1977 F1 Season

The 1977 Formula One season, the 31st season of FIA motor racing, featured the 28th World Championship of Drivers and the 20th International Cup for Formula 1 Constructors. The season, which commenced on 9 January and concluded on 23 October, spanned seventeen races, making it the longest season in the sport’s history at that time. Niki Lauda, driving for Ferrari, won his second championship, despite Mario Andretti winning more races. The season was notable for the success of Walter Wolf Racing, with Jody Scheckter winning the opening race in Argentina, and Shadow Racing Cars achieving their only Formula One victory in Austria.

The season was overshadowed by several tragic events. During the South African Grand Prix, Tom Pryce was involved in a fatal accident that also claimed the life of a 19-year-old marshal. In another tragic incident, Carlos Pace lost his life in an aviation accident shortly after Pryce’s accident. Despite these tragedies, the season saw the emergence of new teams and technologies, including the entry of Renault with a turbocharged car and the German ATS Racing Team taking over the Team Penske entry. Lauda, after clinching his second World Drivers’ Championship, left Ferrari before the end of the season, and Ferrari won its third consecutive Constructors’ title with Carlos Reutemann having a solid season. The 1977 season was a mix of technological innovation, intense competition, and profound sadness due to the loss of lives in the sport.