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|lastwin = [[1996 Monaco Grand Prix]]
  
|lastwin = [[1996 Monaco Grand Prix]]
 
|lastrace = [[1996 Japanese Grand Prix]]
  
|lastrace = [[1996 Japanese Grand Prix]]
−
|notes = Became [[Prost Grand Prix]] in {{F1|1997}}.
 +
|notes = Became [[Prost Grand Prix]] in {{F1|1997}}.}}
−
}}
  
 
'''Equipe Ligier''' ({{respell|lee|JEE|ay}}) is French motorsport team that competed in [[Formula One]] from {{F1|1976}} to {{F1|1996}}. It was founded by former rugby player and racing driver [[Guy Ligier]], who initially created Ligier in 1968.
  
'''Equipe Ligier''' ({{respell|lee|JEE|ay}}) is French motorsport team that competed in [[Formula One]] from {{F1|1976}} to {{F1|1996}}. It was founded by former rugby player and racing driver [[Guy Ligier]], who initially created Ligier in 1968.
   
 
In {{F1|1976}}, Guy Ligier bought the assets of the {{Matra-CON}} team and started his F1 team, with a sole entry for [[Jacques Laffite]]. The team's first win was at the [[1977 Swedish Grand Prix]], the team took nine victories, fifty podiums, and one came second in the Constructors' Championship. In {{F1|1997}}, the team was sold to four-time World Champion [[Alain Prost]] who renamed the team [[Prost Grand Prix]].
  
In {{F1|1976}}, Guy Ligier bought the assets of the {{Matra-CON}} team and started his F1 team, with a sole entry for [[Jacques Laffite]]. The team's first win was at the [[1977 Swedish Grand Prix]], the team took nine victories, fifty podiums, and one came second in the Constructors' Championship. In {{F1|1997}}, the team was sold to four-time World Champion [[Alain Prost]] who renamed the team [[Prost Grand Prix]].
   
−
The chassis names, e.g. [[Ligier JS05|JS05]], were named of honour of [[Jo Schlesser]] (J. S.), who was a friend of Guy Ligier.
 +
The chassis names, e.g. [[Ligier JS5|JS5]], were named of honour of [[Jo Schlesser]] (J. S.), who was a friend of Guy Ligier.
   
 
==History==
  
==History==
−
===1976-1978: Ligier-Matra first era===
 +
===1976-1978: The beginnings===
  +
In {{F1|1976}}, Ligier entered Formula One with their single driver [[Jacques Laffite]] and their car, the [[Ligier JS5|JS5]]. Laffite secured one pole position and three podiums, and the team finished fifth in the Drivers' Championship.
−
===1979-1980: Ligier-Ford first era===
  
  +
−
===1981-1982: Ligier-Matra second era===
  
  +
The following year in {{F1|1977}}, the [[Ligier JS7|JS7]] secured the team's first win at the {{F1 GP|1977|Swedish}}. Fellow French driver [[Jean-Pierre Jarier]] entered the team at the final round in [[1977 Japanese Grand Prix|Japan]].
−
===1983: Ligier-Ford second era===
  
  +
−
===1984-1986: Ligier-Renault first era===
  
  +
But again in {{F1|1978}}, Ligier decided to enter with only a single driver for the season. The team had a decent reliability, finishing 14 out of 16 races during the season.
−
===1987: Ligier-Megatron===
  
  +
−
===1988: Ligier-Judd===
  
−
===1989-1990: Ligier-Ford third era===
 +
===1979-1980: Switch to Ford engines===
  +
For the {{F1|1979}} season, Ligier switched to Ford Cosworth engines. The team recruited fellow Frenchman [[Patrick Depailler]] to race for the team. The team's car, the [[Ligier JS11|JS11]], was an improvement over the predecessor, securing three wins, five podiums, four pole positions and two fastest laps just before Depailler was in a hang-gliding accident, resting him out for the rest of the season and being replaced by Belgian [[Jacky Ickx]].
−
===1991-1994: Ligier-Renault second era===
  
  +
−
{{Main|1991 Ligier Season}}, ''[[1992 Ligier Season]], [[1993 Ligier Season]] and [[1994 Ligier Season]]''
  
  +
Ligier signed [[Didier Pironi]] from {{Tyrrell-CON}} for the {{F1|1980}} season, while Laffite was retained for another season. It was the team's most successful year, finishing in second in the Constructors' Championship with 66 points. After the season, Pironi landed a seat at {{Ferrari-CON}}.
−
===1995-1996: Ligier-Mugen Honda===
  
  +
−
{{Main|1995 Ligier Season}} ''and [[1996 Ligier Season]]''
  
  +
===1981-1982: Matra engines===
  +
Ligier's drivers for the {{F1|1981}} season were Jacques Laffite and [[Jean-Pierre Jabouille]], but due to Jabouille's crash at the {{F1 GP|1980|Canadian}} last year, [[Jean-Pierre Jarier]] were the team's temporary driver for the first two races of the season.
  +
  +
Jabouille returned for the {{F1 GP|1981|Argentine}}, but he was not fully fit and decided to retire from Formula One racing, being replaced by [[Patrick Tambay]] for the remainder of the season. He then became the team manager the following year in {{F1|1982}}.
  +
  +
Tambay failed to finish any race during the season, retiring from all eight races, while Laffite secured two wins, seven podiums and a single pole position and fastest lap.
  +
  +
For {{F1|1982}}, the team signed [[Eddie Cheever]] from Tyrrell. Despite a few podiums scored, the team were not competitive as they were in the previous years, and finished eighth in the Constructors' Championship.
  +
  +
===1983: Return to Ford===
  +
The {{F1|1983}} season was a disappointment for the team. Having two drivers [[Jean-Pierre Jarier]] and [[Raul Boesel]] recruited, the team failed to score any points and failed to qualify two times during the season.
  +
  +
===1984-1986: Supply from Renault===
  +
After a disappointing 1983 season, the team owner [[Guy Ligier]] secured the use of {{Renault-ENG}} V6 turbocharged engines for {{F1|1984}}. The team signed [[François Hesnault]] and [[Andrea de Cesaris]] for the season. However, it was another unsuccessful year for Ligier, securing only three points and a 9th place in the Constructors' Championship.
  +
  +
{{F1|1985}} was a major improvement for the team after an unsuccessful season the previous year. Laffite returned to the team after two unsuccessful years at {{Williams-CON}}, with de Cesaris being retained for another year. The team, with their [[Ligier JS25|JS25]] car and the Renault engines secured two third places at [[1985 British Grand Prix|Britain]] and [[1985 German Grand Prix|Germany]]. However, at the {{F1 GP|1985|Austrian}}, Andrea de Cesaris destroyed his car in a high-speed roll-over crash on lap 14. As the team had not yet seen the accident on the television monitors, he told the team that the car stalled and that he could not restart it, until the team saw the crash on replay and were shocked. Guy Ligier fell out with de Cesaris and he was sacked from the team, being replaced by [[Philippe Streiff]] for the remainder of the season.
  +
  +
Ligier finished off their season with a double podium at the {{F1 GP|1985|Australian}}, with Laffite finishing second and Streiff third.
  +
  +
For {{F1|1986}}, former {{Ferrari-CON}} driver [[René Arnoux]] was hired by the team, partnering alongside Jacques Laffite. The team were competitive throughout the season until Laffite had a big accident at the {{F1 GP|1986|British}}, breaking both his legs and retiring from Formula One. After the accident, [[Philippe Alliot]] was his replacement for the rest of the season, but the team could only manage four points. Ligier finished their season in fifth in the Constructors' Championship.
  +
  +
===1987-1991: The struggle===
  +
In {{F1|1987}}, the team signed [[Piercarlo Ghinzani]] to partner alongside Arnoux. Ligier were originally supposed to be supplied by {{Alfa Romeo-ENG}} engines, but due to Arnoux's criticism of the engine, Alfa Romeo pulled the plug on the project, leaving the team without any engine supplier. The team did not participated in the season-opening {{F1 GP|1987|Brazilian}} until the team acquired the supply of {{Megatron-ENG}}, which was the old {{BMW-ENG}} M12 engine used by teams such as {{Brabham-CON}} the previous year.
  +
  +
As a result of the engine supply change, the team struggled throughout the season and could only score a single point at the {{F1 GP|1987|Belgian}}.
  +
  +
Ghinzani signed for Zakspeed at the end of the season, so Ligier signed [[Stefan Johansson]] for the next year.
  +
  +
However, the {{F1|1988}} season would be worse for the team. With a switch to the under-powered {{Judd-ENG}} engine, the team failed to score any points during the season, also failing to qualify eight times.
  +
  +
Johansson left the team and the team replaced him with [[Olivier Grouillard]]. As Ligier switched to {{Ford-ENG}} engines, the {{F1|1989}} season was another unsuccessful year, with the team failing to qualify 11 times, despite finishing in the points at [[1989 Canadian Grand Prix|Canada]] and [[1989 French Grand Prix|France]].
  +
  +
Both drivers would be replaced by [[Nicola Larini]] and [[Philippe Alliot]] for 1990. Despite a fine reliability with the Ford engines, the team failed to score points during the season.
  +
  +
In {{F1|1991}}, both drivers Larini and Alliot were replaced by {{Williams-CON}} driver [[Thierry Boutsen]] and International F3000 champion [[Érik Comas]]. With a switch to the {{Lamborghini-ENG}} engines previously supplied by {{Team Lotus-CON}} and {{Larrousse-CON}}, the team faced another disappointing start to the season, with the car designers [[Michel Beaujon]] and [[Claude Galopin]] being sacked by the team owner Guy Ligier. [[Frank Dernie]] and [[Gérard Ducarouge]] were recruited by the team mid-season and upgraded the [[Ligier JS35|JS35]] to the B-spec version of the car.
  +
  +
===1992-1993: The step-up===
  +
For the {{F1|1992}} season, the team returned to supply the {{Renault-ENG}} V10 engines and retained both drivers from the previous season. It proved to be an improvement for the team, culminating two fifth and sixth place finishes.
  +
  +
The {{F1|1993}} season saw both drivers replaced by two British drivers [[Martin Brundle]] and [[Mark Blundell]], who previously drove for {{Benetton-CON}} and {{Brabham-CON}} respectively. Ligier kickstarted their season with Blundell finishing in third place at the {{F1 GP|1993|South African}}, the team's first podium since the [[1986 Detroit Grand Prix]]. Results continued to improve for the remainder of the season, and due to the improvement, both drivers left the team to race for {{McLaren-CON}} and {{Tyrrell-CON}} respectively.
  +
  +
===1994-1996: Briatore and Walkinshaw's takeover===
  +
After both drivers from the previous year left the team, the team signed both Frenchmen [[Éric Bernard]] and [[Olivier Panis]] for {{F1|1994}}. The B-spec version of the [[Ligier JS39|JS39]] was not as competitive as its predecessor, but was the most reliable car out of all other cars during the season. In the {{F1 GP|1994|German}}, the team secured their double podium finish of the season, with Panis finishing second and Bernard third.
  +
  +
Bernard was dropped after the {{F1 GP|1994|Portuguese}} and was replaced by [[Johnny Herbert]] for the {{F1 GP|1994|European}}, until [[Franck Lagorce]] raced for the last two rounds.
  +
  +
Late in 1994, [[Flavio Briatore]] purchased the team.
  +
  +
For the {{F1|1995}} season, [[Tom Walkinshaw]] bought 50% of the Ligier team. He intended to take over the team completely but could not purchase the remaining stake of the team, pulling him out of the deal.
  +
  +
The team signed [[Aguri Suzuki]] to partner alongside Olivier Panis for the {{F1|1995}} season, meanwhile Brundle shared seats with Suzuki for a few rounds. With the {{Mugen-Honda-ENG}} engines supplied for the season, the team went competitive through the season. Suzuki retired from Formula One after a qualifying accident in the {{F1 GP|1995|Japanese}}, and Brundle left to race with {{Jordan-CON}} the following year.
  +
  +
For the {{F1|1996}} season, [[Pedro Diniz]] signed for the team from {{Forti-CON}}, meanwhile the team retained Panis for another year. At the {{F1 GP|1996|Monaco}}, Panis secured the team's first victory since the {{F1 GP|1981|Canadian}}. To date, it is the last victory for a French Formula One driver.
  +
  +
After the season, [[Alain Prost]] bought the team and renamed it to [[Prost Grand Prix]] for {{F1|1997}}. The team would continue on until it folded at the end of {{F1|2001}}.
   
 
==Team Record==
  
==Team Record==
Line 46: Line 100:
 
! Name
  
! Name
 
|-
  
|-
−
| {{F1|1976}}–{{F1|1978}}, {{F1|1986}}
 +
| {{F1|1976}}, {{F1|1985}}-{{F1|1986}}
 
| Equipe Ligier
  
| Equipe Ligier
 
|-
  
|-
−
| {{F1|1979}}
 +
| {{F1|1977}}-{{F1|1979}}
 
| Ligier Gitanes
  
| Ligier Gitanes
 
|-
  
|-
Line 58: Line 112:
 
| Equipe Talbot Gitanes
  
| Equipe Talbot Gitanes
 
|-
  
|-
−
| {{F1|1984}}
 +
| {{F1|1984}}, {{F1|1987}}–{{F1|1989}}
−
| Equipe Ligier Loto
  
−
|-
  
−
| {{F1|1987}}–{{F1|1989}}
  
 
| Ligier Loto
  
| Ligier Loto
 
|-
  
|-
Line 72: Line 123:
   
 
===Season-by-season record===
  
===Season-by-season record===
  +
{| class=wikitable style="font-size: 85%"
  +
! Year
  +
! Car
  +
! Tyres
  +
! Engine(s)
  +
! No.
  +
! Drivers
  +
! Rounds
  +
! WCC Position
  +
! Test Drivers
  +
! Report
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1976}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS5|JS5]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Matra-ENG}}
  +
|26
  +
|{{FRA}} [[Jacques Laffite]]
  +
|All
  +
|5th (20 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1976 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1977}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS7|JS7]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Matra-ENG}}
  +
|26<br>27
  +
|{{FRA}} [[Jacques Laffite]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Jean-Pierre Jarier]]
  +
|All<br>17
  +
|10th (18 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1977 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1978}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS9|JS9]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Matra-ENG}}
  +
|26
  +
|{{FRA}} [[Jacques Laffite]]
  +
|All
  +
|6th (19 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1978 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1979}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS11|JS11]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Ford Cosworth-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>25<br>26
  +
|{{FRA}} [[Patrick Depailler]]<br>{{BEL}} [[Jacky Ickx]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Jacques Laffite]]
  +
|1-7<br>8-15<br>All
  +
|bgcolor="FFDF9F"|'''3rd (61 pts)'''
  +
|
  +
|[[1979 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1980}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS11|JS11/15]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Ford Cosworth-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>26
  +
|{{FRA}} [[Didier Pironi]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Jacques Laffite]]
  +
|All<br>All
  +
|bgcolor="DFDFDF"|'''2nd (66 pts)'''
  +
|
  +
|[[1980 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1981}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS17|JS17]]
  +
|{{Michelin}}
  +
|{{Matra-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>25<br>25<br>26
  +
|{{FRA}} [[Jean-Pierre Jarier]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Jean-Pierre Jabouille]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Patrick Tambay]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Jacques Laffite]]
  +
|1-2<br>3-7<br>8-15<br>All
  +
|4th (44 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1981 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1982}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS17|JS17]]<br>[[Ligier JS17|JS17B]]<br>[[Ligier JS19|JS19]]
  +
|{{Michelin}}
  +
|{{Matra-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>26
  +
|{{USA}} [[Eddie Cheever]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Jacques Laffite]]
  +
|All<br>All
  +
|8th (20 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1982 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1983}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS21|JS21]]
  +
|{{Michelin}}
  +
|{{Ford Cosworth-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>26
  +
|{{FRA}} [[Jean-Pierre Jarier]]<br>{{BRA}} [[Raul Boesel]]
  +
|All<br>All
  +
|NC (0 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1983 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1984}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS23|JS23]]
  +
|{{Michelin}}
  +
|{{Renault-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>26
  +
|{{FRA}} [[François Hesnault]]<br>{{ITA}} [[Andrea de Cesaris]]
  +
|All<br>All
  +
|10th (3 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1984 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1985}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS25|JS25]]
  +
|{{Pirelli}}
  +
|{{Renault-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>25<br>26
  +
|{{ITA}} [[Andrea de Cesaris]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Philippe Streiff]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Jacques Laffite]]
  +
|1-11<br>12-16<br>All
  +
|6th (23 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1985 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1986}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS27|JS27]]
  +
|{{Pirelli}}
  +
|{{Renault-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>26<br>26
  +
|{{FRA}} [[René Arnoux]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Jacques Laffite]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Philippe Alliot]]
  +
|All<br>1-9<br>10-11
  +
|5th (29 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1986 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1987}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS29B|JS29B]]<br>[[Ligier JS29C|JS29C]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Megatron-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>26
  +
|{{FRA}} [[René Arnoux]]<br>{{ITA}} [[Piercarlo Ghinzani]]
  +
|All<br>All
  +
|11th (1 pt)
  +
|
  +
|[[1987 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1988}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS31|JS31]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Judd-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>26
  +
|{{FRA}} [[René Arnoux]]<br>{{SWE}} [[Stefan Johansson]]
  +
|All<br>All
  +
|NC (0 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1988 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1989}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS33|JS33]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Ford Cosworth-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>26
  +
|{{FRA}} [[René Arnoux]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Olivier Grouillard]]
  +
|All<br>All
  +
|13th (3 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1989 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1990}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS33|JS33B]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Ford Cosworth-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>26
  +
|{{ITA}} [[Nicola Larini]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Philippe Alliot]]
  +
|All<br>All
  +
|NC (0 pts)
  +
|{{FRA}} [[Emmanuel Collard]]
  +
|[[1990 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1991}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS35|JS35]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Lamborghini-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>26
  +
|{{BEL}} [[Thierry Boutsen]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Érik Comas]]
  +
|All<br>All
  +
|NC (0 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1991 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1992}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS37|JS37]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Renault-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>26
  +
|{{BEL}} [[Thierry Boutsen]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Érik Comas]]
  +
|All<br>All
  +
|7th (6 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1992 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1993}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS39|JS39]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Renault-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>26
  +
|{{GBR}} [[Martin Brundle]]<br>{{GBR}} [[Mark Blundell]]
  +
|All<br>All
  +
|5th (23 pts)
  +
|{{FRA}} [[Éric Bernard]]
  +
|[[1993 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1994}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS39|JS39B]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Renault-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>25<br>25<br>26
  +
|{{FRA}} [[Éric Bernard]]<br>{{GBR}} [[Johnny Herbert]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Franck Lagorce]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Olivier Panis]]
  +
|1-13<br>14<br>15-16<br>All
  +
|6th (13 pts)
  +
|{{FRA}} [[Franck Lagorce]]<br>{{GER}} [[Michael Schumacher]] (one-off testing)<br>{{ITA}} [[Max Papis]]<br>{{GER}} [[Jörg Müller]]
  +
|[[1994 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1995}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS41|JS41]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Mugen-Honda-ENG}}
  +
|25<br>25<br>26
  +
|{{JPN}} [[Aguri Suzuki]]<br>{{GBR}} [[Martin Brundle]]<br>{{FRA}} [[Olivier Panis]]
  +
|1-3, 9, 15-16<br>4-8, 10-14, 17<br>All
  +
|5th (24 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1995 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|-
  +
|{{F1|1996}}
  +
|[[Ligier JS43|JS43]]
  +
|{{Goodyear}}
  +
|{{Mugen-Honda-ENG}}
  +
|9<br>10
  +
|{{FRA}} [[Olivier Panis]]<br>{{BRA}} [[Pedro Diniz]]
  +
|All<br>All
  +
|6th (15 pts)
  +
|
  +
|[[1996 Ligier Season|Report]]
  +
|}
   
 
==Equipe Ligier Driver Count==
  
==Equipe Ligier Driver Count==
Line 169: Line 463:
 
|1
  
|1
 
|}
  
|}
  +
  +
{{Ligier}}
  +
 
[[Category:Constructors]]
  
[[Category:Constructors]]
 
[[Category:French Constructors]]
  
[[Category:French Constructors]]
 
[[Category:1976 Début Constructors]]
  
[[Category:1976 Début Constructors]]
 
[[Category:Equipe Ligier]]
  
[[Category:Equipe Ligier]]
  +
[[Category:Teams based in France]]

Revision as of 21:36, 10 November 2020

Equipe Ligier (lee-JEE-ay) is French motorsport team that competed in Formula One from 1976 to 1996. It was founded by former rugby player and racing driver Guy Ligier, who initially created Ligier in 1968.

In 1976, Guy Ligier bought the assets of the Matra team and started his F1 team, with a sole entry for Jacques Laffite. The team's first win was at the 1977 Swedish Grand Prix, the team took nine victories, fifty podiums, and one came second in the Constructors' Championship. In 1997, the team was sold to four-time World Champion Alain Prost who renamed the team Prost Grand Prix.

The chassis names, e.g. JS5, were named of honour of Jo Schlesser (J. S.), who was a friend of Guy Ligier.

History

1976-1978: The beginnings

In 1976, Ligier entered Formula One with their single driver Jacques Laffite and their car, the JS5. Laffite secured one pole position and three podiums, and the team finished fifth in the Drivers' Championship.

The following year in 1977, the JS7 secured the team's first win at the Swedish Grand Prix. Fellow French driver Jean-Pierre Jarier entered the team at the final round in Japan.

But again in 1978, Ligier decided to enter with only a single driver for the season. The team had a decent reliability, finishing 14 out of 16 races during the season.

1979-1980: Switch to Ford engines

For the 1979 season, Ligier switched to Ford Cosworth engines. The team recruited fellow Frenchman Patrick Depailler to race for the team. The team's car, the JS11, was an improvement over the predecessor, securing three wins, five podiums, four pole positions and two fastest laps just before Depailler was in a hang-gliding accident, resting him out for the rest of the season and being replaced by Belgian Jacky Ickx.

Ligier signed Didier Pironi from Tyrrell for the 1980 season, while Laffite was retained for another season. It was the team's most successful year, finishing in second in the Constructors' Championship with 66 points. After the season, Pironi landed a seat at Ferrari.

1981-1982: Matra engines

Ligier's drivers for the 1981 season were Jacques Laffite and Jean-Pierre Jabouille, but due to Jabouille's crash at the Canadian Grand Prix last year, Jean-Pierre Jarier were the team's temporary driver for the first two races of the season.

Jabouille returned for the Argentine Grand Prix, but he was not fully fit and decided to retire from Formula One racing, being replaced by Patrick Tambay for the remainder of the season. He then became the team manager the following year in 1982.

Tambay failed to finish any race during the season, retiring from all eight races, while Laffite secured two wins, seven podiums and a single pole position and fastest lap.

For 1982, the team signed Eddie Cheever from Tyrrell. Despite a few podiums scored, the team were not competitive as they were in the previous years, and finished eighth in the Constructors' Championship.

1983: Return to Ford

The 1983 season was a disappointment for the team. Having two drivers Jean-Pierre Jarier and Raul Boesel recruited, the team failed to score any points and failed to qualify two times during the season.

1984-1986: Supply from Renault

After a disappointing 1983 season, the team owner Guy Ligier secured the use of Renault V6 turbocharged engines for 1984. The team signed François Hesnault and Andrea de Cesaris for the season. However, it was another unsuccessful year for Ligier, securing only three points and a 9th place in the Constructors' Championship.

1985 was a major improvement for the team after an unsuccessful season the previous year. Laffite returned to the team after two unsuccessful years at Williams, with de Cesaris being retained for another year. The team, with their JS25 car and the Renault engines secured two third places at Britain and Germany. However, at the Austrian Grand Prix, Andrea de Cesaris destroyed his car in a high-speed roll-over crash on lap 14. As the team had not yet seen the accident on the television monitors, he told the team that the car stalled and that he could not restart it, until the team saw the crash on replay and were shocked. Guy Ligier fell out with de Cesaris and he was sacked from the team, being replaced by Philippe Streiff for the remainder of the season.

Ligier finished off their season with a double podium at the Australian Grand Prix, with Laffite finishing second and Streiff third.

For 1986, former Ferrari driver René Arnoux was hired by the team, partnering alongside Jacques Laffite. The team were competitive throughout the season until Laffite had a big accident at the British Grand Prix, breaking both his legs and retiring from Formula One. After the accident, Philippe Alliot was his replacement for the rest of the season, but the team could only manage four points. Ligier finished their season in fifth in the Constructors' Championship.

1987-1991: The struggle

In 1987, the team signed Piercarlo Ghinzani to partner alongside Arnoux. Ligier were originally supposed to be supplied by Alfa Romeo engines, but due to Arnoux's criticism of the engine, Alfa Romeo pulled the plug on the project, leaving the team without any engine supplier. The team did not participated in the season-opening Brazilian Grand Prix until the team acquired the supply of Megatron, which was the old BMW M12 engine used by teams such as Brabham the previous year.

As a result of the engine supply change, the team struggled throughout the season and could only score a single point at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Ghinzani signed for Zakspeed at the end of the season, so Ligier signed Stefan Johansson for the next year.

However, the 1988 season would be worse for the team. With a switch to the under-powered Judd engine, the team failed to score any points during the season, also failing to qualify eight times.

Johansson left the team and the team replaced him with Olivier Grouillard. As Ligier switched to Ford engines, the 1989 season was another unsuccessful year, with the team failing to qualify 11 times, despite finishing in the points at Canada and France.

Both drivers would be replaced by Nicola Larini and Philippe Alliot for 1990. Despite a fine reliability with the Ford engines, the team failed to score points during the season.

In 1991, both drivers Larini and Alliot were replaced by Williams driver Thierry Boutsen and International F3000 champion Érik Comas. With a switch to the Lamborghini engines previously supplied by Lotus and Larrousse, the team faced another disappointing start to the season, with the car designers Michel Beaujon and Claude Galopin being sacked by the team owner Guy Ligier. Frank Dernie and Gérard Ducarouge were recruited by the team mid-season and upgraded the JS35 to the B-spec version of the car.

1992-1993: The step-up

For the 1992 season, the team returned to supply the Renault V10 engines and retained both drivers from the previous season. It proved to be an improvement for the team, culminating two fifth and sixth place finishes.

The 1993 season saw both drivers replaced by two British drivers Martin Brundle and Mark Blundell, who previously drove for Benetton and Brabham respectively. Ligier kickstarted their season with Blundell finishing in third place at the South African Grand Prix, the team's first podium since the 1986 Detroit Grand Prix. Results continued to improve for the remainder of the season, and due to the improvement, both drivers left the team to race for McLaren and Tyrrell respectively.

1994-1996: Briatore and Walkinshaw's takeover

After both drivers from the previous year left the team, the team signed both Frenchmen Éric Bernard and Olivier Panis for 1994. The B-spec version of the JS39 was not as competitive as its predecessor, but was the most reliable car out of all other cars during the season. In the German Grand Prix, the team secured their double podium finish of the season, with Panis finishing second and Bernard third.

Bernard was dropped after the Portuguese Grand Prix and was replaced by Johnny Herbert for the European Grand Prix, until Franck Lagorce raced for the last two rounds.

Late in 1994, Flavio Briatore purchased the team.

For the 1995 season, Tom Walkinshaw bought 50% of the Ligier team. He intended to take over the team completely but could not purchase the remaining stake of the team, pulling him out of the deal.

The team signed Aguri Suzuki to partner alongside Olivier Panis for the 1995 season, meanwhile Brundle shared seats with Suzuki for a few rounds. With the Mugen-Honda engines supplied for the season, the team went competitive through the season. Suzuki retired from Formula One after a qualifying accident in the Japanese Grand Prix, and Brundle left to race with Jordan the following year.

For the 1996 season, Pedro Diniz signed for the team from Forti, meanwhile the team retained Panis for another year. At the Monaco Grand Prix, Panis secured the team's first victory since the Canadian Grand Prix. To date, it is the last victory for a French Formula One driver.

After the season, Alain Prost bought the team and renamed it to Prost Grand Prix for 1997. The team would continue on until it folded at the end of 2001.

Team Record

Team Names

Years Name
1976, 1985-1986 Equipe Ligier
1977-1979 Ligier Gitanes
1980, 1983, 1985, 1990–1991 Equipe Ligier Gitanes
1981–1982 Equipe Talbot Gitanes
1984, 1987–1989 Ligier Loto
1992–1995 Ligier Gitanes Blondes
1996 Ligier Gauloises Blondes

Season-by-season record

Year Car Tyres Engine(s) No. Drivers Rounds WCC Position Test Drivers Report
1976 JS5 G Matra 26 France Jacques Laffite All 5th (20 pts) Report
1977 JS7 G Matra 26
27 		France Jacques Laffite
France Jean-Pierre Jarier 		All
17 		10th (18 pts) Report
1978 JS9 G Matra 26 France Jacques Laffite All 6th (19 pts) Report
1979 JS11 G Ford Cosworth 25
25
26 		France Patrick Depailler
Belgium Jacky Ickx
France Jacques Laffite 		1-7
8-15
All 		3rd (61 pts) Report
1980 JS11/15 G Ford Cosworth 25
26 		France Didier Pironi
France Jacques Laffite 		All
All 		2nd (66 pts) Report
1981 JS17 M Matra 25
25
25
26 		France Jean-Pierre Jarier
France Jean-Pierre Jabouille
France Patrick Tambay
France Jacques Laffite 		1-2
3-7
8-15
All 		4th (44 pts) Report
1982 JS17
JS17B
JS19 		M Matra 25
26 		United States Eddie Cheever
France Jacques Laffite 		All
All 		8th (20 pts) Report
1983 JS21 M Ford Cosworth 25
26 		France Jean-Pierre Jarier
Brazil Raul Boesel 		All
All 		NC (0 pts) Report
1984 JS23 M Renault 25
26 		France François Hesnault
Italy Andrea de Cesaris 		All
All 		10th (3 pts) Report
1985 JS25 P Renault 25
25
26 		Italy Andrea de Cesaris
France Philippe Streiff
France Jacques Laffite 		1-11
12-16
All 		6th (23 pts) Report
1986 JS27 P Renault 25
26
26 		France René Arnoux
France Jacques Laffite
France Philippe Alliot 		All
1-9
10-11 		5th (29 pts) Report
1987 JS29B
JS29C 		G Megatron 25
26 		France René Arnoux
Italy Piercarlo Ghinzani 		All
All 		11th (1 pt) Report
1988 JS31 G Judd 25
26 		France René Arnoux
Sweden Stefan Johansson 		All
All 		NC (0 pts) Report
1989 JS33 G Ford Cosworth 25
26 		France René Arnoux
France Olivier Grouillard 		All
All 		13th (3 pts) Report
1990 JS33B G Ford Cosworth 25
26 		Italy Nicola Larini
France Philippe Alliot 		All
All 		NC (0 pts) France Emmanuel Collard Report
1991 JS35 G Lamborghini 25
26 		Belgium Thierry Boutsen
France Érik Comas 		All
All 		NC (0 pts) Report
1992 JS37 G Renault 25
26 		Belgium Thierry Boutsen
France Érik Comas 		All
All 		7th (6 pts) Report
1993 JS39 G Renault 25
26 		United Kingdom Martin Brundle
United Kingdom Mark Blundell 		All
All 		5th (23 pts) France Éric Bernard Report
1994 JS39B G Renault 25
25
25
26 		France Éric Bernard
United Kingdom Johnny Herbert
France Franck Lagorce
France Olivier Panis 		1-13
14
15-16
All 		6th (13 pts) France Franck Lagorce
Germany Michael Schumacher (one-off testing)
Italy Max Papis
Germany Jörg Müller 		Report
1995 JS41 G Mugen-Honda 25
25
26 		Japan Aguri Suzuki
United Kingdom Martin Brundle
France Olivier Panis 		1-3, 9, 15-16
4-8, 10-14, 17
All 		5th (24 pts) Report
1996 JS43 G Mugen-Honda 9
10 		France Olivier Panis
Brazil Pedro Diniz 		All
All 		6th (15 pts) Report

Equipe Ligier Driver Count

Name Duration Grand Prix Starts
France Jacques Laffite 1976–1986 134
France René Arnoux 1986–1989 63
France Olivier Panis 1994–1996 49
Belgium Thierry Boutsen 1991–1992 32
France Érik Comas
United Kingdom Martin Brundle 1993, 1995 27
Italy Andrea de Cesaris 1984–1985
France Philippe Alliot 1986, 1990 23
France Jean-Pierre Jarier 1977, 1981, 1983 18
United Kingdom Mark Blundell 1993 16
Brazil Pedro Diniz 1996
Italy Nicola Larini 1990
France Olivier Grouillard 1989
Sweden Stefan Johansson 1988
France François Hesnault 1984
United States Eddie Cheever 1982
Brazil Raul Boesel 1983 15
France Didier Pironi 1980 15
France Éric Bernard 1994 13
Belgium Jacky Ickx 1979 8
France Patrick Tambay 1981
France Patrick Depailler 1979 7
Japan Aguri Suzuki 1995 6
France Franck Lagorce 1994 2
United Kingdom Johnny Herbert 1994 1
V T E France Equipe Ligier
Founder
Guy Ligier
Personnel
Ken Anderson · Loïc Bigois · Flavio Briatore · Cyril de Rouvre · Frank Dernie · Richard Divila · Gérard Ducarouge · Claude Galopin · Tom Walkinshaw
Drivers
France René Arnoux · France Patrick Depailler · France Jacques Laffite · France Didier Pironi · Italy Andrea de Cesaris · Belgium Thierry Boutsen · France Olivier Panis · United Kingdom Martin Brundle
Cars
JS5 · JS7 · JS7/9 · JS9 · JS11 · JS11/15 · JS17 · JS17B · JS19 · JS21 · JS23 · JS25 · JS27 · JS29 · JS29B · JS31 · JS31B · JS33 · JS33B · JS35 · JS35B · JS37 · JS39 · JS39B · JS41 · JS43
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