Tributes pour in as Renault's first F1 pole-sitter and race winner dies
Jean-Pierre Jabouille, the first man to win a Formula 1 race for Renault, has died at the age of 80.
French media reported that the former racer and engineer died on Thursday. While he only had a brief period racing in F1, the Frenchman left an indelible mark on the sport by leading the fledgling Renault team to success during the late 1970s.
He had been drafted in by the carmaker to help develop their new engine for the 1977 season, having won the Formula Two title the previous year. While Renault struggled in their first two years racing in F1, the 1979 campaign finally brought joy.
By that point, Renault were fielding two cars with Rene Arnoux brought in to partner Jabouille. A new ground-effect car, brought in during the season, helped to push them to the front of the grid – their improvement illustrated best at the French Grand Prix.
On home soil, Jabouille delivered a first F1 pole position for Renault, with Arnoux joining him on the front row. He went on to win the race while his team-mate and Gilles Villeneuve duelled for second spot, marking the team's maiden win in the premier single-seater category.
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His second and final victory came a year later, at the 1980 Austrian Grand Prix. Those victories were two very bright points in his career, given that he was forced to retire from most of the races he took part in due to Renault's persistent reliability problems.
Jabouille racing for Renault at the 1977 British Grand Prix (Mirrorpix)That included the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix, where a crash left him with a broken leg. He attempted a comeback with new team Ligier the following year, but wasn't able to match his previous abilities and retired from driving in F1.
Outside of single-seater racing, Jabouille also made many appearances at the 24 Hours of Le Mans between the 1960s and 1990s, finishing third overall on four occasions. He also had a brief spell as the head of Peugeot's sport arm, during the 1994 F1 season which saw the McLaren team use engines supplied by the French carmaker.
Renault reacted to the news through its Clio Series social media account. "Godspeed Jean-Pierre, Merci pour tout," read the short message, alongside four photos of Jabouille competing in Renault colours.
Jabouille's first F1 win came at the 1979 French Grand Prix (Getty Images)The Alpine F1 team said in a statement: "BWT Alpine F1 Team is incredible saddened to learn of the passing of Jean-Pierre Jabouille. A humble racing driver, brilliant engineer and a pioneer of our sport, Jean-Pierre was a true racer.
"He spearheaded Renault's journey into F1 in 1977 with his resilient and dare-to-do attitude. He was Renault's first Grand Prix winner in 1979, a landmark moment in Renault's journey into F1. His determination and dedication to succeed inspired many, and these values remain central to the current team in its now blue colours of Alpine.
"We are where we are today because of Jean-Pierre and his legacy lives on. We'd like to extend our most sincere condolences to his family and close friends. Merci pour tout, Jean-Pierre."
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