Grand Prix: An alternate history of Formula 1
- Thread starter ArupinumMaivista
- Start date
Indeed, where he told him to "Fuck off" in true Niki Lauda style. Love the man. In this timeline, the fact the only major death thus far had been Rindt, Siffert and Courage means that extra steps will have to be taken in TTL
Great work on the TL, sad as it is that for the second time in six years the World Champion didn't live to be crowned as the best in the world. RIP Niki 😟 That said, the fact that so many Americans have taken names in Formula One in the 70s is sure to have an impact on the future. Curious to see what comes next! 😎
RIP Niki.
Is Walter Wolf still going to hijack Williams? Walter Wolf Racing had really cool (if also quite derivative of the JPS Lotuses) liveries.
Is Walter Wolf still going to hijack Williams? Walter Wolf Racing had really cool (if also quite derivative of the JPS Lotuses) liveries.
That will all be explored in 1977. Bear in mind that Wolf originally bought up what remained of Embassy Hill, which has managed to achieve a podium in 1976 in this TL.
Thank you so much for the kind words! Indeed, the 1970s were a bit of a golden age for American drivers, and the late 70s also see emergences of guys like Bobby Rahal, so it's interesting what's gonna come next. The 80s will be a wild ride, let's just say that! Even BRM are still around thanks to Elf sponsorship by Cevert!
Walter Wolf is still going for many of the revolutionary ideas in his cars, such as the Kevlar bodywork?
Nice work on keeping BRM, Fittipaldi, Ensign and a number of others. 😎 I'm guessing 1977 is where the turbocharged cars (which here appeared in 1976) begin to make actual waves? And I'm guessing the worldwide interest means we'll start seeing more teams entering the sport?
Speaking of turbos, would the Chevy brand switch out with Buick during the turbo era? Buick's huge motorsports push during the 80s* was centred on their turbocharged V6 engine. Also the Turbo 6 logo for that engine is *chef's kiss*
*NASCAR, IndyCar, IMSA, Trans-AM, Pikes Peak, some lower GT categories
*NASCAR, IndyCar, IMSA, Trans-AM, Pikes Peak, some lower GT categories
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1977 - The effect of ground
1977 season of Grand Prix Racing
"The effect of ground"
1976 was a devastatingly turbulent year for Grand Prix Racing. The political war between Ferrari and McLaren, while starting a great rivalry between the two titans of the sport, had brought the sport to its knees, with both teams doing whatever they could to outdo each other. On the track, James Hunt was only inches away from winning the World Championship, but Mario Andretti's defending had prevented the British icon from taking the crown, which would posthumously remain Lauda's. The deaths of the World Champion and Ian Ashley brought the drivers to finally demand higher safety standards, yet the FIA did nothing. "The effect of ground"
On the paddock, the new face in Ferrari was the Argentine ace Carlos Reutemann, who was brought into the Scuderia with equal status of Mario Andretti. Reutemann's departure from Brabham meant that Ken Tyrrell had to look elsewhere for a new #1, and he found it in the Super Swede himself - Ronnie Peterson. Ronnie's two relatively low-key years in Shadow had shown that the Swede certainly had speed of a World Champion, but his entrance to the Aussie team promised fireworks. A new engine supplier also made their debut in 1977, with it being Alfa Romeo over at Embassy Hill. After a fruitless year filled with experimentation, Alpine was bought up by Renault, with the French giant entering the sport with a revised Gordini V6 Turbo that was slapped on the back of the temperamental Renault RS1, driven by their mechanic Jean-Pierre Jabouille. Graham Hill himself was not convinced by the power of the Chevrolet V8, and he was hoping the F12 of the Alfa would take his cars one step beyond. BRM brought in Jean-Pierre Jarier, with Roger Williamson departing for Lotus. Surtees, after a dismal season which mostly turned heads due to its Durex sponsorship, caused a mini stirr by bringing in Vittorio Brambilla, while Dan Gurney would put his faith on the talented Mike Mosley. Finally, the biggest sensation of the year was Jody Scheckter, who was departing for Wolf Williams. Even though the British underdogs had a miserable year in 1976, the money that was promised via the Wolf sponsorship ensured that Jody would come to Grove. Time will only tell if it was a good decision though.
Mike Mosley during testing for Eagle
The Grand Prix Circus would return to Argentina this year, and the subsequent race was one of attrition. Despite taking Pole Position, James Hunt, along with the rest of his competitors all retired due to the sweltering heat of Buenos Aires. Alan Jones led the majority of the race, with the Hill Alfa proving to be a bad fast car, but a huge puff of smoke meant Alan would not get to lift the trophy today. In the end, that trophy would land on the hands of the African Sensation himself - Jody Scheckter. Despite starting in the midfield, Jody slowly made his way through the grid until snatching the lead from Brise's missfiring Alfa. With that, Williams were Grand Prix winners for the second time in their history, and Jody had a dream start to his 1977 season.
Brazil would seemingly show the Williams' true pace though, as Jody retired along with Tom Pryce and co. Carlos Reutemann on the other hand was able to win his first race with Ferrari, as the Argentine dominated the event, outrunning James Hunt to take the win. The latter would have to wait until South Africa to take his first win of the season, by capitalising on the faultering Ferrari of Mario Andretti. Scheckhter followed James home to finish 2nd in his home Grand Prix, while Carlos Pace gave the Brabham 6-wheeler its first podium of the year. Three different winners in the first three races. It was a great sight for F1, and it helped that Ferrari, McLaren and Williams all looked relatively competitive. Unfortunately, bad news would soon hit Grand Prix Racing, as Carlos Pace was killed in a plane crash. The Brazilian fan favourite was one of the fastest men on the grid, with great skill that made him into a safe pair of hands for Brabham. With his one win in Brazil back in 1975, the Interlagos circuit would change its name in homage to Carlos.
Jody Scheckter after his win in Argentina
Pace's death led to Brabham scrambling for a new driver, and they found it in Patrick Depailler. The Frenchman had already been driving a 6-wheeled machine in the March 2-4-0, and Tyrrell hoped his experience would make it easier to get used to the Brabham. Indeed, it seemed it was a right call, as Patrick finished 4th at Long Beach in his first race for the squad, while Mario Andretti drove a spirited race to win in his country yet again. Along with Scheckter scoring another podium though, a new challenger had seemingly emerged, in Tom Pryce in the Lotus Type 78. The new JPS machine used a revolutionary system named "Ground effect", via the venturi tunnels beneath the car. With that, the Type 78 was glued to the ground, and Pryce could capitalise on it by driving through the corners way quicker than a normal machine. However, it was obvious the revolutionary car had teething issues.
Nonetheless, Pryce made the most of his machine in Jarama. The sweeping turns were a perfect fit for the Type 78, and Pryce demolished the competition, achieving his second ever win. Roger Williamson, Pryce's teammate on the other hand, could only manage a 5th spot, with the Briton citing the undrivable nature of the Ground-effect. It would go on like this for much of the season, as Roger struggled to adapt to the Lotus. With Pryce taking the win in Spain, the Welshman became the season's 5th different winner, joining the contention for the World title.
Tom Pryce navigating the circuit of Jarama
Coming into Monaco, it was expected that the Loti would be best-suited for the narrow and twisty nature of Monte Carlo. Yet, it was Tony Brise who took pole position on that day, as the inspired Englishman looked to be unstoppable in the Principality. Graham Hill himself looked confident upon seeing his prodigy lead the race, but a gearbox failure put an end to any sort of hope of the Hill squad winning their first race. The lead was then given to Jody Scheckter, as the South African recorded his fourth consecutive podium. Jody was now the championship leader, as his consistency put him leagues ahead of the competition. But, Belgium would see a turning point.
The Zolder circuit was hit with torrential rain, and Tom Pryce showed his wet weather prowess by putting his Type 78 on Pole, firmly ahead of Brise, Andretti and rookie Gunnar Nilsson. At the start, Tony Brise got away ahead of the competition, but Mario Andretti lost control of his Ferrari, ramming the Hill and thus crashing out of the Grand Prix. From then on, the flying Welshman dominated the Belgian Grand Prix, lapping the field to complete his rain masterclass. Ronnie Peterson was the next in the standings, having achieved his first points finish of the season, ahead of Vittorio Brambilla. In the end, the Belgian Grand Prix had shown the landscape of F1 in terms of its new rain masters, now that the likes of Jacky Ickx, Jean-Pierre Beltoise and Pedro Rodriguez were gone. With Pryce as the victor, he was 6 points behind Scheckter and one ahead of the consistent Reutemann.
The Anderstorp circuit in Sweden had become a bit of a favourite between the drivers over the years. The friendly Swedish crowd, combined with the wide and safe nature of the track made for a relaxing Grand Prix, and one that usually provided a pleasant surprise. This time, it was Jacques Laffite. Despite starting in the lower ends of the top 10, "Jolly" Jacques drove a patient race from start to finish, capitalising on other's mistakes and picking up the pieces. Tony Brise, who once again looked to be on the hunt for his first win was rammed off the road by Scheckter via a daring move by the South African, and Laffite then made his move by overtaking Regazzoni's McLaren to take the lead after Pryce suffered an engine failure, leaving the blue Ligier to take the chequered flag and bringing France its first victory since 1973. It was a great day for French motorsport, as the all-French effort reached national headlines back in Paris.
Jacques Laffite's day of days
Having failed to win a Grand Prix for the second time, Tony Brise and Graham Hill looked clueless in what they had to do for lady luck to finally deal them a good hand. The Dijon-Prenois circuit in France in itself was a twisty track with plenty of alevation changes. It was the exact opposite to what the GH2B was built for, and many expected the JPS cars to dominate the event. But, a bad start by Pryce left James Hunt to lead from lap one, only to be overtaken by a charging Tony Brise. From then on, Tony never looked back, resisting every challenge from the recovering Pryce. At the final lap, Pryce snatched the lead from Brise right at the last corner, but Tony Brise slammed on the gas, unleashing the F12 power of the Alfa Romeo to outrun the Lotus. At his third attempt, Brise had won his first ever Grand Prix. It would be the last time in the season that Brise would score a point, as Alan Jones soon got his luck sorted out in the following Grands Prix.
At Silverstone, a new face showed up to the Grand Prix Circus, in a one-off drive with McLaren. Reccomended by James Hunt, a young French Canadian would begin his unlikely career, after impressing James with his speed, despite his limited experience with Open-Wheel racing. His name was Gilles Villeneuve. Appropriately, James Hunt would come back into contention for the championship here in Britain, dominating the event after first outrunning his compatriot Tony Brise (before the inevitable engine failure of the Alfa F12), leaving "Hunt the Shunt" to win in his home country. Roger Williamson also had something to celebrate for, having finished 3rd with the Lotus that he himself wasn't fond of, while Mario Andretti would begin his own streak of podiums. Villeneuve meanwhile, finished a promising 7th, having charged through the field after a spin. But, Bruce McLaren was not impressed by Gilles, citing that he looked "too expensive", and siding towards the young and promising Franchman over at Ensign - Patrick Tambay. Indeed, Tambay would prove his worth in the following Grand Prix in Germany, where he finished 6th.
James Hunt celebrating his home win
In Germany, Grand Prix Racing would come back to the long and quick Hockenheimring after 7 years, following a boycott against the Nurburgring. Indeed, the German Grand Prix would forever leave the Green Hell, as the deaths of Lauda and Ashley in the previous year acted as the final nails on the Ring's coffin. With the track being so lenghty, and where the driver would mostly go flatout, Mario Andretti capitalised on its nature to outrun Jody Scheckter, while Alan Jones gave something to cheer for over at Embassy Hill. Andretti's victory in Germany would be followed by two more wins in Zandvoort and Monza, and only an inspired Gunnar Nilsson at Zeltweg prevented the American Ace from winning four races in a row. Gunnar Nilsson, an expert in sportscar racing and a driver highly regarded as a future World Champion only got into F1 this year after Renzo Zorzi was sacked from Shadow, and the Swede never looked out of his depth. In fact, Nilsson gave Shadow their most successful season in F1 thus far, finishing in the podium twice and winning in Austria. However, these good vibes in Shadow could not be seen at Lotus. Colin Chapman watched as his cars all of a sudden struggled to finish, with Pryce in particular seeing his title chances slip away from his hands. With Andretti winning in Zandvoort, Pryce began to hope for a miracle as the Grand Prix Circus entered the Monza Autodrome.
At Italy, Graham Hill was flabergasted as he noticed a new team over at the paddock - Alfa Romeo! Despite making a deal with the manufacturer for engine supply, Carlo Chiti was making an F1 car behind the scenes, with newcomer Riccardo Patrese driving the 177. It was a bulky machine, hindered by poor aerodynamics, and the car didn't last long in the eventual Italian Grand Prix, having only completed 10 laps before the engine gave away. Gilles Villeneuve, who was given a drive for Ferrari via the Scuderia Everest also wasn't able to complete Giancarlo Martini's Monza Miracle of the past year, as his 1976-spec 312T2 gave up the ghost while Gilles was at one point 3rd. While the young guns were able to show their promise, Tom Pryce pulled off a remarkable overtake on Nilsson at Parabolica, passing the Shadow around the outside to take 2nd position and following Andretti home. Cevert also gave a promising 5th to BRM, who were having a developmental year in 1977, as the squad was preparing a new car for 1978.
The Alfa Romeo 177
The end of the European season meant that with only three more races to go, four drivers were in contention for the world title - Mario Andretti; Jody Scheckter; Carlos Reutemann and Tom Pryce all had a decent chance to win their first ever championship. At Watkins Glen, James Hunt pulled off a masterclass to fend off against Pryce, but his win was a Phyrric victory, as the Briton's previous run of 4 retirements made it impossible to challenge for the championship. Scheckter and Prcye on the other hand still had a slim chance, with Andretti 13 points ahead of them thanks to his late season consistency. At Canada though, in Mont Tremblant, Jody Scheckter made one final charge to catch up to Andretti, taking the win for Williams while his competitors all retired. All of a sudden, Scheckter was at a cusp of greatness, with only midfielders completing the podium. Patrick Depailler in particular looked mighty impressive, as the Frenchman brought his Brabham six-wheeler to a worthy podium finish. Unfortunately, that was the zenith of Brabham in this season, as the P34 was an overweight contraption that relied too much on innovation. Neither Peterson nor Depailler enjoyed driving it, and Ken Tyrrell would have to look elsewhere for 1978. Depailler's podium finished was followed by another 3rd place in Japan, where the season finally duily saw Andretti finish in a safe 6th position. Jody Scheckter, who only needed to finish 3rd was nowhere to be seen, as his Williams struggled in 10th position, while James Hunt gave McLaren a win that would at least have the Kiwi squad hope for an even better 1978. With that, Mario Andretti was the World Champion, giving Ferrari their 3rd consecutive double. But, the reemergence of Lotus in form of the ground effect Type 78, along with the consistent Wolf Williams and quick McLaren meant that Ferrari would not sleep through winter of 1977. The next season was surely going to be even more exciting.
World Champion Mario Andretti cruising ahead of Peterson
Mario Andretti's consistence was the tie-breaker for 1977, as the Ferrari 312T2 proved to be the most reliable car of the season when compared to the rest of the competition, despite its tricky handling. However, the incredible speed displayed by Tom Pryce and the groundbreaking Lotus made it clear that Grand Prix Racing was entering its new era. The aerodynamic age was over, now it was the age of Ground Effect. Next year, Colin Chapman's JPS cars would have a renaissance, as Ferrari and co. scrambled to match its speed. Tune in next time for 1978 - "One by one"
1978: "One by one"
1978 Grand Prix season
"One by one"
1977 had seen North America conquer the World of Formula 1 for the second time in its history. Mario Andretti was the World Champ, having driven a ridiculously consistent season with Ferrari, but it's what was happening within the Scuderia that had everyone talking. Already by October, it was known that the team's 2nd driver, Carlos Reutemann was having difficult relationship with team staff, and the Argentine ace had left the team by the end of the season. Ferrari would thus have its first ever North American pairing, as the young French Canadian Gilles Villeneuve joined the team after an impressive few rounds at McLaren and Scuderia Everest in 1977. "One by one"
Ferrari was the champion constructor, but Colin Chapman's Lotus was the team to watch. The Type 78 of the previous year showed impressive pace, but was hampered by poor reliability and overly aggressive driving of Tom Pryce and underperforming of Roger Williamson. For 1978 though, Carlos Reutemann was joining the team, in hopes of achieving what he sought after in Ferrari. He was given equal status with Pryce, while Williamson departed for Germany, where the highly competitive BMW M1 Championship took place. There were big news at Brabham when Honda had announced they were ending their partnership with Brabham. The combination that had lasted for 9 years was finally coming to an end, and Ken Tyrrell had to look elsewhere for the new engines. That didn't take long, as Ron Tauranac and Jack Brabham's Judd company brought what was essentially a modified V8 Honda engine, disguised with a different badge.
Clay Regazzoni had moved from McLaren to BRM, joining Francois Cevert, who was entering the last year of his contract with the British manufacturer. The "Prince" as he was called by the French media, had already shown that he was a talented individual, but many thought it was being wasted on the uncompetitive nature of the BRM. There was hope that the return of Regga would bring some progress. Brabham kept Patrick Depailler after a solid 1977 season, along with Ken Tyrrell bringing in a young and promising Didier Pironi. Pironi's arrival came rather unexpectedly, as Ronnie Peterson was supposed to drive for Brabham in 1978. However, the news of Gunnar Nilsson being diagnosed with Cancer meant Shadow needed a driver for 1978, and Ronnie volunteered to take the position. Jody Scheckter was still at Wolf Williams, as the South African sensation was hopeful of a title push in '78, while Graham Hill struck a deal with Saudia after his sponsorship with Embassy cigarettes ended. Alan Jones and Tony Brise stayed in the team, and the duo looked comfortable with one another. Following a disastrous year with the 6-wheeled 240 machine, March announced they would not compete in this season, and a big part of their assets went to German tyre company ATS, led by one Gunther Schmidt. Hans-Joachim Stuck was joining the team, and the young squad signed a bit of a coup by bringing a V8 BMW engine to the grid. Finally, Patrick Tambay was joining McLaren for this season, joining James Hunt after a mixed 1977 season.
Gilles Villeneuve in red
The first race of the season saw what was going to play out. Carlos Reutemann dominated his home Grand Prix, outrunning Patrick Depailler in 2nd, and Francois Cevert, who scored a promising 3rd for the new BRM. The venue for the Brazilian Grand Prix was a new circuit in Jacarepagua. The flat, lenghty track had a unique characteristic similiar to the Interlagos, in the fact that it was counter-clockwise. This meant that the high g-forces that could already be felt in aerodynamic cars like the Lotus were all the more straining on Reutemann's and Pryce's necks. Even though the circuit was new, the weather was the same, and the heat was so extreme that Hunt and Tambay were using water-cooled body suits. Divina Galica, who was driving a third BRM car, especially had trouble, and she didn't qualify for the event. The big news were Ferrari's move from Goodyear to Michelin rubber, and it proved to be a good move, as Mario Andretti snatched the lead from Pryce on lap 1, with his closest rival being former champ Emerson Fittipaldi.
The scorching heat of Buenos Aires and Rio was followed by the caravan park atmosphere of Kyalami. As it had become a tradition in the past few years, Kyalami was a bridge between the North and South American races before the eventual descent to Europe. The high altitude of the circuit worked well for one team - Renault. The V6 Turbo of the so-called "Yellow teapot" worked well here in South Africa, and Jean-Pierre Jabouille qualified 6th. Unfortunately, the Renault didn't go far. Ronnie Peterson also looked comfortable with the new Shadow, storming into the lead and battling it out with Reutemann and local hero Scheckter. As the race progressed, Reutemann began to lose power, and Scheckter's Chevrolet engine broke down, leaving Peterson alone in front. Suddenly, the Shadow conked out, leaving a lone Francois Cevert in front, ahead of Tom Pryce. The race had by now become one of attrition, and as the last lap began, Cevert's BRM V12 began to splutter after running low on fuel, letting Pryce to delete a gap of five seconds in a few corners. As they exited the Leeukop curve and approached the back stretch - they were in dead heat. But, Cevert miraculously finished first, only 0.9 seconds ahead of the JPS Lotus. After 5 years, Cevert had finally won his first Grand Prix, while BRM had achieved their first win since the 1972 Grand Prix of Monaco. Ground effect wasn't even considered in 1972, but the new BRM P230 had shown great promise, and Cevert maximised it.
Francois Cevert celebrating his maiden win
The third Grand Prix of Long Beach, the event which was by now becoming the most popular F1 event in North America, was met with a great crowd of 75 thousand on a sunny day in California as the Ferrari duo led away from the start. At first, it was Gilles Villeneuve out in front, but the vigor of youth proved to be too much, and Villeneuve spun out of the lead, leaving Mario Andretti to navigate the rest of the race. It was Mario's third successive win in America, and he was now the championship leader, joined by Carlos Reutemann and the surprise of the early period of the season - Francois Cevert.
Round 5 would see the Grand Prix circus head for the crown jewel of motorsport - Monaco. The most prestigious race of the calendar was set to see plenty of celebrities flocking to see the Grand Prix cars and their drivers, with James Hunt in particular being joined by Rod Stewart. On Pole was Mario Andretti, as experience and Michelin tyres helped the American navigate his Ferrari to first place. The new and improved 312T3 had already been introduced in South Africa, and it worked well as a replacement for the 312T2. The machine that had been in production since fall of 1976 was right at home in twisty circuits like Monaco. At the start, Tony Brise shot into the lead, followed by a fast-charging Cevert. Andretti had a sluggish start, and then tangled with Patrick Depailler. Hunt was also in trouble, tangling with the Brabham and Ferrari at Saint Devote. At the head of the race, Brise and Cevert were on their own, with Francois matching Tony's every move. Then, with half of the race over, Cevert snatched the lead, while Ken Tyrrell got to enjoy his man Depailler pass Scheckter just before the Saint Devote. Brise's Alfa Romeo engine began to faulter once again, and he fell down to 4th. In the end, it was another win for Cevert, placing the dazzling Frenchman as the Championship leader. BRM were back, or so it seemed.
Start of the Long Beach GP
At Belgium, a new step in car design was reached when Colin Chapman introduced the Lotus Type 79. Right out of the box, Reutemann put it on Pole. Pryce, who was behind the wheel of the older Type 78, was right behind Lole, as the two Loti dominated the event ahead of Andretti. Belgium in itself saw a controversial decision by the Goodyear tyre supplier, as a special form of tyre was being made for Lotus, Brabham, Mclaren, Hill, BRM and three more fastest qualifiers. In the end, the Lotus Type 79 proved unstoppable, and it went on to win the following two events both in Zolder and Jarama. Jacques Laffite and Andretti were the nearest challengers in the two events.
Sweden looked to be another routine win for Lotus, but Brabham shocked the paddock when the BT46 was unveiled with a massive fan at the back of the car. The "Fan car" as it was called by the media was made spcifically to stick onto the ground, and Patrick Depailler made the most of it when he outran Reutemann following a battle for 1st position. From then on, the Brabham was in the league of its own, Depailler finished half a minute ahead of the 2nd placed Peterson. The success of the Fan Car was obvious, but the FIA saw through what Brabham were trying to do, and the car was banned immediately after the Grand Prix.
Patrick Depailler driving the Brabham-Tyrrell
(The 1978 Tyrrell was supposed to be a fan-car in itself...)
The trip to Paul Ricard was a return to the norm, as the Loti once again dominated the procedures. Not even gallant efforts from Tony Brise were enough, and only James Hunt was able to stay remotely close to the JPS duo. It was Reutemann's fourth win of the season, and by now it was clear that aside from his teammate Pryce, the Argentinian was going to be the World Champ. The British Grand Prix over at Brands Hatch saw Tom Pryce score the 1st place at qualifying, and the Welshman was hopeful that he'll win his first race of the season. Come race day, it was the first double retirement of 1978 for Lotus, when it looked like Pryce was en route to winning in Brands. Hans Stuck also gave some well-deserved points to ATS, charging from last to 5th. Tony Brise was the man on top by the time the two JPS cars retired, but the young Englishman began to run into tyre problems, and he was passed by the flying Depailler and Andretti. At the end, it was a duel between the Brabham and Ferrari, but the American ace used his skill and experience to pass the Brabham at Druids, keeping him close to Reutemann in the title fight. However, Andretti's fortune would fade away in the later half of the season.(The 1978 Tyrrell was supposed to be a fan-car in itself...)
A routine win at Hockenheim, in which all of Reutemann's rivals faultered, meant that Carlos was now almost untouchable in the standings, with only his teammate Pryce having a slight chance to catch up to him. Tom was well aware of that, and the Austrian Grand Prix saw the Welshman drive his finest race. The Zeltweg circuit, as it had become traditional by now, was hit by heavy rain, leaving the rain masters of the sport to pick up the pieces. The ground effect provided from the Lotus Wing Car meant that Pryce could go all out, and he dominated the event, while the rest were driving on their tippy-toes. The race saw Pryce, Cevert, Villeneuve, Fittipaldi and Laffite all finish in the points, along with Riccardo Patrese in the Alfa. The young Italian had charged his way through the grid, and he was happy to bring Alfa their first points after returning to Grand Prix Racing. Pryce followed that win with another in Zandvoort, ensuring that the last three races would see the Welshman sit 9 points behind Reutemann. Coming into Italy, the buildup was announced as a duel for the title between the two teammates.
Tom Pryce in Osterreichring
At Monza, what was promised to be a high-speed spectacle, turned into a nightmare. Before the cars had even properly lined up, the starting lights (Which had been in use in Monza since 1967) were turned on, leading to the cars at the back slamming into the competitors in front who hadn't even taken their feet off the brakes. What resulted was an accordion effect, with a pileup which saw Patrese tangle with Hunt, who then collected Pryce in the melee. By the time the dust had settled, 12 cars were out, and a massive fire broke out in the BRM of Cevert, who miraculously escaped with minor burns. However, news soon reached the paddock from Milano. Vittorio Brambilla, who was hit in the head by an object, had suffered a skull fracture, and succumbed to the injury. He was 40 years old.
John Surtees, who was Brambilla's boss that year, wanted Patrese dead for the blunder, and the young Italian was given a race suspension due to starting the pileup. James Hunt himself would never forgive Patrese either. The eventual race saw Carlos Reutemann and Gilles Villeneuve duel for the lead, with the young Canadian outrunning the Lotus to the flag to win Ferrari their second race in Monza in two years. Villeneuve's win had in itself silenced the critics that called for his removal from Ferrari.
The aftermath of the Monza pile-up
There was hope for Pryce to win the American Grand Prix in order to stay in the title hunt for the last round of the season, but a double retirement by Lotus meant that Carlos Reutemann was duly crowned the World Champion of 1978, after a flawless season with Lotus. The remaining accolades went to Mario Andretti, as he became the first American to win the two American Grands Prix of Formula 1. It was a great achievement, and the New York cowd at Watkins Glen lifted Mario as a hero. The 1977 champ had already added to his incredible racing record plenty of successes, but even he knew this one meant a lot for motorsport in the USA. His compatriots Mike Mosley and Danny Ongais shook hands with him, and even Dan Gurney, his former boss over at Eagle, couldn't help but give him a hug.
The final Grand Prix of the season, held on the Island Of Notre Dame, broke the record for the coldest Grand Prix in history, at only 5 celsius. Nevertheless, the new venue wasn't popular between the drivers, as Mario Andretti cited the track looked like it was designed for Gille Villeneuve. Either way, it looked like Gilles took the claim to heart, as the flying Canadian won the race following Tom Pryce's Lotus running out of oil. It was Ferrari's third win in a row, and provided hope for the Scuderia for the next season, as Gilles drank the champagne as a local hero. For now though, it was Ferrari joy, and Lotus celebrating. The 1978 season was the year of the Wing Car, and it signed a firm end of an era, as the Ground effect replaced chassis design for good. Already by the end of the season, Copersucar; Williams; BRM and Shadow were working on their own versions of the design, and it meant that 1979 would be extra competitive thanks to that. Scheckter, who had just finished 2nd in Canada with the FW07, looked promising, and he was joined with a new teammate in Bobby Rahal.
Gilles Villeneuve at Montreal
Drivers' championship
Constructors championship
And with that, 1978 was over. What was a concept that was revolutionary in 1977 now proved its potential, as Carlos Reutemann and Tom Pryce dominated the season from start to finish. Aside from Ferrari and Brabham, the rest of the competition wasn't even close. BRM, despite fielding the 2nd ground effect car on the grid, had plenty of teething issues that costed Cevert a good shot at a championship, and Ken Tyrrell was too busy trying to bring back the Fan Car, while the new Judd engines were never looking particularly powerful. Hill were having their own issues, as the fact Alfa Romeo were now competing meant most of the focus on the F12 engine was going to the manufacturer, while Renault was finally scoring its first points. With all of that, it seemed 1979 was going to be a competitive year, but only time would tell. In two weeks, we will find out. Up next is 1979 - "The Prince and the aviator"
Carlos "Lole" Reutemann - the champion of 1978
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1979 - "The Prince and the Aviator"
1979 Grand Prix Season
"The Prince and the Aviator"
1978 was the end of an era in Grand Prix Racing, as Colin Chapman’s revolutionary Type 79 dominated the season. The JPS cars were largely untouchable, and Carlos Reutemann was the World Champion after a flawless season, joined only by his teammate Tom Pryce. However, Colin knew that the next year would see the competition answering to the wing car, and he hoped his upcoming Type 80 would be yet another pace-setter for 1979. Wolf Williams and BRM had already shown their answers to the ground effect by the end of 1978, however Francois Cevert's departure from the British giant dealt a massive blow to the team, as his Elf sponsorship led to the end of what was a partnership that many believed did not live up to its full potential, in particular with the skill that Cevert possessed. Williams as well were hoping for a better season after an average 1978, and Jody Scheckter stayed with the team for one more season, as the South African sensation was quite happy with the team."The Prince and the Aviator"
The biggest news over the winter came when Mario Andretti, who had driven for Ferrari since 1974, was picked up by the Alfa Romeo team. The Italian returnees had spent the last two seasons building their team. Now, Carlo Chiti's boys had managed to sign one of the sport's greatest icons, and he was joining the ever-improving Riccardo Patrese. The musical chairs continued elsewhere, as Francois Cevert left BRM in favour of Ferrari. Under Enzo Ferrari's input, the Scuderia was now going to have a combination of skill via the incredibly talented Cevert, along with the spectacular driving of Gilles Villeneuve. Many believed such a combination would destroy the team from within, but both Francophone drivers quickly became friends, with Francois acting as a mentor of sorts for the young Gilles. Elsewhere, Renault were expanding their F1 operation into two cars with the arrival of the talented Frenchman Rene Arnoux, although many still doubted the marque's Turbo project would see any progress. Renault's compatriots, Ligier, were also expanding their operation with a new entry. Patrick Depailler, after some impressive seasons with Tyrrell, was now joining the team, and just in time for the new and eye-catching JS11, the first of the new generation of Ground-Effect cars. McLaren were making their jump into the wing car craze, but the M28 did not look good in testing, even with when having Ronnie Peterson in the team, who had just come from Shadow. Elio de Angelis, who had impressed in the 1978 Italian Grand Prix by guiding his Scuderia Everest-entered Ferrari 312T2 into 9th position, was now going to join Shadow for what was going to be a transitional year for the team, as new funds from the Warsteiner sponsor meant the American underdogs would finally get to work on a new car after two years. He was going to be joined by Jan Lammers, after the unfortunate news of Gunnar Nilsson's passing. Finally, Brabham were bringing in Jean-Pierre Jarier to accompany the inexperienced Didier Pironi.
Mario Andretti posing with the Alfa 179, Alfa's upcoming car for 1979
Already in the opening two races, Ligier set the pace with Jacques Laffite dominating the Argentine and Brazilian Grands Prix. The JS11, powered by the Matra V12, was leagues ahead of Chapman's Type 79, and the all-French 1-2 that followed in Brazil made Ligier into title favourites. Jacques Laffite in particular looked like the man to beat, having achieved a Grand Slam at Interlagos and overshadowing the competition. Yet, the view of the cars leaving the pit lane showed that the teams were busy over the winter. In particular, Ferrari turned heads with their 312T4, another wing car with a V12 engine in it, and it was to be driven by the Cevert-Villeneuve duo. Ensign also turned heads, but for all the wrong reasons.
Ensign's cheese-grater
Incredibly, it was Renault's Jean-Pierre Jabouille who brought the ageing RS01 to Pole Position, as the Turbo-Powered Gordini engine thrived in the high altitude of Kyalami. At the start however, Cevert and Villeneuve stormed into the lead, as the new Ferraris outran the old Renault in the race for the Crowthorne curve. But the challenge came to nothing, as heavy rain brought an early stop to the race. After a delay, the race was continued, with local boy Scheckter opting for slicks. A patient and safe race from the South African proved fruitful, as he managed to finish 6th. Despite at one point leading the race, Scheckter's Wolf was underpowered on the main straight, and while the Ferraris outran the competition. In the end, it was Gilles Villeneuve in 1st, followed by his teammate Cevert, and then Jarier. Despite an unorthodox engine-chassis pairing of the 312T4, the Ferrari designers had worked their way around the wide Flat-12 boxer of the Ferrari, and the finished article was a 1-2 that had occured in South Africa. The Long Beach Grand Prix was next, and Carlos Reutemann looked glum as always, along with Colin Chapman. Despite being 2nd in the championship, the Lotus Type 79 was nowhere near the speed of the JS11, or even the new 312T4. Plenty of new designs were introduced for the American Grand Prix, with McLaren bringing their own answer to the Wing Car concept. Much like the Eagle and ATS, it was similiar to the Lotus. Missing from the start were the Renaults, but maybe they were lucky, as an opening lap melee occured when Patrick Tambay smashed into the back of Clay Regazzoni's BRM. Gilles Villeneuve went on to lead the entirety of the race, recording his first ever Grand Slam, followed by Cevert. Alan Jones, Patrick Depailler, Jean-Pierre Jarier and Tom Pryce all scuffled for 3rd place, and in the end - it was the Australian who brought his Hill into 3rd. However, he was nowhere near the Ferraris. Now, Gilles Villeneuve was the championship leader as the European season was about to start, and the Ferraris had all the momentum
Villeneuve ahead of Cevert and Jabouille
Back in Jarama, Lotus was finally introducing its new car of the season - the Lotus Type 80. The car featured unique "Coke bottle" sidepods, while combined with a ground-effect system on its nose. As always, Chapman aimed for cutting-edge. Ligier were also on the move, wanting to prove their early domination wasn't a false dawn. Laffite was once again on pole, while Reutemann was 4th in the new car. Despite Reutemann challenging for the lead, Laffite led in the early stage of the Grand Prix, with the Argentine remaining close to the Ligiers. Villeneuve had trouble as the race progressed, spinning when he pushed too much, and this left Prye in 3rd, while Cevert sat back and enjoyed a lonely race in 4th. Jarier and Pironi brought more points for Brabham, while Jacques Laffite drove a splendid race to bring Ligier their 3rd win of the season, after Laffite retired. Despite the 2-3 finish by Lotus, the new Type 80 would go on to become more uncompetitive as the season continued, with Reutemann providing two more podiums for the Martini-sponsored cars. By the time the grid returned to Belgium, it was advantage Cevert as the Prince dueled with Laffite throughout the entire race, until finally using the Ferrari power to his advantage to take the lead. Elsewhere, Regazzoni was collected by Villeneuve as they battled for 3rd, leaving Pironi to score his first ever podium. By the end, it was an all-French podium finish, while American rookie Bobby Rahal could be happy to bring Williams his first ever points.
The next race was the illustrious Monaco Grand Prix, with Renault entering their own Wing car in form of the RS10. However, it was not the ideal venue for the Turbos, and the spotlights were firmly on Francois Cevert, as he led from the very start. Mario Andretti, who was going through a rather frustrating season, was finally able to bring something for Alfa Romeo to cheer for as he drove a splendid race in Monte Carlo. The American champ navigated the tight streets of Monaco to have his Alfa 179 in 2nd, ahead of an over-enthusiastic Pironi. Then, as Pironi went for a dive bomb, his Brabham smashed into the back of the Alfa, causing his BT48 to flip upside-down in the process, while Tony Brise was left in 2nd position. As the race came to its closing laps, the Monegasque crowd stood up as they realised that Brise was closing up on Cevert. It was a last lap scramble for the lead, and Cevert only won by a whisker. The new Hill GH4, powered by the conventional Chevrolet V8, was a neat little package that had shown some impressive pace.
Patrick Depailler on the move
By the time the Grand Prix circus had descended to Anderstorp, Sweden - there was a great sense of loss as James Hunt, the sport's rock star and a fan favourite who had carried McLaren for the past three years announced his retirement. The British icon's 1979 season with BRM had been a shambles since the very start, and he never managed to get used to the P230. His departure left a great void in BRM, and it would be filled by a relatively unknown Finnish driver - Keke Rosberg.
Elsewhere, it was to be Jody Scheckter's perfect race. The South African stalked Villeneuve through the race as the two battled for the lead, but a skilfull divebomb by the Williams driver proved to be crucial, as he snatched the lead at lap 34. From then on, Scheckter led to the flag, becoming the 5th different winner of the season. It was to be Sheckter's only podium finish of the season though, as internal tensions within Williams and Wolf were splitting the team in two.
There was a change in Ligier and Brabham by the time the drivers had appeared in Dijon-Prenois. Patrick Depailler, who was enjoying his most succesful season thus far, suffered a hang gliding incident. With that, there was a new face in the second car of Ligier - Didier Pironi. With that, Brabham brought in Nelson Piquet. The young Brazilian had spent the past few months providing relatively promising, if fruitless results for Ensign, and uncle Ken saw great potential in the boy, and now he had a chance to prove his worth with Brabham. The French Grand Prix in itself saw a new first in the sport. Renault, after three years of frustration, had finally won their first ever Grand Prix - at home. Jean-Pierre Jabouille drove a perfect race to win it all. However, Jabouille's win was overshadowed by what had happened behind him, as Gilles Villeneuve and Rene Arnoux battled for the 2nd position. As Arnoux snatched the lead with the beginning of the semi-final lap, Villeneuve went for the inside, locked up his tyres, and barged his way into 2nd, banging wheels with Arnoux as they went through the sweeping corners of the Prenois circuit. The two vigorous men exchanged the lead several times, and just when it looked like Arnoux snatched the lead from him, Gilles found a way and made a brave divebomb to take that position with one turn to go! It was the greatest battle to ever take place in Grand Prix racing... And the FIA hated it. Immediately after the race, both Arnoux and Villeneuve were summoned and told to never race like that ever again, and both laughed as they walked out of the meeting. The new generation of drivers that was entering the sport were showing a quality that wasn't usually apparent in the previous generations of Grand Prix Racing. While fast, these young men like Villeneuve and Arnoux were showing great aggression and vigour. Drivers like Brise were no longer looking like an oddity, and it was clear that the 1980s will surely see a change in attitude as the future drivers enter the sport.
The duel that went into history
At Silverstone, Hill's slow rise was finally confirmed when Alan Jones took his first ever Pole Position. The simple yet effective GH4 once again showed great promise, but it was Tony Brise who went on to win the event. Jones had gearbox issues, while an overly enthusiastic Piquet spun off in the Brabham. From then on, Tony Brise led comfortably ahead of Arnoux, who was once again showing his promise, along with Jarier. Cevert, who had a quiet race in France, also finished 5th to continue his consistent season, but the main star of the show was certainly Tony Brise. The English crowd had finally found their new hero, and it was the flashy Briton that had come from a Working Class family, and who was seen as Graham Hill's prodigy. Hill's perfect race was soon enough shadowed by what was to come though. For the next three races, the Saudia cars were the class of the field. A 1-2 at Hockenheim was follwed by Alan dominating in Osterreichring, with only Villeneuve as his main challenger. Zandvoort in particular looked like another classic Jones-Villeneuve duel in the making, when the Canadian passed the Aussie around the outside at Tarzan, only to make a dramatic 360 spin on the very next turn. At the last lap, Villeneuve was seen stranded at Tarzan, with a punctured left rear. Any other driver would have called it by then, but Gilles kept his Ferrari running and continued on for another lap, with the car's suspension breaking apart to the point the Ferrari occasionally drove on two wheels through specific corners. Despite the car being utterly ruined, Gilles had earned himself the status as a fan favourite. Jones' win had now propelled him as an unlikely title contender for the last three races of the season, with Laffite still having a slim chance as well.
Gilles Villeneuve's dramatic lap in Zandvoort
As the drivers lined up in Monza, great changes had been implemented to the Autodrome following Brambilla's unfortunate death in the previous year. Run off areas had been added to the Curva Grande and the Lesmos, including a new track surface. In the championship side of things - the two Ferraris were joined with Laffite and Jones in the title race. However, everything that could go perfectly for Ferrari - did. Jones had issues, and Laffite, who at one point led the race and was en route to taking his fourth consecutive podium - had his Ligier Matra break down. Francois Cevert and Gilles Villeneue were now all alone in first and second, with a championship on the line. Incredibly though, Villeneuve never challenged Francois for the lead, and he followed his teammate home to bring home the first ever Ferrari 1-2 in Monza since 1966. Back then, the duo was the beloved Lorenzo Bandini, and the spectacular Ricardo Rodriguez. With this, Francois Cevert was the World Champion of the Drivers, while Ferrari were the Constructors champions. Despite the hyper-competitive nature of the season, Ferrari had managed to win it all with a mixture of consistency and the combination of Cevert's consistency and Villeneuve's flair. However, the season was not over yet.
At Canada, Jody Scheckter was a noticeable absentee, having announced that he would retire from Grand Prix Racing. However, anyone with a sharp eye could see that the real reason was the collapse within Williams. After three years, Wolf had left Frank Williams' team after the sport had simply become too expensive for Walter Wolf's cigarette company. With that, the Canadian Grand Prix would turn out to be another classic. Jones shadowed Villeneuve for the early part of the race and eventually slipped ahead at the hairpin, the two cars banging wheels. Jones was then able to stay ahead and win but Villeneuve was only a second behind him at the finish. Yet, it was overshadowed by the final race of the season - The United States Grand Prix. At Watkins Glen, the entire weekend was overshadowed by pouring rain. From the start, it was a masterclass from who else but Gilles Villeneuve. Despite Jones challenging Gilles at the start, the Aussie suffered a puncture, and Gilles led to the very end. With that, the 1979 Grand Prix had come to an end, with the sport's most spectacular driver winning the final race.
Jones and Villeneuve in Canada
The World Championship of Drivers
Constructors championship
1. Scuderia Ferrari - 117 points
2. Saudia Hill Chevrolet - 75 points
3. Ligier Matra - 62 points
4. Martini Racing Lotus Ford - 45 points
5. Brabham JUDD - 31 points
6. Equipe Renault Gordini - 26 points
7. Wolf Williams Chevrolet - 15 points
=McLaren Weslake - 15 points
9. Shadow Chevrolet - 3 points
=British Racing Motors - 3 points
=Autodelta Alfa Romeo - 3 points
=Eagle Chevrolet - 3 points
12 ATS BMW - 2 points
13. Copesucar Chevrolet - 1 point
And so, it was the Aviator who gained the applause, while giving the glory to the Prince. Francois Cevert had become France's first ever Champion since Jean-Pierre Wimille, achieving glory with Ferrari while guiding Villeneuve in the meantime. It has been an incredibly competitive season of Grand Prix Racing, as Ground Effect brought a revolution to the grid. 1980 though was going to see a switch in roles. Hill, having enjoyed its most successful season, and it was only going to get better. Next time, it is going to be 1980 - "Double first: Hill and Jones"1. Scuderia Ferrari - 117 points
2. Saudia Hill Chevrolet - 75 points
3. Ligier Matra - 62 points
4. Martini Racing Lotus Ford - 45 points
5. Brabham JUDD - 31 points
6. Equipe Renault Gordini - 26 points
7. Wolf Williams Chevrolet - 15 points
=McLaren Weslake - 15 points
9. Shadow Chevrolet - 3 points
=British Racing Motors - 3 points
=Autodelta Alfa Romeo - 3 points
=Eagle Chevrolet - 3 points
12 ATS BMW - 2 points
13. Copesucar Chevrolet - 1 point
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At least, here, Gilles would've gladly let Cevert take the title due to being friends with him instead of begrudgingly doing it to please Enzo with Scheckter.
I took into account that Francois was always a loved individual in the paddock, so I am sure Gilles would've liked his company
Oooh, how wonderful, these were two truly compelling chapters, great Mario Andretti ( at least here he achieved the success and recognition he deserved, in addition to winning a championship with Ferrari, one of his regrets in OTL ), Lotus is starting to be scary, but I predict that the turbo era combined with ground effect will shuffle the cards again, it's great to read about the exploits of the favorite Aviator of all F1 fans, I absolutely loved the inclusion of the duel between Arnoux - Villeneuve in that enormous kart track that was Dijon, and his first victory in Canada as Otl is very moving ( even if I'm imagining the muffled screams of Forghieri, every time Gilles breaks a component of the car, which knowing the element ( the Aviator ) is always too often for the taste of the mechanics 😅🤣 ) however I am happy for Cevert who becomes the first transalpine champion ( but I would like to remember that in Otl, Gilles and Jody were great friends, so it's not that Villeneuve had to give up the title reluctantly, far from it ) However, I am happy to see that the team of young Italian drivers in this TL ( de Angelis and Patrese ) continues to improve with each passing season, hopefully sooner or later they will have a great opportunity
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Thank you very much. The Scuderia Everest project is the main factor in giving guys like Patrese and de Angelis a chance to show their worth in F1, although Patrese is showing it differently via the development of the Alfa. I think that soon enough, we will also see Alboreto in there, and maybe Pierluigi Martini. Also, I will make sure to look for some other engine suppliers and teams, along with driver moves, especially in the Wild West years of F1 that are the 80s. The 2000s scare me though, so hopefully I will have a solution for that period.
rather my little curiosity, on the subject of women pilots, how are we positioned in this TL?, after Lella Lombardi was there anyone else who tried or notn?, because in Otl the attempts in this regard ( the South African Desiré Wilson and Danica Gallica or Italian Giovanna Amati ) were not exactly good
in practice Everest is doing what Otl was a prerogative of Minardi / Sauber ( by chance we will also see this fantastic team on the grid, come on Giancarlo's team, it deserves a measure of justice for all the unrewarded efforts of Otl, as well as Osella, Coloni , Forti etc )
Divina Galica has her cameos with Surtees while Brambilla does the main job. As for Desiré Wilson, she mostly gives an occasional drive for BRM.