilles Villeneuve (Ferrari) and Rene Arnoux (Renault) during the French GP 1979 (Photo: Renault F1 media)Frenchman Jabouille won the French GP on the French track Dijon with a French engine using French tyres (Michelin) and French fuel and lubricants (Elf).
Gilles Villeneuve in Ferrari and Rene Arnoux in Renault had one of the greatest battles in Formula 1 history for the runner-up spot in the final laps of the race when they touched with their wheels several times, Villeneuve eventually finishing 0.24 seconds ahead of Arnoux.
Villeneuve later described this battle as ‘one of the greatest memories in his Grand Prix racing career’.
Rene Arnoux also gave Renault their first fastest lap in Formula 1, as he secured his first points and first podium after starting from the front row for the first time, behind pole sitter Jabouille.
STARTING GRID
| 1 | 15 | J-P.Jabouille | Renault | 1:07.19 | – |
| 2 | 16 | René Arnoux | Renault | 1:07.45 | 0.26 |
| 3 | 12 | G.Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:07.65 | 0.46 |
| 4 | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham/Alfa Romeo | 1:08.13 | 0.94 |
| 5 | 11 | Jody Scheckter | Ferrari | 1:08.15 | 0.96 |
| 6 | 5 | Niki Lauda | Brabham/Alfa Romeo | 1:08.20 | 1.01 |
| 7 | 27 | Alan Jones | Williams/Ford | 1:08.23 | 1.04 |
| 8 | 26 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier/Ford | 1:08.55 | 1.36 |
| 9 | 28 | Clay Regazzoni | Williams/Ford | 1:08.65 | 1.46 |
| 10 | 4 | J.P.Jarier | Tyrrell/Ford | 1:08.80 | 1.61 |
| 11 | 3 | Didier Pironi | Tyrrell/Ford | 1:08.95 | 1.76 |
| 12 | 1 | Mario Andretti | Lotus/Ford | 1:09.35 | 2.16 |
| 13 | 2 | Carlos Reutemann | Lotus/Ford | 1:09.36 | 2.17 |
| 14 | 25 | Jacky Ickx | Ligier/Ford | 1:09.68 | 2.49 |
| 15 | 7 | John Watson | McLaren/Ford | 1:09.97 | 2.78 |
| 16 | 20 | Keke Rosberg | Wolf/Ford | 1:10.15 | 2.96 |
| 17 | 35 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 1:10.59 | 3.40 |
| 18 | 14 | E.Fittipaldi | Fittipaldi/Ford | 1:10.61 | 3.42 |
| 19 | 29 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows/Ford | 1:10.70 | 3.51 |
| 20 | 8 | Patrick Tambay | McLaren/Ford | 1:10.92 | 3.73 |
| 21 | 17 | Jan Lammers | Shadow/Ford | 1:11.14 | 3.95 |
| 22 | 30 | Jochen Mass | Arrows/Ford | 1:11.14 | 3.95 |
| 23 | 31 | Hector Rebaque | Lotus/Ford | 1:11.97 | 4.78 |
| 24 | 18 | Elio de Angelis | Shadow/Ford | 1:12.23 | 5.04 |
|
Didn’t qualify |
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| 25 | 22 | Patrick Gaillard | Ensign/Ford | 1:13.00 | 5.81 |
| 26 | 24 | Arturo Merzario | Merzario/Ford | 1:14.95 | 7.76 |
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Not present |
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| 9 | H.J.Stuck | ATS/Ford | 1:11.75 | 4.56 | |
RACE RESULTS
| 1 | 15 | J-P.Jabouille | Renault | 80 | 1:35:20.42 | |
| 2 | 12 | G.Villeneuve | Ferrari | 80 | 1:35:35.01 | 14.59 |
| 3 | 16 | René Arnoux | Renault | 80 | 1:35:35.25 | 14.83 |
| 4 | 27 | Alan Jones | Williams/Ford | 80 | 1:35:57.03 | 36.61 |
| 5 | 4 | J.P.Jarier | Tyrrell/Ford | 80 | 1:36:24.93 | 1:04.51 |
| 6 | 28 | Clay Regazzoni | Williams/Ford | 80 | 1:36:25.93 | 1:05.51 |
| 7 | 11 | Jody Scheckter | Ferrari | 79 | 1:35:41.63 | 1 krug |
| 8 | 26 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier/Ford | 79 | 1:36:04.53 | 1 krug |
| 9 | 20 | Keke Rosberg | Wolf/Ford | 79 | 1:36:16.53 | 1 krug |
| 10 | 8 | Patrick Tambay | McLaren/Ford | 78 | 1:36:02.96 | 2 kruga |
| 11 | 7 | John Watson | McLaren/Ford | 78 | 1:36:13.84 | 2 kruga |
| 12 | 31 | Hector Rebaque | Lotus/Ford | 78 | 1:36:24.42 | 2 kruga |
| 13 | 2 | Carlos Reutemann | Lotus/Ford | 77 | 1:33:48.24 | 3 kruga |
| 14 | 29 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows/Ford | 77 | 1:35:29.54 | 3 kruga |
| 15 | 30 | Jochen Mass | Arrows/Ford | 75 | 1:35:37.15 | 5 krugova |
| 16 | 18 | Elio de Angelis | Shadow/Ford | 75 | 1:35:44.81 | 5 krugova |
| 17 | 35 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 75 | 1:35:53.89 | 5 krugova |
| 18 | 17 | Jan Lammers | Shadow/Ford | 73 | 1:36:28.96 | 7 krugova |
| (18) | 3 | Didier Pironi | Tyrrell/Ford | 71 | 1:32:09.80 | Suspension |
| (12) | 14 | E.Fittipaldi | Fittipaldi/Ford | 53 | 1:05:03.30 | Engine |
| (4) | 6 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham/Alfa Romeo | 52 | 1:02:39.34 | Accident |
| (22) | 1 | Mario Andretti | Lotus/Ford | 51 | 1:11:19.00 | Brakes |
| (21) | 25 | Jacky Ickx | Ligier/Ford | 45 | 59:16.59 | Engine |
| (9) | 5 | Niki Lauda | Brabham/Alfa Romeo | 23 | 28:14.90 | Spun off |
Fastest lap: René Arnoux – 1:09.16 (lap 71)
DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER 8/15 RACES
| 1 | Jody Scheckter | 30 | – | (1) | 6 | 6 | (3) | 9 | 9 | – |
| 2 | Gilles Villeneuve | 26 | – | 2 | 9 | 9 | – | – | – | 6 |
| 3 | Jacques Laffite | 24 | 9 | 9 | – | – | – | 6 | – | – |
| 4 | Patrick Depailler | 20 | 3 | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | (2) | |
| 5 | Carlos Reutemann | 20 | 6 | 4 | (2) | – | 6 | (3) | 4 | – |
| 6 | Mario Andretti | 12 | 2 | – | 3 | 3 | 4 | – | – | – |
| 7 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | 9 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 9 |
| 8 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | 9 | – | – | 4 | 1 | 2 | – | – | 2 |
| 9 | Didier Pironi | 8 | – | 3 | – | – | 1 | 4 | – | – |
| 9 | John Watson | 8 | 4 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 3 | – |
| 11 | Clay Regazzoni | 7 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 6 | 1 |
| 12 | Alan Jones | 7 | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | – | 3 |
| 13 | René Arnoux | 4 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 |
| 14 | Riccardo Patrese | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – |
| 15 | Emerson Fittipaldi | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 15 | Niki Lauda | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 15 | Jochen Mass | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – |
CONSTRUCTORS’ CHAMPIONSHIP
| 1 | Ferrari | 60 | – | 3 | 15 | 15 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 6 |
| 2 | Ligier/Ford | 46 | 12 | 15 | – | 2 | 9 | 6 | 2 | – |
| 3 | Lotus/Ford | 37 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 4 | – |
| 4 | Tyrrell/Ford | 17 | – | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | – | 2 |
| 5 | Williams/Ford | 14 | – | – | – | 4 | – | – | 6 | 4 |
| 6 | Renault | 13 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 13 |
| 7 | McLaren/Ford | 8 | 4 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 3 | – |
| 8 | Arrows/Ford | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 | – |
| 9 | Fittipaldi/Ford | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 9 | Brabham/Alfa Romeo | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – |
