Jacques Laffite
![]() Laffite in 2015 | |
Born | Paris, France | 21 November 1943
---|---|
Formula One World Championship career | |
Nationality | ![]() |
Active years | 1974–1986 |
Teams | Iso–Marlboro, Ligier, Williams |
Entries | 180 (176 starts) |
Championships | 0 |
Wins | 6 |
Podiums | 32 |
Career points | 228 |
Pole positions | 7 |
Fastest laps | 71 |
First entry | 1974 German Grand Prix |
First win | 1977 Swedish Grand Prix |
Last win | 1981 Canadian Grand Prix |
Last entry | 1986 British Grand Prix |
Jacques-Henri Laffite (born 21 November 1943 in Paris) is a French former racing driver who competed in Formula One from 1974 to 1986. He achieved six Grand Prix wins, all while driving for the Ligier team. From 1997 to 2013, Laffite was a presenter for TF1.[1]
Early years[]
Jacques-Henri Laffite was born in Paris on 21 November 1943. He attended the Cours Hattemer, a private school.[2]
Formula One career[]
Laffite debuted in Formula One in 1974 for Frank Williams' Iso–Marlboro team. The following year he raced for the same team, now named Williams, scoring a second place in the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Ligier_JS11_2008_Goodwood.jpg/220px-Ligier_JS11_2008_Goodwood.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/06/Jacques_Laffite_1982_Pau.jpg/220px-Jacques_Laffite_1982_Pau.jpg)
In 1976 Laffite moved to the French Ligier team, scoring 20 points and a pole position at the Italian Grand Prix. The next two seasons were transitional, although he managed to win his first Grand Prix at Anderstorp in the 1977 Swedish Grand Prix.
The 1979 season opened with Laffite winning the first two races. He fought for the World Championship title until the last races, but eventually placed only fourth, with 36 points. The following two seasons were similar, with two more fourth places in the Championship and a further three victories. In 1982, however, Laffite finished only 17th in the final classification, with only 5 points scored.
During the early 1980s, Laffite also made three end of season trips to Australia to race in the non-championship Australian Grand Prix. He failed to finish his first race in 1981 (he was lucky to start after his car hit the wall on the outside of the last turn of the short (1.609 km (1.000 mi)) Calder Park Raceway in qualifying, but his local crew were able to repair it for the race). He finished second to fellow Frenchman Alain Prost in 1982, and third behind Brazilian Roberto Moreno and Australian John Smith in 1983. In all of his pre-Formula One AGP drives, Laffite drove a Formula Pacific or Formula Mondial Ralt RT4 powered by a 1.6-litre Ford l4 engine.
Results in the next two seasons were not much better, when he moved back to England, again to race for Williams (11 and 5 points, respectively). Now in his forties, Laffite returned to Ligier in 1985: in that season he was on the podium three times (Great Britain, Germany and Australia), for a total of 16 points. In 1986 he scored 14 points including two more podium finishes in the first half of the season, but he broke both legs in a crash at the start of the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch, and thereafter retired from Formula One. The race was stopped and restarted without Laffite, who was thus classified as a non-starter and ended his career tied with Graham Hill for the most Grand Prix starts. He was the most successful driver in Ligier's history, having taken six of their nine wins.
As a result of Laffite's injuries, new safety rules were enforced from the 1988 season that stated that in all cars the driver's feet must be behind the front axle line.
Post-Formula One career[]
Laffite recovered from his injuries and later raced in touring cars, finishing 17th in the inaugural World Touring Car Championship driving an Alfa Romeo 75 for Alfa Corse as well as racing three seasons in the German-based DTM series.
He is now a television commentator for the French network TF1, best known for his reaction to the incident at the 1997 European Grand Prix in which Michael Schumacher collided with Jacques Villeneuve, and Laffite reacted with curse words on live television.
In October 2008, at the age of 64, he tested a Renault R27 F1 car at the Paul Ricard circuit.[3]
Laffite has two daughters: Camille and Margot, a sports journalist of Formula One on Canal+. He is also golf enthusiast, is a shareholder of .
Also deeply attached to the Creuse for Golf Fisheries and nature, he has a property in Creuse near Aubusson
Racing record[]
Career summary[]
Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1972 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | Automobiles Ligier | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNF |
1973 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | Automobiles Ligier | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DSQ |
1974 | European Formula Two | BP Racing France | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 31 | 3rd |
Formula One | Frank Williams Racing Cars | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC | |
24 Hours of Le Mans | Automobiles Ligier | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 8th | |
1975 | European Formula Two | Automobiles Martini | 14 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 60 | 1st |
Formula One | Frank Williams Racing Cars | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 12th | |
World Sportscar Championship | Willi Kauhsen Racing Team | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 60 | NC | |
1976 | Formula One | Ligier Gitanes | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 7th |
World Sportscar Championship | Equipe Renault Elf | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 15 | NC | |
European Formula Two | Fred Opert Racing | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | NC‡ | |
Willi Kauhsen Racing Team | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
1977 | Formula One | Ligier Gitanes | 17 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 18 | 10th |
European Formula Two | Fred Opert Racing | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC | |
24 Hours of Le Mans | Renault Sport | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNF | |
1978 | Formula One | Ligier Gitanes | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 8th |
European Formula Two | Maublanc Racing Services | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC | |
24 Hours of Le Mans | Grand Touring Cars Inc. | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 10th | |
1979 | Formula One | Ligier Gitanes | 15 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 36 | 4th |
BMW M1 Procar Championship | BMW Motorsport | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 7th | |
1980 | Formula One | Equipe Ligier Gitanes | 14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 34 | 4th |
BMW M1 Procar Championship | BMW Motorsport | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 9th | |
1981 | Formula One | Equipe Talbot Gitanes | 15 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 44 | 4th |
1982 | Formula One | Equipe Talbot Gitanes | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 17th |
1983 | Formula One | TAG Williams Team | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 11th |
1984 | Formula One | Williams Grand Prix Engineering | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 14th |
1985 | Formula One | Equipe Talbot Gitanes | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 9th |
1986 | Formula One | Equipe Ligier | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14 | 8th |
1987 | World Touring Car Championship | Alfa Corse | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 86 | 17th |
1990 | Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft | Bigazzi M Team | 21 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 107 | 7th |
24 Hours of Le Mans | Joest Porsche Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 14th | |
1991 | Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft | Snobeck S.A. | 21 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 81 | 11th |
1992 | Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft | MS Racing | 23 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 13th |
1993 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | Jacadi Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNF |
1994 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | Larbre Compétition | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | DNF |
1996 | 24 Hours of Le Mans | Team Bigazzi SRL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 11th |
‡ Graded drivers not eligible for European Formula Two Championship points
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results[]
Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1972 | ![]() |
![]() |
Ligier JS2-Maserati | S 3.0 | 195 | DNF | DNF |
1973 | ![]() |
![]() |
Ligier JS2-Maserati | S 3.0 | 24 | DSQ | DSQ |
1974 | ![]() |
![]() |
Ligier JS2-Maserati | S 3.0 | 310 | 8th | 5th |
1977 | ![]() |
![]() |
Renault Alpine A442 | S +2.0 | 289 | DNF | DNF |
1978 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
Mirage M9-Renault | S +2.0 | 293 | 10th | 5th |
1990 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
Porsche 962C | C1 | 328 | 14th | 14th |
1993 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
Venturi 500LM-Renault | GT | 210 | DNF | DNF |
1994 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
Porsche 911 Carrera RSR | GT2 | 94 | DNF | DNF |
1996 | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
McLaren F1 GTR-BMW | GT1 | 318 | 11th | 9th |
Complete European Formula Two Championship results[]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Pos. | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1974 | BP Racing France | March 742 | BMW M12 | BAR Ret |
HOC 10 |
PAU 2 |
SAL 1 |
HOC 2 |
MUG Ret |
KAR 3 |
PER 7 |
HOC 18 |
VAL 3 |
3rd | 31 | ||||
1975 | Automobiles Martini | Martini Mk 16 | BMW M12 | EST 1 |
THR 1 |
HOC Ret |
NÜR 1 |
PAU 1 |
HOC 1 |
SAL NC |
ROU Ret |
MUG Ret |
PER 1 |
SIL Ret |
ZOL Ret |
NOG Ret |
VAL 2 |
1st | 60 |
1976 | Fred Opert Racing | Chevron B35 | BMW | HOC | THR | VAL | SAL | PAU 2 |
HOC | ROU | MUG | PER | EST | NOG 2 |
NC | 0‡ | |||
Willi Kauhsen Racing Team | March 762 | Hart | HOC Ret |
||||||||||||||||
1977 | Fred Opert Racing | Chevron B40 | Hart | SIL | THR | HOC 7 |
NÜR | VAL | PAU 10 |
MUG | ROU | NOG Ret |
PER | MIS | EST | DON | NC | 0 | |
1978 | Maublanc Racing Services | March 782 | BMW | THR | HOC | NÜR | PAU 11 |
MUG | VAL | ROU | DON | NOG Ret |
PER | MIS | HOC | NC | 0 |
‡ Graded drivers not eligible for European Formula Two Championship points
Complete Formula One World Championship results[]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | WDC | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1974 | Frank Williams Racing Cars | Iso–Marlboro FW | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ARG | BRA | RSA | ESP | BEL | MON | SWE | NED | FRA | GBR | GER Ret |
AUT NC |
ITA Ret |
CAN 15 |
USA Ret |
NC | 0 | ||
1975 | Frank Williams Racing Cars | Williams FW02 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ARG Ret |
BRA 11 |
RSA NC |
ESP | 12th | 6 | |||||||||||||
Williams FW04 | MON DNQ |
BEL Ret |
SWE | NED Ret |
FRA 11 |
GBR Ret |
GER 2 |
AUT Ret |
ITA Ret |
USA DNS |
||||||||||||
1976 | Ligier Gitanes | Ligier JS5 | Matra MS73 3.0 V12 | BRA Ret |
RSA Ret |
USW 4 |
ESP 12 |
BEL 3 |
MON 12 |
SWE 4 |
FRA 14 |
GBR DSQ |
GER Ret |
AUT 2 |
NED Ret |
ITA 3 |
CAN Ret |
USA Ret |
JPN 7 |
7th | 20 | |
1977 | Ligier Gitanes | Ligier JS7 | Matra MS76 3.0 V12 | ARG NC |
BRA Ret |
RSA Ret |
USW 9 |
ESP 7 |
MON 7 |
BEL Ret |
SWE 1 |
FRA 8 |
GBR 6 |
GER Ret |
AUT Ret |
NED 2 |
ITA 8 |
USA 7 |
CAN Ret |
JPN 5 |
10th | 18 |
1978 | Ligier Gitanes | Ligier JS7 | Matra MS76 3.0 V12 | ARG 16 |
BRA 9 |
USW 5 |
8th | 19 | ||||||||||||||
Ligier JS7/9 | Matra MS78 3.0 V12 | RSA 5 |
BEL 5 |
SWE 7 |
||||||||||||||||||
Ligier JS9 | MON Ret |
ESP 3 |
FRA 7 |
GBR 10 |
GER 3 |
AUT 5 |
NED 8 |
ITA 4 |
USA 11 |
CAN Ret |
||||||||||||
1979 | Ligier Gitanes | Ligier JS11 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ARG 1 |
BRA 1 |
RSA Ret |
USW Ret |
ESP Ret |
BEL 2 |
MON Ret |
FRA 8 |
GBR Ret |
GER 3 |
AUT 3 |
NED 3 |
ITA Ret |
CAN Ret |
USA Ret |
4th | 36 | ||
1980 | Equipe Ligier Gitanes | Ligier JS11/15 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | ARG Ret |
BRA Ret |
RSA 2 |
USW Ret |
BEL 11 |
MON 2 |
FRA 3 |
GBR Ret |
GER 1 |
AUT 4 |
NED 3 |
ITA 9 |
CAN 8 |
USA 5 |
4th | 34 | |||
1981 | Equipe Talbot Gitanes | Ligier JS17 | Matra MS81 3.0 V12 | USW Ret |
BRA 6 |
ARG Ret |
SMR Ret |
BEL 2 |
MON 3 |
ESP 2 |
FRA Ret |
GBR 3 |
GER 3 |
AUT 1 |
NED Ret |
ITA Ret |
CAN 1 |
CPL 6 |
4th | 44 | ||
1982 | Equipe Talbot Gitanes | Ligier JS17B | Matra MS81 3.0 V12 | RSA Ret |
BRA Ret |
USW Ret |
SMR | BEL 9 |
DET 6 |
CAN Ret |
17th | 5 | ||||||||||
Ligier JS19 | MON Ret |
NED Ret |
GBR Ret |
FRA 14 |
GER Ret |
AUT 3 |
SUI Ret |
ITA Ret |
CPL Ret |
|||||||||||||
1983 | TAG Williams Team | Williams FW08C | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | BRA 4 |
USW 4 |
FRA 6 |
SMR 7 |
MON Ret |
BEL 6 |
DET 5 |
CAN Ret |
GBR 12 |
GER 6 |
AUT Ret |
NED Ret |
ITA DNQ |
EUR DNQ |
11th | 11 | |||
Williams FW09 | Honda RA163-E 1.5 V6 t | RSA Ret |
||||||||||||||||||||
1984 | Williams Grand Prix Engineering | Williams FW09 | Honda RA163E 1.5 V6 t | BRA Ret |
RSA Ret |
BEL Ret |
SMR Ret |
FRA 8 |
MON 8 |
CAN Ret |
DET 5 |
DAL 4 |
14th | 5 | ||||||||
Williams FW09B | Honda RA164E 1.5 V6 t | GBR Ret |
GER Ret |
AUT Ret |
NED Ret |
ITA Ret |
EUR Ret |
POR 14 |
||||||||||||||
1985 | Equipe Ligier | Ligier JS25 | Renault EF4B 1.5 V6 t | BRA 6 |
POR Ret |
SMR Ret |
MON 6 |
9th | 16 | |||||||||||||
Equipe Ligier Gitanes | CAN 8 |
DET 12 |
FRA Ret |
GBR 3 |
GER 3 |
AUT Ret |
NED Ret |
ITA Ret |
BEL 11 |
EUR Ret |
RSA | AUS 2 |
||||||||||
1986 | Equipe Ligier | Ligier JS27 | Renault EF4B 1.5 V6 t | BRA 3 |
ESP Ret |
SMR Ret |
MON 6 |
BEL 5 |
CAN 7 |
DET 2 |
FRA 6 |
GBR Ret |
GER | HUN | AUT | ITA | POR | MEX | AUS | 8th | 14 |
Complete World Touring Car Championship results[]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | DC | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987 | Alfa Corse | Alfa Romeo 75 | MNZ | JAR Ret |
DIJ ovr:9 cls:5 |
NUR ovr:9 cls:7 |
SPA ovr:12 cls:9 |
BNO ovr:10 cls:8 |
SIL ovr:10 cls:8 |
BAT | CAL | WEL | FJI | 17th | 86 |
* Overall race position shown. Registered WTCC points paying position may differ.
Complete Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft results[]
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Team | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | Pos. | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | BMW M3 Sport Evo | ZOL 1 6 |
ZOL 2 4 |
HOC 1 Ret |
HOC 2 DNS |
NÜR 1 3 |
NÜR 2 Ret |
AVU 1 4 |
AVU 2 Ret |
MFA 1 7 |
MFA 2 Ret |
WUN 1 14 |
WUN 2 Ret |
NÜR 1 1 |
NÜR 2 8 |
NOR 1 8 |
NOR 2 Ret |
DIE 1 18 |
DIE 2 4 |
NÜR 1 2 |
NÜR 2 6 |
HOC 1 14 |
HOC 2 5 |
7th | 107 | |||
1991 | Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo2 | ZOL 1 21 |
ZOL 2 Ret |
HOC 1 5 |
HOC 2 9 |
NÜR 1 5 |
NÜR 2 6 |
AVU 1 15 |
AVU 2 21 |
WUN 1 4 |
WUN 2 5 |
NOR 1 13 |
NOR 2 8 |
DIE 1 3 |
DIE 2 Ret |
NÜR 1 3 |
NÜR 2 3 |
ALE 1 DNS |
ALE 2 DNS |
HOC 1 12 |
HOC 2 12 |
BRN 1 13 |
BRN 2 Ret |
DON 1 5 |
DON 2 7 |
11th | 81 | |
1992 | Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 Evo2 | ZOL 1 9 |
ZOL 2 14 |
NÜR 1 18 |
NÜR 2 10 |
WUN 1 8 |
WUN 2 6 |
AVU 1 9 |
AVU 2 4 |
HOC 1 7 |
HOC 2 6 |
NÜR 1 11 |
NÜR 2 9 |
NOR 1 11 |
NOR 2 11 |
BRN 1 Ret |
BRN 2 13 |
DIE 1 18 |
DIE 2 8 |
ALE 1 10 |
ALE 2 8 |
NÜR 1 Ret |
NÜR 2 Ret |
HOC 1 Ret |
HOC 2 DNS |
13th | 43 |
Other results[]
- 800 km of Dijon: 1st, 1975
- 1000 km of Monza: 1st, 1975
- 1000 km of Nürburgring: 1st, 1975
- 500 km of Monza: 1st, 1988 (class win)
- 500 km of Nürburgring: 1st, 1988 (class win)
- 3 hours of Zhuhai: 1st, 1994
Notes[]
- ^ The fastest lap at the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix was initially credited to Masahiro Hasemi. This was a measurement mistake, and, several days later, the circuit issued a press release to correct the fastest lap holder of the race to Laffite.[4] This press release was promptly made known in Japan, and the (JAF) and Japanese media corrected the record.[5][6] But this correction was not made well known outside Japan, thus, Hasemi is credited with the fastest lap of the race in many record books.
References[]
- ^ "Jacques Laffite". Retrieved 2 August 2017.
- ^ "Quelques Anciens Celebres". Hattemer. Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
- ^ "Jacques Laffite tests Renault F1 car". ESPN F1.com. 13 October 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
- ^ i-dea archives (14 January 2006), '76 F1イン・ジャパン (1976 F1 World Championship in Japan), Auto Sport Archives 日本の名レース100選 (The 100 Best races in Japan) (in Japanese), Vol. 001, San-eishobo Publishing Co., Ltd., p. 77, ISBN 978-4-7796-0007-4, archived from the original on 13 December 2010, retrieved 16 December 2010
|volume=
has extra text (help) - ^ "Motorsport competition results: 1976 F1 World Championship in Japan" (in Japanese). . Retrieved 17 December 2010.
- ^ "Archive: 1976 F1 World Championship in Japan" (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports News. 25 October 1976. Retrieved 17 December 2010.
- French racing drivers
- French Formula Renault 2.0 drivers
- French Formula One drivers
- Ligier Formula One drivers
- Williams Formula One drivers
- European Formula Two Championship drivers
- French Formula Three Championship drivers
- Sportspeople from Paris
- 1943 births
- Living people
- Grand Prix Masters drivers
- Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters drivers
- 24 Hours of Le Mans drivers
- World Touring Car Championship drivers
- World Sportscar Championship drivers
- 24 Hours of Spa drivers