1979 World Sportscar Championship season
Encyclopedia
The 1979 World Sportscar Championship season was the 27th season of FIA World Sportscar Championship
racing. It featured the 1979 World Championship for Makes which was open to Group 1 and 2 Touring Cars
, Group 3
and 4
Grand Touring cars, and Group 5 Special Production Cars
. The championship ran from February 3, 1979 to September 16, 1979 and consisted of nine rounds. It was contested in two engine capacity divisions, Over 2 Litres and Under 2 Litres.
Only the best seven round results for each make in each division counted towards the championship with any other points earned not included in the final totals. Relinquished points are shown within brackets.
Some rounds were also open to cars from other categories (eg Group 6 "Two Seater Racing Cars"
) however these cars were not eligible to score points for their respective makes.
World Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
racing. It featured the 1979 World Championship for Makes which was open to Group 1 and 2 Touring Cars
Touring car racing
Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct auto racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars. It is notably popular in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Scandinavia and Britain.-Characteristics of a touring car:...
, Group 3
Group 3 (racing)
The Group 3 racing class referred to a set of regulations for Grand Touring Cars competing in sportscar racing and rallying events regulated by the FIA. These regulations were active, in various forms, from 1957 to 1981-1957 to 1965:...
and 4
Group 4 (racing)
The Group 4 racing class referred to regulations for cars in sportscar racing, GT racing and rallying, as regulated by the FIA. The Group 4 class was replaced by Group B for the 1983 season.-Production requirements:...
Grand Touring cars, and Group 5 Special Production Cars
Group 5 (racing)
Group 5 was an FIA motor racing classification which was applied to four distinct categories during the years 1966 to 1982. Initially Group 5 regulations defined a Special Touring Car category and from 1970 to 1971 the classification was applied to limited production Sports Cars restricted to 5...
. The championship ran from February 3, 1979 to September 16, 1979 and consisted of nine rounds. It was contested in two engine capacity divisions, Over 2 Litres and Under 2 Litres.
Schedule
| Rnd | Race | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  24 Hour24 Hours of Daytona The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield... Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo... Challenge |
Daytona International Speedway Daytona International Speedway Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross... |
February 3 February 4 |
| 2 |  6 Hours of Mugello |
Mugello Circuit Mugello Circuit Mugello Circuit is a race track in the Mugello region of Italy near Florence. Its length is . It has 15 turns and a long straight.Grand Prix motorcycle racing host an annual event here . Also, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters hold an annual event. The track is property of Scuderia Ferrari which... |
March 18 |
| 3 |  Dijon 6 Hours |
Dijon-Prenois Dijon-Prenois Dijon-Prenois is a motor racing circuit located in Prenois, near Dijon, France. The undulating track is noted for its fast, sweeping bends.... |
April 22 |
| 4 |  Rivet Supply 6 Hours |
Silverstone Circuit Silverstone Circuit Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side... |
May 6 |
| 5 |  1000km Nürburgring1000km Nürburgring The ADAC 1000 km Nürburgring is an endurance race for sports cars held on the Nürburgring in Germany and organized by the ADAC since 1953.- History :... |
Nürburgring Nürburgring The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about... |
June 3 |
| 6 | Coppa Florio |
Autodromo di Pergusa Autodromo di Pergusa The Autodromo di Pergusa is an automobile and motorcycle circuit that encircles the only Sicilian natural lake, Pergusa Lake. The circuit is also known as Enna-Pergusa, as the lake is located near the city of Enna.... |
June 24 |
| 7 | Watkins Glen 6 Hours |
Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation... |
July 8 |
| 8 | Rivet Supply 6 Hours |
Brands Hatch Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events... |
August 5 |
| 9 | Trofeo Ignazio Giunti 6 Hours of Vallelunga The 6 Hours of Vallelunga is an endurance sports car racing event held annually at the ACI Vallelunga Circuit in Vallelunga, Italy.... (6 Hours) |
Vallelunga | September 16 |
Season results
| Rnd | Circuit | Over 2.0 Winning Team | Under 2.0 Winning Team | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Over 2.0 Winning Drivers | Under 2.0 Winning Drivers | |||
| 1 | Daytona Daytona International Speedway Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross... |
#0 Interscope Racing |
None | Results |
| Ted Field Danny Ongais Danny Ongais Danny Ongais is a former racecar driver from the United States.He is the only native Hawaiian to compete at the Indianapolis 500... Hurley HaywoodHurley Haywood Hurley Haywood is an American race-car driver who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1977 , 1983 and 1994 and is the most successful driver at the 24 Hours of Daytona with 5 wins . He won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1973 and 1981... |
||||
| 2 | Mugello Mugello Circuit Mugello Circuit is a race track in the Mugello region of Italy near Florence. Its length is . It has 15 turns and a long straight.Grand Prix motorcycle racing host an annual event here . Also, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters hold an annual event. The track is property of Scuderia Ferrari which... |
#12 Gelo Racing Team |
None | Results |
| Bob Wollek Bob Wollek Bob Wollek , nicknamed "Brilliant Bob", was a race car driver from Strasbourg, France. He was killed on March 16, 2001 at age 57 in a road accident in Florida while riding a bicycle back to his accommodation after the day's practice sessions for the following day's race, the 12 Hours of...  Manfred Schurti John Fitzpatrick |
||||
| 3 | Dijon Dijon-Prenois Dijon-Prenois is a motor racing circuit located in Prenois, near Dijon, France. The undulating track is noted for its fast, sweeping bends.... |
#31 Gelo Racing Team |
None | Results |
| Bob Wollek Bob Wollek Bob Wollek , nicknamed "Brilliant Bob", was a race car driver from Strasbourg, France. He was killed on March 16, 2001 at age 57 in a road accident in Florida while riding a bicycle back to his accommodation after the day's practice sessions for the following day's race, the 12 Hours of... Manfred Schurti Jacky IckxJacky Ickx Jacques Bernard "Jacky" Ickx is a Belgian former racing driver who achieved 25 podium finishes in Formula One and six wins in the 24 hours of Le Mans.- Racing career :... |
||||
| 4 | Silverstone Silverstone Circuit Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side... |
#3 Gelo Sportswear |
None | Results |
| Bob Wollek Bob Wollek Bob Wollek , nicknamed "Brilliant Bob", was a race car driver from Strasbourg, France. He was killed on March 16, 2001 at age 57 in a road accident in Florida while riding a bicycle back to his accommodation after the day's practice sessions for the following day's race, the 12 Hours of... Hans HeyerHans Heyer Hans Heyer is a racing driver from Wegberg, the site of the Grenzlandring, a former high speed race track oval... John Fitzpatrick |
||||
| 5 | Nürburgring Nürburgring The Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about... |
#6 Gelo Racing Team |
#25 Jägermeister Jägermeister Jägermeister is a German 70-proof digestif made with 56 different herbs and spices. It is the flagship product of Mast-Jägermeister SE, headquartered in Wolfenbüttel, south of Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany.- History :... |
Results |
| Bob Wollek Bob Wollek Bob Wollek , nicknamed "Brilliant Bob", was a race car driver from Strasbourg, France. He was killed on March 16, 2001 at age 57 in a road accident in Florida while riding a bicycle back to his accommodation after the day's practice sessions for the following day's race, the 12 Hours of... Manfred Schurti John Fitzpatrick |
Eckhard Schrimpf Hans-Georg Bürger |
|||
| 6 | Pergusa Autodromo di Pergusa The Autodromo di Pergusa is an automobile and motorcycle circuit that encircles the only Sicilian natural lake, Pergusa Lake. The circuit is also known as Enna-Pergusa, as the lake is located near the city of Enna.... |
 #4 Lubrifilm Racing |
#11 Lancia Corse |
Results |
| Angelo Pallavicini Marco Vanoli |
Riccardo Patrese Riccardo Patrese Riccardo Gabriele Patrese is an Italian former racing driver, who raced in Formula One from to .He became the first Formula One driver to achieve 200 Grand Prix starts when he appeared at the 1990 British Grand Prix, and the first to achieve 250 starts at the 1993 German Grand Prix... Carlo FacettiCarlo Facetti Carlo Giovanni Facetti is a former racing driver from Italy, mainly known for his success in sports car racing. In his single attempt at Formula One he failed to qualify for the 1974 Italian Grand Prix with a Brabham BT42 run by the Scuderia Finotto team.In 1979 he was the European Touring Car... |
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| 7 | Watkins Glen Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation... |
#94 Whittington/Kremer Kremer Racing Kremer Racing is a motorsports team based in Cologne, Germany, founded by racing driver Erwin Kremer and his brother Manfred. They have competed internationally with Porsches for nearly all of their existence, and were even one of the factory-backed squads for many years... |
None | Results |
| Don Whittington Bill Whittington Klaus Ludwig Klaus Ludwig Klaus Ludwig is a German race driver.- Biography :Unlike Hans-Joachim Stuck, Rolf Stommelen, Harald Ertl, Hans Heyer and Jochen Mass, he has never raced in single seaters... |
||||
| 8 | Brands Hatch Brands Hatch Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events... |
#27 Porsche Porsche Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry.... Kremer Racing Kremer Racing Kremer Racing is a motorsports team based in Cologne, Germany, founded by racing driver Erwin Kremer and his brother Manfred. They have competed internationally with Porsches for nearly all of their existence, and were even one of the factory-backed squads for many years... |
#31 ASA Corse |
Results |
| Klaus Ludwig Klaus Ludwig Klaus Ludwig is a German race driver.- Biography :Unlike Hans-Joachim Stuck, Rolf Stommelen, Harald Ertl, Hans Heyer and Jochen Mass, he has never raced in single seaters... Axel Plankenhorn |
Riccardo Patrese Riccardo Patrese Riccardo Gabriele Patrese is an Italian former racing driver, who raced in Formula One from to .He became the first Formula One driver to achieve 200 Grand Prix starts when he appeared at the 1990 British Grand Prix, and the first to achieve 250 starts at the 1993 German Grand Prix... Walter RöhrlWalter Röhrl Walter Röhrl is a German rally and auto racing driver, with victories for Fiat, Opel, Lancia and Audi as well as Porsche, Ford and BMW.-Career:... |
|||
| 9 | Vallelunga | #54 Ecurie Biennoise |
#33 Giuseppi Piazzi |
Results |
| Enzo Calderari Willi Spavetti Rolf Moritz |
Giuseppi Piazzi Renzo Zorzi Stanislao Sterzel |
Manufacturers' championship
Points were awarded for placings gained by the top ten cars in each division at each round in the order of 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1. However, points were only awarded for the highest placed car from each make in each division and any other cars from that make were merely skipped in the points allocation.Only the best seven round results for each make in each division counted towards the championship with any other points earned not included in the final totals. Relinquished points are shown within brackets.
Some rounds were also open to cars from other categories (eg Group 6 "Two Seater Racing Cars"
Group 6 (racing)
Group 6 was the official designation applied by the FIA to two motor racing classifications, the Prototype-Sports Car category from 1966 to 1971 and the Two-Seater Racing Cars class from 1976 to 1982.-Group 6 Prototype-Sports Cars :...
) however these cars were not eligible to score points for their respective makes.
Division - Over 2 Litre
| Pos | Make | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 | Rd 5 | Rd 6 | Rd 7 | Rd 8 | Rd 9 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Porsche Porsche Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry.... |
20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | (20) | (20) | 140 |
| 2 | Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947... |
15 | 15 | 30 | |||||||
| 3 | de Tomaso De Tomaso De Tomaso Automobili SpA is an Italian car-manufacturing company. It was founded by the Argentine-born Alejandro de Tomaso in Modena in 1959. It originally produced various prototypes and racing cars, including a Formula One car for Frank Williams' team in 1970. The company developed a reputation... |
6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 4 | Triumph Triumph Motor Company The Triumph Motor Company was a British car and motor manufacturing company. The Triumph marque is owned currently by BMW. The marque had its origins in 1885 when Siegfried Bettmann of Nuremberg initiated S. Bettmann & Co and started importing bicycles from Europe and selling them with his own... |
4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 5 | BMW BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands... |
1 | 1 |
Division - Under 2 Litre
| Pos | Make | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Rd 4 | Rd 5 | Rd 6 | Rd 7 | Rd 8 | Rd 9 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lancia Lancia Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Some modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more... |
10 | 20 | 20 | 50 | ||||||
| 2 | BMW BMW Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands... |
20 | 12 | 32 | |||||||
| 3 | Ford Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK... |
15 | 15 | 30 | |||||||
| Porsche Porsche Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry.... |
15 | 15 | 30 | ||||||||
| 5 | Fiat Fiat FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli... |
20 | 20 | ||||||||
| 6 | Volkswagen Volkswagen Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is... |
6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 7 | Audi Audi Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group.... |
2 | 2 |
The Cars
The following models contributed to the nett points totals scored by their respective makes.Division - Over 2 Litre
- Porsche 935Porsche 935The Porsche 935 was introduced in 1976, as the factory racing version of the Porsche 911 turbo prepared for FIA-Group 5 rules. It was an evolution of the Porsche Carrera RSR 2.1 turbo prototype which had scored 2nd overall in the 1974 24 Hours of Le Mans....
& 911 Carrera RSRPorsche 911 classicThe original Porsche 911 was a sports car made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. The famous, distinctive, and durable design was introduced in autumn 1963 and built until 1989... - Ferrari DaytonaFerrari DaytonaThe Ferrari 365 GTB/4, better known by the unofficial name Ferrari Daytona, is a Gran Turismo automobile produced from 1968 to 1973. It was first introduced to the public at the Paris Auto Salon in 1968 and replaced the 275 GTB/4...
& 308GTB - de Tomaso PanteraDe Tomaso PanteraThe Pantera was a sports car produced by the De Tomaso car company of Italy from 1971 to 1991, the last one being delivered to a customer in 1992.The word "Pantera" is Italian for "Panther".-History:...
- Triumph TR8Triumph TR8The Triumph TR8 is an eight-cylinder version of the "wedge-shaped" Triumph TR7 sports car, designed by Harris Mann, and manufactured by British Leyland , through its Jaguar/Rover/Triumph division. Because of its outstanding performance, the TR8 was often dubbed the "English Corvette"...
- BMW 3.5 CSLBMW E9-BMW 2.5CS:The last version of the E9 to be introduced was the 2.5CS in 1974. This was a response to the 1973 oil crisis, such that the buyer could choose the smaller, more economical engine. The engine, from the 2500 sedan, displaced and produced at 6000 revolutions per minute...
Division - Under 2 Litre
- Lancia Beta Montecarlo
- BMW 320i
- Ford Escort
- PorschePorschePorsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
- Fiat X1/9Fiat X1/9The Fiat X1/9 is a two-seater mid-engined sports car designed by Bertone and manufactured by Fiat from 1972-1982 and subsequently by Bertone from 1982-1989....
- Volkswagen Golf GTiVolkswagen Golf Mk1In May 1974, Volkswagen presented the first-generation Golf as a modern front-wheel-drive, hatchback replacement for the Volkswagen Beetle.-History:...
- Audi 80Audi 80The Audi 80 is a compact executive car produced by the German car manufacturer Audi, from 1966 to 1996. It shared its platform with the Volkswagen Passat from 1973 to 1986 and was available as a saloon car/sedan, and an Avant...
Further reading
- Automobile YearAutomobile YearAutomobile Year is a yearbook specialising in automobile and motorsport, published annually in three different languages; English, French , German...
, 1979/80 - János WimpffenJános WimpffenJános L. Wimpffen is an American motorsport historian and writer of Austro-Hungarian origin who specialises in sportscar racing; he is best known for his 1999 debut book Time and Two Seats, which won multiple awards....
, Time and Two Seats, 1999 - Peter Higham, The Guinness Guide to International Motor Racing, 1995
External links
- 1979 World Championship for Makes – race results Retrieved from wsrp.ic.cz
- 1979 World Championship for Makes – race images Retrieved from www.racingsportscars.com on 1 April 2009