1979 Race of Champions

Last updated
1979 Race of Champions
Non-championship race in the 1979 Formula One season
Brands Hatch 1976-1987.svg
Race details
Date 15 April 1979 (1979-04-15)
Location Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit, Fawkham, Kent, England
Course Permanent racing facility
Course length 4.206 km (2.6136 miles)
Distance 40 laps, 168.24 km (104.544 miles)
Weather Warm, dry
Pole position
Driver Lotus-Ford
Time 1:17.52
Fastest lap
Driver Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Nelson Piquet Brabham-Alfa Romeo
Time 1:17.46
Podium
First Ferrari
Second Brabham-Alfa Romeo
Third Lotus-Ford

The 1979 Race of Champions was a Formula One non-championship motor race held at Brands Hatch, United Kingdom on 15 April 1979. The field was made up of seven Formula One cars that competed in the World championship while the rest of the field usually competed in the Aurora series.

Contents

Race summary

Brabham had brought two brand new BT48s onto the circuit. Another new car introduced was the Lotus 80, but Mario Andretti only used it in qualifying. Ferrari's Gilles Villeneuve drove a slightly modified 1978 Ferrari 312 T3 instead of the new 312 T4.

At the start Niki Lauda got away well from the front row and quickly pulled a lead of a few seconds, while the pole sitter Mario Andretti was dropped down to third. Gilles Villeneuve was second, followed closely by Andretti and Nelson Piquet. By lap eight the chasing three drivers had caught Lauda and they were going nose to tail. But that didn't last for long, as Lauda had to pit at the end of the eight lap, but he was able to rejoin rather quickly. Villeneuve took over the lead, only to lose it a few laps later as he ran wide at the exit of Hawthorn corner. Andretti moved into the lead in his Lotus 79. On lap 11 Piquet was also forced to pit in, so the leading battle was between Andretti and Villeneuve, while Jochen Mass in the Arrows had taken advantage of the pitstops and moved up to third place.

The positions in the front of the field remained the same for the next 12 laps. Andretti's lead was up to four seconds after Villeneuve's mistake, but the Canadian closed the gap slowly but surely. By lap 26 Villeneuve was all over the back of Andretti and a few laps later took the inside line into Paddock Hill bend and retook the lead. Andretti had no answer to Villeneuve's pace and the gap increased rapidly. Piquet had moved ahead of Mass into third and his team mate Lauda, who had pitted twice, was fifth. A few laps from the end Piquet overtook the slowing Andretti as well. But in the end it was Villeneuve who crossed the line first, lapping everyone up to the fourth place man.

Classification

Qualifying

Pos.No.DriverConstructorTimeGap
11 Flag of the United States.svg Mario Andretti Lotus-Ford 1:17.52 
25 Flag of Austria.svg Niki Lauda Brabham-Alfa Romeo 1:17.76+0.24
312 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Gilles Villeneuve Ferrari 1:17.85+0.33
46 Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Nelson Piquet Brabham-Alfa Romeo 1:17.98+0.46
530 Flag of Germany.svg Jochen Mass Arrows-Ford 1:18.93+1.41
618 Flag of Italy.svg Elio de Angelis Shadow-Ford 1:19.57+2.05
77 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Watson McLaren-Ford 1:20.30+2.78
856 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Rupert Keegan Arrows-Ford 1:20.65+3.13
941 Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Desiré Wilson Tyrrell-Ford 1:20.80+3.28
1044 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Edwards Fittipaldi-Ford 1:20.90+3.38
1143 Flag of Spain (1977-1981).svg Emilio de Villota Lotus-Ford 1:21.67+4.15
1251 Flag of Ireland.svg David Kennedy Theodore-Ford 1:22.35+4.83
1352 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Philip Bullman Surtees-Ford 1:22.41+4.89
1446 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Tiff Needell Chevron-Ford 1:22.50+4.98
1549 Flag of Italy.svg Giacomo Agostini Williams-Ford 1:22.60+5.08
1642 Flag of the United States.svg Gordon Smiley Tyrrell-Ford 1:23.20+5.68
1745 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Bernard de Dryver Fittipaldi-Ford 1:23.44+5.92
1847 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Val Musetti March-Ford 1:25.61+8.09
1963 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Robin Smith Ensign-Ford 1:26.37+8.85
DNQ62 Flag of Austria.svg Gerd Biechteler March-Ford --
Source: [1]

Race

Pos.DriverConstructorLapsTime/RetiredGrid
1 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Gilles Villeneuve Ferrari 4053:17.123
2 Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Nelson Piquet Brabham-Alfa Romeo 40+ 14.074
3 Flag of the United States.svg Mario Andretti Lotus-Ford 40+ 23.171
4 Flag of Germany.svg Jochen Mass Arrows-Ford 40+ 40.765
5 Flag of Austria.svg Niki Lauda Brabham-Alfa Romeo 39+ 1 Lap2
6 Flag of Italy.svg Elio de Angelis Shadow-Ford 39+ 1 Lap6
7 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Edwards Fittipaldi-Ford 39+ 1 Lap11
8 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Bernard de Dryver Fittipaldi-Ford 38+ 2 Laps18
9 Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Desiré Wilson Tyrrell-Ford 38+ 2 Laps10
10 Flag of the United States.svg Gordon Smiley Tyrrell-Ford 38+ 2 Laps17
11 Flag of Italy.svg Giacomo Agostini Williams-Ford 38+ 2 Laps16
12 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Val Musetti March-Ford 36+ 4 Laps19
13 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Robin Smith Ensign-Ford 36+ 4 Laps20
Ret Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Rupert Keegan Arrows-Ford 35Engine9
Ret Flag of Spain (1977-1981).svg Emilio de Villota Lotus-Ford 34Engine12
Ret Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Philip Bullman Surtees-Ford 24Spun off14
Ret Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Watson McLaren-Ford 18Gearbox7
Ret Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Tiff Needell Chevron-Ford 16Accident15
DNS Flag of Ireland.svg David Kennedy Theodore-Ford Gearbox13
DNQ Flag of Austria.svg Gerd Biechteler March-Ford

Notes

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References

  1. "1979 Race of Champions - Race Results & History - GP Archive". GPArchive.com. 15 April 1979. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
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