1979 F1 Season

The 1979 Formula One season, the 33rd season of FIA motor racing, featured the World Championship of F1 Drivers and the International Cup for F1 Constructors, contested over a fifteen-round series from 21 January to 7 October. This season was marked by the triumph of Jody Scheckter, who won the Drivers’ Championship driving for Ferrari. His teammate, Canadian Gilles Villeneuve, finished as the runner-up. Australian driver Alan Jones, representing Williams, finished third in the Drivers’ Championship. Ferrari’s success in 1979 concluded a successful decade for the team, with three drivers’ and four constructors’ titles.

The season saw several high-profile changes among the leading teams. Lotus signed Carlos Reutemann to replace the late Ronnie Peterson, while Ferrari took on Villeneuve to fill the gap left by Reutemann. The Wolf team hired James Hunt, and McLaren replaced Hunt with John Watson. The season was also notable for the introduction of ground-effect cars, with Lotus aiming to stay ahead with the new Lotus 80. Ferrari, despite the aerodynamic handicap of their flat-12 engine, produced the 312T4, which proved to be competitive. Williams expanded to two cars, signing Clay Regazzoni to partner Alan Jones, and Renault Sport hired Rene Arnoux to join Jean-Pierre Jabouille. The season was a mix of technological innovation and intense competition, with Ferrari emerging as the dominant force.