1979 24 Hours of Le Mans

The 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 47th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 9 and 10 June 1979.

1979 24 Hours of Le Mans
Previous: 1978 Next: 1980
Index: Races | Winners

Pre-race

Due to the construction of a new public road, the profile of Tetre Rouge had to be changed. This redesign led to a faster double-apex corner as well as requiring the removal of the second Dunlop Bridge.

Race report

1979 winning car

The Porsche 935 turbo, a highly modified variant of the Porsche 911 road car, dominated endurance racing in the late 1970s, being entered by many Porsche customer teams all over the world. The German-based Kremer team won the 24 Hours of Le Mans using a modified version of the 935 which was driven by Klaus Ludwig, Don Whittington and Bill Whittington. Actor Paul Newman, driving with Rolf Stommelen and Dick Barbour, finished second in Barbour's 935, while Kremer's second 935 driven by Laurent Ferrier, François Servanin and François Trisconi placed third.

The unusual occupation of the top four spots by Group 5 and GT cars arose from a Sports Prototype field severely depleted of competitive entries and the failures of the two most capable entries in that class to finish. The remainder of the 2+ litre Sports Prototypes were powered by the slower and less reliable Cosworth DFV V-8s. The distance covered by the S +2.0 class winner, 3798.8 km, was the least covered by any winner of that class since 1953.

Jacky Ickx's efforts to win his fifth Le Mans came to nothing when he was disqualified for receiving outside assistance in repairing his stricken Porsche 936.

Official results

Le Mans in 1979
Pos Class No Team Drivers Chassis Laps
Engine
1 Gr.5
+2.0
41 Porsche Kremer Racing Klaus Ludwig
Don Whittington
Bill Whittington
Porsche 935 K3 307
Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
2 IMSA
+2.5
70 Dick Barbour Racing Rolf Stommelen
Paul Newman
Dick Barbour
Porsche 935/77A 299
Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
3 Gr.5
+2.0
40 Porsche Kremer Racing Laurent Ferrier
François Servanin
François Trisconi
Porsche 935/77A 297
Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
4 GT
+3.0
82 Lubrifilm Racing Team Herbert Müller
Angelo Pallavicini
Marco Vanoli
Porsche 934 296
Porsche 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
5 S
+2.0
5 VSD Canon Jean Rondeau Jean Ragnotti
Bernard Darniche
Rondeau M379 292
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8
6 IMSA
+2.5
76 Hervé Poulain Manfred Winkelhock
Marcel Mignot
Hervé Poulain
BMW M1 288
BMW M88 3.5 L I6
7 Gr.5
+2.0
42 Sekurit Racing
Autohaus Max Moritz GmbH
Edgar Dören
Dieter Schornstein
Götz von Tschirnhaus
Porsche 935/77A 283
Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
8 IMSA
+2.5
72 Dick Barbour Racing Edwin Abate
Bob Garretson
Skeeter McKitterick
Porsche 935/78 283
Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
9 IMSA
+2.5
73 Wynn's International Dick Barbour Racing Robert Kirby
Bob Harmon
John Hotchkis
Porsche 935/78 280
Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
10 S
+2.0
4 ITT Oceanic Jean Rondeau Henri Pescarolo
Jean-Pierre Beltoise
Rondeau M379 279
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8
11 Gr.5
+2.0
43 Claude Haldi Claude Haldi
Herbert Loewe
Rodrigo Terran
Porsche 935 275
Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
12 IMSA
+2.5
61 "Beurlys" Nick Faure
Steve O'Rourke
Bernard de Dryver
Jean Blaton ("Beurlys")
Ferrari 512BB/LM 274
Ferrari 4.9 L Flat-12
13 Gr.5
+2.0
45 Porsche Kremer Racing Axel Plankenhorn
Philippe Gurdjian
"John Winter" (Louis Krages)
Porsche 935 K3 273
Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
14 GTP
+3.0
52 WM A.E.R.E.M. Jean-Daniel Raulet
Marcel Mamers
Serge Saulnier
WM P79 272
Peugeot PRV 2.7 L Turbo V6
15 Gr.5
+2.0
39 ASA Cachia Jacques Guérin
""Chanaud" (Jacques Goujon)"
Frédéric Alliot
Porsche 935 268
Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
16 GT
+3.0
86 Kores Racing Georges Bourdillat
Pascal Ennequin
Alain-Michel Bernhard
Porsche 934 265
Porsche 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
17 S
2.0
29 Mogil Motors Ltd. Robin Smith
Tony Charnell
Richard Jones
Chevron B36 265
Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L I4
18 S
2.0
24 Dorset Racing Associates Brian Joscelyne
Tony Birchenhough
Richard Jenvey
Nick Mason
Lola T297 260
Ford Cosworth BDX 2.0 L I4
19 GT
+3.0
84 Anne-Charlotte Verney Anne-Charlotte Verney
Patrick Bardinon
René Metge
Porsche 934 251
Porsche 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
20 S
+2.0
15 Fisons Agricole - Simon Phillips Martin Raymond
Simon Phillips
Ray Mallock
De Cadenet-Lola T380 250
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8
21 S
2.0
20 Lambretta S.A.F.D. Pierre Yver
Max Cohen-Olivar
Michel Elkoubi
Lola T298 248
BMW M12 2.0 L I4
22 S
2.0
28 Racing Organisation Course (ROC) Bernard Verdier
Albert Dufréne
Noël del Bello
Chevron B36 239
ROC-Chrysler 2.0 L I4
23
NC
S
2.0
26 Racing Organisation Course (ROC) Michel Dubois
Pierre-François Rousselot
Marc Menant
Chevron B36 133
ROC-Chrysler 2.0 L I4
24
NC
S
+2.0
10 Grand Touring Cars Ltd.
Ford Concessionaires France
Vern Schuppan
Jean-Pierre Jaussaud
David Hobbs
Ford M10 [1] 121
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8
25
NC
Gr.5
+2.0
35 Carlo Pietromarchi Gianfranco Brancatelli
Carlo Pietromarchi
Maurizio Micangeli
De Tomaso Pantera 108
Ford 351 5.8L V8
26
DNF
S
+2.0
11 Grand Touring Cars Inc.
Ford Concessionaires France
Derek Bell
David Hobbs
Vern Schuppan
Ford M10 [1] 262
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8
27
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
62 JMS Racing / Charles Pozzi Jean-Claude Andruet
Spartaco Dini
Ferrari 512BB/LM 240
Ferrari 4.9 L Flat-12
28
DNF
S
+2.0
14 Essex Motorsport Porsche Bob Wollek
Hurley Haywood
Porsche 936 236
Porsche Type-935 2.1 L Turbo Flat-6
29
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
63 JMS Racing / Charles Pozzi Michel Leclère
Claude Ballot-Léna
Peter Gregg
Ferrari 512BB/LM 219
Ferrari 4.9 L Flat-12
30
DNF
GTP
3.0
55 Merlin Plage Jean Rondeau Jean Rondeau
Jacky Haran
Rondeau M379 207
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8
31
DNF
Gr.5
+2.5
36 Gelo Racing Sportswear Intl. Manfred Schurti
Hans Heyer
Porsche 935 201
Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
32
DNF
S
+2.0
12 Essex Motorsport Porsche Jacky Ickx
Brian Redman
Jürgen Barth
Porsche 936 200
Porsche Type-935 2.1 L Turbo Flat-6
33
DNF
Gr.5
+2.5
37 Gelo Racing Sportswear Intl. John Fitzpatrick
Harald Grohs
Jean-Louis Lafosse
Porsche 935 196
Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
34
DNF
S
2.0
25 Jean-Marie Lemerle Alain Levié
Jean-Pierre Malcher
Jean-Marie Lemerle
Lola T298 189
ROC-Chrysler 2.0 L I4
35
DNF
S
2.0
33 Chevalley Racing Switzerland
Racing Organisation Course
Marcel Tarres
Alain Dechelette
Charles Dechelette
Chevron B36 187
ROC-Chrysler 2.0 L I4
36
DNF
S
2.0
31 Kores Racing - France Chauffage Michel Lateste
Dominique Lacaud
Christian Heinkélé
Lola T297 182
BMW M12 2.0 L I4
37
DNF
GT
+3.0
87 Christian Bussi Christian Bussi
Bernard Salam
Porsche 934 182
Porsche 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
38
DNF
GTP
+3.0
51 WM A.E.R.E.M. Roger Dorchy
Denis Morin
WM P79 157
Peugeot PRV 2.7 L Turbo V6
39
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
68 Interscope Racing Ted Field
Milt Minter
John Morton
Porsche 935 154
Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
40
DNF
S
+2.0
3 J.C. Racing Ltd. John Cooper
Peter Lovett
John Morrison
De Cadenet-Lola T380 146
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8
41
DNF
S
2.0
23 Pronuptia Bruno Sotty
Gérard Cuynet
Marc Frischknecht
Lola T296 134
Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L I4
42
DNF
S
2.0
32 BP Racing / Hubert Striebig Alain Cudini
Hubert Striebig
Hughes Kirschoffer
Toj SC206 121
BMW M12 2.0L I4
43
DNF
S
2.0
27 Racing Organisation Course (ROC) Marc Sourd
Florian Vetsch
Robert Carmillet
Chevron B36 92
ROC-Chrysler 2.0 L I4
44
DNF
S
2.0
17 Cheetah Racing Cars Sandro Plastina
Philippe Roux
Mario Luini
Cheetah G601 87
BMW M12 2.0 L I4
45
DNF
GTP
+3.0
53 WM A.E.R.E.M. Michel Pignard
Jacques Coulon
Serge Saulnier
WM P79 87
Peugeot PRV 2.7 L Turbo V6
46
DNF
S
2.0
18 Daniel Brillat
Écurie Cedac Suisse
Daniel Brillat
Jean-Pierre Aeschlimann
Cheetah G601 80
ROC-Chrysler 2.0 L I4
47
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
71 Dick Barbour Racing Bob Akin
Roy Woods
Rob McFarland
Porsche 935 78
Porsche Type-935 3.0 L Turbo Flat-6
48
DNF
S
2.0
22 Georges Morand Eric Vuagnat
Daniel Laurent
Jacques Boillat
Lola T296 76
Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0 L I4
49
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
74 Jean-Pierre Jarier Jean-Pierre Jarier
Randy Townsend
Raymond Touroul
Porsche 935 65
Porsche Type-935 2.9 L Turbo Flat-6
50
DNF
S
+2.0
1 Chevalley Racing Switzerland Xavier Lapeyre
André Chevalley
Patrick Perrier
Lola T286 59
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8
51
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
64 North American Racing Team Jean-Pierre Delaunay
Cyril Grandet
Preston Henn
Ferrari 512BB/LM 54
Ferrari 4.9 L Flat-12
52
DNF
S
+2.0
6 Dome Co. Ltd. Chris Craft
Gordon Spice
Tony Trimmer
Dome Zero RL 40
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8
53
DNF
S
+2.0
7 Dome Co. Ltd. Bob Evans
Tony Trimmer
Dome Zero RL 25
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8
54
DNF
GTP
+3.0
50 Robin Hamilton Robin Hamilton
Mike Salmon
David Preece
Aston Martin DBS V8 21
Aston Martin 5.3 L Turbo V8
55
DNF
S
+2.0
8 Alain de Cadenet François Migault
Alain de Cadenet
De Cadenet-Lola T380 10
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 L V8

Statistics

  • Pole Position - #14 Essex Motorsport Porsche - 3:30.07
  • Fastest Lap - #12 Essex Motorsport Porsche (Jacky Ickx) - 3:36.10
  • Distance - 4173.930 km
  • Average Speed - 173.913 km/h
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References

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