1979 Argentine Grand Prix
| 1979 Argentine Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 1 of 15 in the 1979 Formula One season | |||
| Race details | |||
| Date | January 21, 1979 | ||
| Location | Buenos Aires, Argentina | ||
| Course | Permanent road course | ||
| Course length | 5.81 km (3.61 miles) | ||
| Distance | 53 laps, 307.93 km (191.33 miles) | ||
| Weather | Dry | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Ligier-Ford | ||
| Time | 1:44.20 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver | Jacques Laffite | Ligier-Ford | |
| Time | 1:46.91 on lap 42 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Ligier-Ford | ||
| Second | Lotus-Ford | ||
| Third | McLaren-Ford | ||
|
Lap leaders | |||
The 1979 Argentine Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 21 January 1979 at the Autódromo Municipal Ciudad de Buenos Aires. The race had to be restarted because there was a huge crash at the second of the very fast esses after the pit straight that took off a number of drivers, including Jody Scheckter, Nelson Piquet, John Watson, Patrick Tambay and Mario Andretti.
After qualifying, James Hunt's WR7 was declared illegal, as the clutch-driven impeller blades which drew air through the air coiler were ruled an 'aerodynamic device'. Wolf mechanics modified the fan, and the car was allowed to start.