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1979 Season
o  Season Overview
o  Points Graph
o  Drivers' Championship
o  Constructors' Championship
o  Participations Matrix
o  Race Results
o  Poles and Fastest Laps
o  Line-Up
o  Calendar

Profiles
o  Drivers
o  Teams
o  Cars
o  Engines
o  Tyres
o  Lubricants
o  Entrants
o  Designers
o  Car Numbers
o  Sponsors
o  Events
o  Circuits

History
o  Drivers' Championships
o  Constructors' Championships
o  Race Results
o  All-Time Calendar

Statistics
o  Data Search

Other
o  Acknowledgments
o  Links
www.ChicaneF1.com
1979 Brazilian GP
1978 South African GP

1979 South African GP

1979 Belgian Cup
1979 US West GP
1980 South African GP
 XXV  Simba South African Grand Prix

Event Overview • SessionsEntry List
Qualifying Qualification
Race Starting GridClassificationFastest LapsLaps Led

Details
DateSaturday 3 March 1979
Start time14:00
Event South African GP
Circuit Kyalami
Event FormatRace of 78 laps
ChampionshipWorld Championship
Race number#3 of 15 in 1979
#316 (of all time)
Circuit
Laps78
Circuit Perimeter4104 m
Race Distance4104 × 78 = 320.112 km
Grid Format2-2-2-2
Pole PositionRight
First CornerRight
Track DirectionClockwise
Weather
WeatherOvercast, Rain
Participants
Entries26
Qualifiers24
Finishers13
Debutants
Ensign N179 (Car Model),
Ferrari 312T4 (Car Model),
   Fittipaldi F6 (Car Model)
MilestonesEquipe Renault Elf – 1st Pole Position (Entrant)
Renault – 1st Pole Position (Engine Manufacturer)
 Jean-Pierre Jabouille – 1st Pole Position (Driver)
 Renault – 1st Pole Position (Car Manufacturer)
 Williams – 50th Race Entry (Car Manufacturer)
Records Broken None
Records Extended 1. Most Podium Finishes Ferrari (258),
2. Most Drivers' Championship Points Scores Ferrari (390),
3. Most Retirements Lotus (352),
4. Most Constructors' Championship Points Scores Ferrari (258),
5. Most Race Wins Ferrari (75),
6. Most 2nd Place Finishes Ferrari (100),
7. Most 7th Place Finishes Brabham (30),
8. Most Fastest Laps Ferrari (86),
9. Most Races Led Ferrari (185),
10. Most Laps Led Ferrari (5161),
11. Most Race Entries Lotus (829),
12. Most Failures to Qualify Arturo Merzario (15),
13. Most 2nd Place Qualifications Ferrari (86),
14. Most 3rd Place Qualifications Ferrari (76),
15. Most 14th Place Qualifications John Watson (11)

World Championship standings
1  Jacques Laffite 18 
2  Carlos Reutemann 12 
3  Gilles Villeneuve 11 up
4  Patrick Depailler 9 up
5  Jody Scheckter 7 up
6  Mario Andretti 5 
7  John Watson 4 up
  Jean-Pierre Jarier 4 
9  Didier Pironi 3 up
10  Emerson Fittipaldi 1 up
  Niki Lauda 1 
1  Ligier / Ford 27 
2  Ferrari / Ferrari 18 up
3  Lotus / Ford 17 up
4  Tyrrell / Ford 7 
5  McLaren / Ford 4 up
6  Fittipaldi / Ford 1 
  Brabham / Alfa Romeo 1 

Results
 WinnerPole PositionFastest Lap
Car NumberCar 12Car 15Car 12
EntrantScuderia Ferrari SpA SEFACEquipe Renault ElfScuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC
Driver Gilles Villeneuve Jean-Pierre Jabouille Gilles Villeneuve
Car Ferrari 312T4 Renault RS01 Ferrari 312T4
EngineFerrari 3.0 F12Renault 1.5 V6TFerrari 3.0 F12
Time1:41'49.961'11.801'14.412
Speed188.611 km/h205.772 km/h198.549 km/h