World Drivers' Championship

1979

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Cumulative championship points for each driver after every round.

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Season guide

1979 Formula One World Championship

Jody Scheckter won the 1979 World Drivers' Championship for Ferrari with 51 points, 4 ahead of Gilles Villeneuve (Ferrari).

Scheckter won 3 of the 15 races. Ferrari won the most races (6 of 15). Seven different drivers won a race.

Final standings

PosDriverWinsPodiumsPts
1Jody ScheckterFerrari3651
2Gilles VilleneuveFerrari3747
3Alan JonesWilliams4540
4Jacques LaffiteLigier2636
5Clay RegazzoniWilliams1529
6Patrick DepaillerLigier1220
7Carlos ReutemannTeam Lotus0420
8René ArnouxRenault0317
9John WatsonMcLaren0115
10Didier PironiTyrrell0214
11Jean-Pierre JarierTyrrell0214
12Mario AndrettiTeam Lotus0114
13Jean-Pierre JabouilleRenault119
14Niki LaudaBrabham-Alfa Romeo / Brabham-Ford004
15Elio de AngelisShadow003
16Nelson PiquetBrabham-Alfa Romeo / Brabham-Ford003
17Jacky IckxLigier003
18Jochen MassArrows003
19Hans-Joachim StuckATS002
20Riccardo PatreseArrows002
21Emerson FittipaldiFittipaldi001

Only a driver's best results counted towards the title this season, so totals can be lower than the points scored.

Races

RdGrand PrixDateWinnerPoleFastest lap
1Argentine Grand Prix21 Jan 1979Jacques LaffiteLigierJacques LaffiteJacques Laffite
2Brazilian Grand Prix4 Feb 1979Jacques LaffiteLigierJacques LaffiteJacques Laffite
3South African Grand Prix3 Mar 1979Gilles VilleneuveFerrariJean-Pierre JabouilleGilles Villeneuve
4United States Grand Prix West8 Apr 1979Gilles VilleneuveFerrariGilles VilleneuveGilles Villeneuve
5Spanish Grand Prix29 Apr 1979Patrick DepaillerLigierJacques LaffiteGilles Villeneuve
6Belgian Grand Prix13 May 1979Jody ScheckterFerrariJacques LaffiteGilles Villeneuve
7Monaco Grand Prix27 May 1979Jody ScheckterFerrariJody ScheckterPatrick Depailler
8French Grand Prix1 Jul 1979Jean-Pierre JabouilleRenaultJean-Pierre JabouilleRené Arnoux
9British Grand Prix14 Jul 1979Clay RegazzoniWilliamsAlan JonesClay Regazzoni
10German Grand Prix29 Jul 1979Alan JonesWilliamsJean-Pierre JabouilleGilles Villeneuve
11Austrian Grand Prix12 Aug 1979Alan JonesWilliamsRené ArnouxRené Arnoux
12Dutch Grand Prix26 Aug 1979Alan JonesWilliamsRené ArnouxGilles Villeneuve
13Italian Grand Prix9 Sep 1979Jody ScheckterFerrariJean-Pierre JabouilleClay Regazzoni
14Canadian Grand Prix30 Sep 1979Alan JonesWilliamsAlan JonesAlan Jones
15United States Grand Prix7 Oct 1979Gilles VilleneuveFerrariAlan JonesNelson Piquet

Race by race

Round 1

Argentine Grand Prix

21 Jan 1979 · Autódromo Juan y Oscar Gálvez, Buenos Aires, Argentina

  • Jacques Laffite won for Ligier from pole, 14.940s ahead of Carlos Reutemann.
  • A hat-trick for Jacques Laffite: pole, victory and fastest lap.
  • Jacques Laffite leads the championship by 3 points from Carlos Reutemann with 14 rounds to go.
Round 2

Brazilian Grand Prix

4 Feb 1979 · Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo, Brazil

  • Jacques Laffite won for Ligier from pole, 5.280s ahead of Patrick Depailler.
  • A hat-trick for Jacques Laffite: pole, victory and fastest lap.
  • A one-two finish for Ligier.
  • Jacques Laffite's 2nd win of 1979.
  • Jacques Laffite leads the championship by 8 points from Carlos Reutemann with 13 rounds to go.
Round 3

South African Grand Prix

3 Mar 1979 · Kyalami, Midrand, South Africa

  • Gilles Villeneuve won for Ferrari from P3, 3.420s ahead of Jody Scheckter.
  • Championship leader Jacques Laffite retired (accident).
  • A one-two finish for Ferrari.
  • Polesitter Jean-Pierre Jabouille retired (engine).
  • Jacques Laffite leads the championship by 6 points from Carlos Reutemann with 12 rounds to go.
Round 4

United States Grand Prix West

8 Apr 1979 · Long Beach, California, USA

  • Gilles Villeneuve won for Ferrari from pole, 29.380s ahead of Jody Scheckter.
  • Gilles Villeneuve took the championship lead from Jacques Laffite.
  • Championship leader Jacques Laffite retired (brakes).
  • A hat-trick for Gilles Villeneuve: pole, victory and fastest lap.
  • A one-two finish for Ferrari.
  • Gilles Villeneuve's 2nd win of 1979.
Round 5

Spanish Grand Prix

29 Apr 1979 · Jarama, Madrid, Spain

  • Patrick Depailler won for Ligier from P2, 20.940s ahead of Carlos Reutemann.
  • The last of Patrick Depailler's 2 Grand Prix wins.
  • Polesitter Jacques Laffite retired (engine).
  • Gilles Villeneuve and Patrick Depailler are level on points at the top with 10 rounds to go.
Round 6

Belgian Grand Prix

13 May 1979 · Zolder, Heusden-Zolder, Belgium

  • Jody Scheckter won for Ferrari from P7, 15.360s ahead of Jacques Laffite.
  • Jacques Laffite took the championship lead from Gilles Villeneuve.
  • First career podium for Didier Pironi.
Round 7

Monaco Grand Prix

27 May 1979 · Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo, Monaco

  • Jody Scheckter won for Ferrari from pole, 0.440s ahead of Clay Regazzoni.
  • Jody Scheckter took the championship lead from Jacques Laffite.
  • Championship leader Jacques Laffite retired (gearbox).
  • Attrition: only 6 of 20 starters were classified.
  • Jody Scheckter's 2nd win of 1979.
Round 8

French Grand Prix

1 Jul 1979 · Dijon-Prenois, Dijon, France

  • Jean-Pierre Jabouille won for Renault from pole, 14.590s ahead of Gilles Villeneuve.
  • First career win for Jean-Pierre Jabouille.
  • A home win for Jean-Pierre Jabouille.
  • First career podium for René Arnoux.
  • Jody Scheckter leads the championship by 4 points from Gilles Villeneuve with 7 rounds to go.
Round 9

British Grand Prix

14 Jul 1979 · Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, UK

  • Clay Regazzoni won for Williams from P4, 24.280s ahead of René Arnoux.
  • The last of Clay Regazzoni's 5 Grand Prix wins.
  • Clay Regazzoni became the 6th different winner of 1979.
  • Polesitter Alan Jones retired (water pump).
  • Jody Scheckter leads the championship by 6 points from Gilles Villeneuve with 6 rounds to go.
Round 10

German Grand Prix

29 Jul 1979 · Hockenheimring, Hockenheim, Germany

  • Alan Jones won for Williams from P2, 2.910s ahead of Clay Regazzoni.
  • Alan Jones became the 7th different winner of 1979.
  • A one-two finish for Williams.
  • Polesitter Jean-Pierre Jabouille retired (spun off).
  • Jody Scheckter leads the championship by 7 points from Jacques Laffite with 5 rounds to go.
Round 11

Austrian Grand Prix

12 Aug 1979 · Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria

  • Alan Jones won for Williams from P2, 36.050s ahead of Gilles Villeneuve.
  • Alan Jones's 2nd win of 1979.
  • Jody Scheckter leads the championship by 6 points from Gilles Villeneuve with 4 rounds to go.
Round 12

Dutch Grand Prix

26 Aug 1979 · Circuit Park Zandvoort, Zandvoort, Netherlands

  • Alan Jones won for Williams from P2, 21.783s ahead of Jody Scheckter.
  • Alan Jones's 3rd consecutive win.
  • Attrition: only 7 of 23 starters were classified.
  • Polesitter René Arnoux retired (suspension).
  • Jody Scheckter leads the championship by 8 points from Jacques Laffite with 3 rounds to go.
Round 13

Italian Grand Prix

9 Sep 1979 · Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza, Italy

  • Jody Scheckter won for Ferrari from P3, 0.460s ahead of Gilles Villeneuve.
  • The last of Jody Scheckter's 10 Grand Prix wins.
  • A one-two finish for Ferrari.
  • Polesitter Jean-Pierre Jabouille retired (engine).
  • Jody Scheckter's 3rd win of 1979.
  • Jody Scheckter leads the championship by 13 points from Gilles Villeneuve with 2 rounds to go.
Round 14

Canadian Grand Prix

30 Sep 1979 · Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, Canada

  • Alan Jones won for Williams from pole, 1.080s ahead of Gilles Villeneuve.
  • A hat-trick for Alan Jones: pole, victory and fastest lap.
  • Alan Jones's 4th win of 1979.
  • Jody Scheckter leads the championship by 7 points from Gilles Villeneuve with 1 round to go.
Round 15

United States Grand Prix

7 Oct 1979 · Watkins Glen, New York State, USA

  • Gilles Villeneuve won for Ferrari from P3, 48.787s ahead of René Arnoux.
  • Jody Scheckter finished as champion, 4 points ahead of Gilles Villeneuve.
  • Championship leader Jody Scheckter retired (tyre).
  • Attrition: only 7 of 24 starters were classified.
  • Polesitter Alan Jones retired (wheel).
  • Gilles Villeneuve's 3rd win of 1979.