Equipe Ligier

Ligier

Full name	Equipe Ligier
Base	Vichy (1976–1988) and Magny-Cours (1989–1996), France[1]
Founder(s)	Guy Ligier
Noted staff	Ken Anderson Loïc Bigois Cyril de Rouvre Frank Dernie Richard Divila Gérard Ducarouge Claude Galopin Tom Walkinshaw
Noted drivers	Jacques Laffite Patrick Depailler Jacky Ickx Didier Pironi Eddie Cheever Andrea de Cesaris René Arnoux Stefan Johansson Thierry Boutsen Martin Brundle Mark Blundell Aguri Suzuki Olivier Panis
Next name	Prost Grand Prix
Formula One World Championship career
First entry	1976 Brazilian Grand Prix
Races entered	326
Engines	Matra, Ford-Cosworth, Renault, Megatron, Lamborghini, Mugen Honda
Constructors' Championships	0
Drivers' Championships	0
Race victories	9
Podiums	50
Points	388
Pole positions	9
Fastest laps	9
Final entry	1996 Japanese Grand Prix

Equipe Ligier is a motorsport team, best known for its Formula One team that operated from 1976 to 1996. The team was founded in 1968 by former French rugby union player Guy Ligier as a sports car manufacturer.^[2][3]

Sports car origins

After retiring from racing following the death of his friend Jo Schlesser, Guy Ligier had engineer Michel Tétu develop a sports car named JS1 (Schlesser's initials). The Cosworth-powered JS1 took wins at Albi and Monthlery in 1970, but retired at Le Mans and from the Tour Automobile de France.^[4]

For 1971, Ligier had the JS1 developed into the JS2 and JS3. The JS2 was homologated for road use and used a Maserati V6 engine, while the JS3 was an open-top sports-prototype powered by a Cosworth DFV V8 engine. The JS3 won at Monthlery in 1971 but failed to finish the minimum distance in Le Mans. Therefore, it was retired,^[5] and Ligier installed the Cosworth DFV in the JS2 road car, finishing second overall at Le Mans in 1975.^[6] Guy Ligier then switched his efforts into Formula One.

Formula One

Acquiring the Matra F1 team's assets, Ligier entered Formula One in 1976 with a Matra V12-powered car, and won the 1977 Swedish Grand Prix with Jacques Laffite. This is generally considered to have been the first all-French victory in the Formula One World Championship.^[7]

The 1980 Ligier JS11/15 being demonstrated at the 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Ligier used a turbo engine for the first time in 1984. Andrea de Cesaris drives the JS23 chassis at that year's Dallas Grand Prix.

Ligier's last F1 car, the JS43, on display. Driven by Olivier Panis and Pedro Diniz, it provided Panis' only F1 victory and Ligier's last, at the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix.

The deal with Matra ceased in 1979 and Ligier built a Cosworth-powered wing-car, the Ligier JS11. The JS11 began the season winning the first 2 races in the hands of Laffite. However, the JS11 faced serious competition when Williams and Ferrari introduced aerodynamically modified cars. The rest of the season was less successful for the French marque.

The JS11 and its successors made Ligier one of the top teams through the early 1980s. Despite substantial sponsorship from Talbot and public French companies - mainly SEITA and Française des Jeux (deals which François Mitterrand helped to put in place^[8]) - the competitiveness of the team began to decline around 1982. Around this time, they were testing a Matra V6 turbocharged engine, which never raced.^[9] In the mid-1980s, the team benefitted from a "free" Renault turbo engine deal. This made them more competitive, though not a frontrunner, despite sponsorship from companies such as Gitanes, Loto and Elf Aquitaine. When Renault left the sport in 1986, Ligier was left without a bona fide engine supplier. An abortive collaboration with Alfa Romeo (due to René Arnoux's harsh criticism on the Alfa Romeo engines) was followed by customer engine deals with Megatron (who provided them with rebadged BMW M12 engines), Judd and Cosworth and then works contracts with Lamborghini, Renault and Mugen-Honda.

In the last years Ligier had little public support and lacked funds. Surprisingly, the team was somewhat more competitive during this period, perhaps due to the talents of aerodynamicist Frank Dernie, whose skills had developed the Williams of Alan Jones that so regularly beat the Ligiers in the late 1970s.

The talent of the young engineer Loïc Bigois may have played some role as well. But this also brings some to think that, in previous years, Guy Ligier was more worried about making money than restoring the team competitiveness. Famous for his histrionics and boisterous pitlane explosions, the recalcitrant Guy Ligier added greatly to the character of Formula One events from the mid-1970s onward, if not through the competitiveness of his teams. As one F1 commentator famously said, "You always had the feeling that even when they were winning they didn't know why...". Certainly the team enjoyed an upswing when Guy Ligier sold the team to Cyril de Rouvre after a disappointing 1992 season when they once again failed to fulfil their potential despite being supplied with the same works Renault engines as the dominant Williams team - they scored eight podium finishes over the next four years, contrasting sharply with their failure to secure a single top three position between 1987 and 1992.

Between 1987 and 1991, the team struggled, failing to score points in 1988, 1990 and 1991, and at the 1988 San Marino Grand Prix neither René Arnoux nor Stefan Johansson qualified for the race, the first time in team history that neither car made the grid. In 1990, when fellow team Larrousse were disqualified after claiming their chassis was built by themselves, while in fact it was built by Lola Cars, Ligier moved up into the important 10th place in the Constructors' Championship, which gave them subsidized travel benefits, despite actually not being classified due a to lack of points.

In 1996, the Mugen Honda-powered JS43 turned out to be a well balanced car, if not on par with the Williams entries. It became a surprise winner as well, with the team taking the chequered flag with Olivier Panis at the Monaco Grand Prix, albeit in a race of heavy attrition, with only three cars finishing. It was the first "all-French" victory at Monaco since René Dreyfus in Bugatti in 1930. This ended a nearly fifteen-year-long winless-streak for the Ligier team, the longest of any uninterruptedly existing team between two wins (some teams like Honda or Mercedes had much longer periods between two wins, but did not exist as a grand prix team for most of their period between two wins).

The team was sold to Alain Prost soon after and became Prost Grand Prix in 1997. Prost GP, despite substantial financial backing by large private French companies failed to make the team competitive and went bankrupt in 2002.

The team traditionally used numbers 25 and 26.

After Formula One

In 2004, Ligier returned to motorsport after acquiring Automobiles Martini. Tico Martini had designed a Formula 3 chassis that was introduced at the 2004 Paris Motor Show^[10] as the Ligier JS47, but with the F3 market cornered by Dallara, the car only raced in the minor Recaro F3 Cup.

In 2005 Ligier introduced a "gentlemen driver" sports car, the JS49, a sport prototype^[11][12] made for the 2000 cc CN class, which can be used in the V de V Challenge.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Chassis	Engine(s)	Tyres	No.	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	Points	WCC
1976	JS5	Matra MS73 3.0 V12	G			BRA	RSA	USW	ESP	BEL	MON	SWE	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	CAN	USA	JPN		20	5th
				26	Jacques Laffite	Ret	Ret	4	12	3	12	4	14	DSQ	Ret	2	Ret	3	Ret	Ret	7
1977	JS7	Matra MS76 3.0 V12	G			ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	ESP	MON	BEL	SWE	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	USA	CAN	JPN	18	8th
				26	Jacques Laffite	NC	Ret	Ret	9	7	7	Ret	1	8	6	Ret	Ret	2	8	7	Ret	5
				27	Jean-Pierre Jarier																	Ret
1978	JS7 JS7/9 JS9	Matra MS76 3.0 V12 Matra MS78 3.0 V12	G			ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	MON	BEL	ESP	SWE	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	USA	CAN		19	6th
				26	Jacques Laffite	16	9	5	5	Ret	5	3	7	7	10	3	5	8	4	11	Ret
1979	JS11	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G			ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	ESP	BEL	MON	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	CAN	USA			61	3rd
				25	Patrick Depailler	4	2	Ret	5	1	Ret	5
					Jacky Ickx								Ret	6	Ret	Ret	5	Ret	Ret	Ret
				26	Jacques Laffite	1	1	Ret	Ret	Ret	2	Ret	8	Ret	3	3	3	Ret	Ret	Ret
1980	JS11/15	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8	G			ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	BEL	MON	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	CAN	USA				66	2nd
				25	Didier Pironi	Ret	4	3	6	1	Ret	2	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	6	3	3
				26	Jacques Laffite	Ret	Ret	2	Ret	11	2	3	Ret	1	4	3	9	8	5
1981	JS17	Matra MS81 3.0 V12	M			USW	BRA	ARG	SMR	BEL	MON	ESP	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	CAN	CPL			44	4th
				25	Jean-Pierre Jarier	Ret	7
					Jean-Pierre Jabouille			DNQ	NC	Ret	DNQ	Ret
					Patrick Tambay								Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret
				26	Jacques Laffite	Ret	6	Ret	Ret	2	3	2	Ret	3	3	1	Ret	Ret	1	6
1982	JS17 JS17B JS19	Matra MS81 3.0 V12	M			RSA	BRA	USW	SMR	BEL	MON	DET	CAN	NED	GBR	FRA	GER	AUT	SUI	ITA	CPL		20	8th
				25	Eddie Cheever	Ret	Ret	Ret	WD	3	Ret	2	10	DNQ	Ret	16	Ret	Ret	Ret	6	3
				26	Jacques Laffite	Ret	Ret	Ret	WD	9	Ret	6	Ret	Ret	Ret	14	Ret	3	Ret	Ret	Ret
1983	JS21	Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Ford Cosworth DFY 3.0 V8	M			BRA	USW	FRA	SMR	MON	BEL	DET	CAN	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	EUR	RSA			0	NC
				25	Jean-Pierre Jarier	Ret	Ret	9	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	10	8	7	Ret	9	Ret	10
				26	Raul Boesel	Ret	7	Ret	9	Ret	13	10	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNQ	10	DNQ	15	NC
1984	JS23	Renault EF4 1.5 V6 t	M			BRA	RSA	BEL	SMR	FRA	MON	CAN	DET	DAL	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	EUR	POR		3	10th
				25	François Hesnault	Ret	10	Ret	Ret	DNS	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	8	8	7	Ret	10	Ret
				26	Andrea de Cesaris	Ret	5	Ret	6	10	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	10	7	Ret	Ret	Ret	7	12
1985	JS25	Renault EF4B 1.5 V6 t	P			BRA	POR	SMR	MON	CAN	DET	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	BEL	EUR	RSA	AUS		23	6th
				25	Andrea de Cesaris	Ret	Ret	Ret	4	14	10	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret
					Philippe Streiff												10	9	8	WD	3
				26	Jacques Laffite	6	Ret	Ret	6	8	12	Ret	3	3	Ret	Ret	Ret	11	Ret	WD	2
1986	JS27	Renault EF4B 1.5 V6 t	P			BRA	ESP	SMR	MON	BEL	CAN	DET	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	AUT	ITA	POR	MEX	AUS		29	5th
				25	René Arnoux	4	Ret	Ret	5	Ret	6	Ret	5	4	4	Ret	10	Ret	7	15	7
				26	Jacques Laffite	3	Ret	Ret	6	5	7	2	6	Ret
					Philippe Alliot										Ret	9	Ret	Ret	Ret	6	8
1987	JS29B JS29C	Megatron M12/13 1.5 L4 t	G			BRA	SMR	BEL	MON	DET	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	AUT	ITA	POR	ESP	MEX	JPN	AUS		1	11th
				25	René Arnoux		DNS	6	11	10	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	10	10	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret
				26	Piercarlo Ghinzani		Ret	7	12	Ret	Ret	EX	Ret	12	8	8	Ret	Ret	Ret	13	Ret
1988	JS31	Judd CV 3.5 V8	G			BRA	SMR	MON	MEX	CAN	DET	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	POR	ESP	JPN	AUS		0	NC
				25	René Arnoux	Ret	DNQ	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	DNQ	18	17	Ret	Ret	13	10	Ret	17	Ret
				26	Stefan Johansson	9	DNQ	Ret	10	Ret	Ret	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ	Ret	11	DNQ	Ret	Ret	DNQ	9
1989	JS33	Ford Cosworth DFR 3.5 V8	G			BRA	SMR	MON	MEX	USA	CAN	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	POR	ESP	JPN	AUS		3	13th
				25	René Arnoux	DNQ	DNQ	12	14	DNQ	5	Ret	DNQ	11	DNQ	Ret	9	13	DNQ	DNQ	Ret
				26	Olivier Grouillard	9	DSQ	Ret	8	DNQ	DNQ	6	7	Ret	DNQ	13	Ret	DNQ	Ret	Ret	Ret
1990	JS33B	Ford Cosworth DFR 3.5 V8	G			USA	BRA	SMR	MON	CAN	MEX	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	POR	ESP	JPN	AUS		0	NC
				25	Nicola Larini	Ret	11	10	Ret	Ret	16	14	10	10	11	14	11	10	7	7	10
				26	Philippe Alliot	EX	12	9	Ret	Ret	18	9	13	DSQ	14	DNQ	13	Ret	Ret	10	11
1991	JS35 JS35B	Lamborghini 3512 3.5 V12	G			USA	BRA	SMR	MON	CAN	MEX	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	POR	ESP	JPN	AUS		0	NC
				25	Thierry Boutsen	Ret	Ret	7	7	Ret	8	12	Ret	9	17	11	Ret	16	Ret	9	Ret
				26	Érik Comas	DNQ	Ret	10	10	8	DNQ	11	DNQ	Ret	10	Ret	11	11	Ret	Ret	18
1992	JS37	Renault RS3B 3.5 V10 Renault RS3C 3.5 V10	G			RSA	MEX	BRA	ESP	SMR	MON	CAN	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	POR	JPN	AUS		6	7th
				25	Thierry Boutsen	Ret	10	Ret	Ret	Ret	12	10	Ret	10	7	Ret	Ret	Ret	8	Ret	5
				26	Érik Comas	7	9	Ret	Ret	9	10	6	5	8	6	Ret		Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret
1993	JS39	Renault RS5 3.5 V10	G			RSA	BRA	EUR	SMR	ESP	MON	CAN	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	POR	JPN	AUS		23	5th
				25	Martin Brundle	Ret	Ret	Ret	3	Ret	6	5	5	14	8	5	7	Ret	6	9	6
				26	Mark Blundell	3	5	Ret	Ret	7	Ret	Ret	Ret	7	3	7	11	Ret	Ret	7	9
1994	JS39B	Renault RS6 3.5 V10	G			BRA	PAC	SMR	MON	ESP	CAN	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	POR	EUR	JPN	AUS		13	6th
				25	Éric Bernard	Ret	10	12	Ret	8	13	Ret	13	3	10	10	7	10
					Johnny Herbert														8
					Franck Lagorce															Ret	11
				26	Olivier Panis	11	9	11	9	7	12	Ret	12	2	6	7	10	DSQ	9	11	5
1995	JS41	Mugen-Honda MF-301 3.0 V10	G			BRA	ARG	SMR	ESP	MON	CAN	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	POR	EUR	PAC	JPN	AUS	24	5th
				25	Aguri Suzuki	8	Ret	11						6						Ret	DNS
					Martin Brundle				9	Ret	10	4	Ret		Ret	3	Ret	8	7			Ret
				26	Olivier Panis	Ret	7	9	6	Ret	4	8	4	Ret	6	9	Ret	Ret	Ret	8	5	2
1996	JS43	Mugen-Honda MF-301 HA 3.0 V10	G			AUS	BRA	ARG	EUR	SMR	MON	ESP	CAN	FRA	GBR	GER	HUN	BEL	ITA	POR	JPN		15	6th
				9	Olivier Panis	7	6	8	Ret	Ret	1	Ret	Ret	7	Ret	7	5	Ret	Ret	10	7
				10	Pedro Diniz	10	8	Ret	10	7	Ret	6	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	Ret	6	Ret	Ret

Notes

1. "Case History". Corktree.tripod.com. Retrieved 2014-02-04.
2. "GP Encyclopedia – Constructors – Ligier (Equipe Ligier)". Grandprix.com. 2007-03-10. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
3. "Corporate". Ligier.fr (in French). Retrieved 1 August 2014.
4. "1969 - 1970 Ligier JS1 - Images, Specifications and Information". Ultimatecarpage.com. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
5. "1971 Ligier JS3 Cosworth - Images, Specifications and Information". Ultimatecarpage.com. 2004-11-23. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
6. "Le Mans Register - 1975". Formula2.net. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
7. Chassis, engine and driver were French. The gearbox was British (Hewland) and the tyres American (Goodyear). Jean-Pierre Jabouille and Renault achieved victory at the 1979 French Grand Prix with an all-Renault car and Michelin tyres.
8. Dupuis, Jérôme (17 October 1996). "L'Etat gaspilleur" [The Wasteful State]. L'Express (in French). Retrieved 7 March 2010.
9. "6th Gear - Years in Gear - Grand Prix cars that never raced". Forix.com. Retrieved 2014-02-04.
10. "News channel". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
11. Sam Collins (2007-11-29). "Ligier JS49 VdeV CN | Sportscar". Racecar Engineering. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
12. http://www.frenchrendezvous.cc/ligier/ligier-js49/default.htm

External links

• Official website