 Jacques Laffite driving the JS5 at the1976 Italian Grand Prix | |||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Ligier | ||||||||
| Designers | Gérard Ducarouge (Technical Director) Michel Beaujon (Chief Designer) Robert Choulet (Head of Aerodynamics) | ||||||||
| Successor | JS7 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications[1] | |||||||||
| Chassis | Aluminiummonocoque | ||||||||
| Axle track | Front: 1,536 mm (60.5 in) Rear: 1,600 mm (63 in) | ||||||||
| Wheelbase | 2,608 mm (102.7 in) | ||||||||
| Engine | Matra MS73, 2,993 cc (182.6 cu in), 60°V12,NA,mid-engine,longitudinally mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | Hewland 2-200 TL, 5-speedmanual | ||||||||
| Weight | 525 kg (1,157 lb) | ||||||||
| Fuel | Shell | ||||||||
| Tyres | Goodyear | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | LigierGitanes | ||||||||
| Notable drivers | 26. Jacques Laffite | ||||||||
| Debut | 1976 Brazilian Grand Prix | ||||||||
| Last event | 1976 Japanese Grand Prix | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
TheLigier JS5 was the firstFormula One car built byLigier. Designed byGérard Ducarouge, it competed in the1976 Formula One season, scoring 20 points and finishing sixth overall in the Constructor's Championship. The car also gave driverJacques Laffite and Ligier their first ever pole position at the1976 Italian Grand Prix atMonza.
Guy Ligier was a Frenchman that had become wealthy as a result of his construction company. Having participated briefly in Formula One as a driver in the 1960s, he founded a race car company in 1969. This made sportscars, including the JS2 which was raced atLe Mans in 1972. In late 1974, having secured backing from the French tobacco companySEITA, he recruitedGérard Ducarouge fromMatra and set about preparing an entry for Formula One.[2]
Ducarouge, with assistance from Michel Beaujon, drew up a conventional monocoque with a long wheelbase that was to be designated the JS5.[Note 1] The JS5 was powered by the Matra MS73V12 engine which has been used in sportscar racing for the previous few seasons. It was completed in October 1975 and exhibited at SEITA's main offices in Paris and the following month began testing at theCircuit Paul Ricard. To drive the car, Ligier contractedJacques Laffite after briefly considering the experiencedJean-Pierre Beltoise.[2]
The early races of the year were completed with the JS5 bearing a large airbox (earning the car the nickname of "Teapot") but changes in regulations following the1976 Spanish Grand Prix saw this drastically downsized. The rear wing was also moved forward. The aerodynamics were improved at the time of building the second JS5 chassis and were substantially less curved than the first chassis built and raced.[2]
The JS5 made its debut at the opening race of the1976 season, theBrazilian Grand Prix, where Laffite qualified it in 11th place on the grid. He retired from the race itself, as he did from the following race inSouth Africa. AtLong Beach, the third race of the year, from 12th on the grid, Laffite drove the JS5 to fourth place earning Ligier its first points.[3] He scored his first podium inBelgium, where he finished in third place from sixth on the grid.[1]
Laffite followed this performance up with another fourth at theSwedish Grand Prix.[1] By the time of theAustrian race, a new chassis had been completed which Laffite used to great effect by finishing second from fifth on the grid. He was again on the podium inItaly where he finished third having qualified in pole position.[2]
By the end of the season, Ligier, with 20 points, placed sixth in the Constructor's Championship. Laffite was seventh in the Driver's Championship.[2]
(key) (results inbold indicate pole position)
| Year | Entrant | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | Grands Prix | Points | WCC | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRA | RSA | USW | ESP | BEL | MON | SWE | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | CAN | USA | JPN | |||||||
| 1976 | Équipe Ligier | MatraV12 | G | Jacques Laffite | Ret | Ret | 4 | 12 | 3 | 12 | 4 | 14 | DSQ | Ret | 2 | Ret | 3 | Ret | Ret | 7 | 20 | 6th |
