1979 24 Hours of Le Mans

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

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

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

Statistics

Pole Position - #14 Essex Motorsport Porsche - 3:30.07
Fastest Lap - #12 Essex Motorsport Porsche - 3:36.10
Distance - 4173.930 km
Average Speed - 173.913 km/h

24 Hours of Le Mans

Main topics	Automobile Club de l'Ouest Circuit de la Sarthe Le Mans Sarthe List of winners List of records List of female partipicants Le Mans Prototype list Triple Crown of Motorsport Fatal accidents 24 Heures Moto (FIM motorcycle endurance) Le Mans Classic Le Mans Legend Le Mans start Dunlop Bridge Mulsanne Straight

In media	Le Mans (film) Michel Vaillant (film) 24 heures d'amant "The Race" (The Goodies) Truth in 24 Radio Le Mans

Video games	WEC Le Mans Le Mans 24 Test Drive Le Mans/Le Mans 24 Hours Gran Turismo Race Driver: Grid Forza Motorsport Project CARS

Races	1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 ~~1936~~ 1937 1938 1939 ~~1940–1948~~ 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

References

1 2 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans Official Program, www.racingsportscars.com Retrieved 16 June 2015

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