# 1979 British Formula One Championship

The 1979 British Formula One Championship (formally the 1979 Aurora AFX F1 Championship) was the second season of the British Formula One Championship. It commenced on 1 April 1979 and ended on 7 October after fifteen races. The Drivers' Championship was won by Englishman Rupert Keegan who drove an Arrows A1 entered by Charles Clowes.

## Teams and drivers

Entry List :
| Team | No. | Driver | Chassis | Engine | Rounds |
| Formula 1 ||||||
| Melchester Racing | 1 | Desiré Wilson | Tyrrell 008 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | All |
| Melchester Racing | 2 | Gordon Smiley | Tyrrell 008 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 1-4 |
| Melchester Racing | 2 | Neil Bettridge | Tyrrell 008 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 8-13 |
| Melchester Racing | 2 | Gordon Smiley | McLaren M23 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 5-7 |
| Melchester Racing | 2 | Neil Bettridge | Arrows A1 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 14-15 |
| Madom F1 Team | 3 | Emilio de Villota | Lotus 78 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | All |
| Mopar Ultramar Racing Team | 4 | Guy Edwards | Fittipaldi F5A | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | All |
| Mopar Ultramar Racing Team | 5 | Bernard de Dryver | Fittipaldi F5A | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | All |
| Graham Eden Racing | 6 | Tiff Needell | Chevron B41 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 1-4, 7, 11, 15 |
| Graham Eden Racing | 6 | Ray Mallock | Chevron B41 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 5 |
| Graham Eden Racing | 6 | David Leslie | Chevron B41 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 8-9, 11-12 |
| Graham Eden Racing | 6 | Kim Mather | Chevron B41 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 13-14 |
| Valentino Musetti | 7 | Valentino Musetti | March 752/771 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 1 |
| Valentino Musetti | 7 | Valentino Musetti | March 781 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 2-5 |
| John Cooper | 8 | John Cooper | Ensign N177 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 5-8 |
| John Cooper | 8 | Tiff Needell | Ensign N177 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 10 |
| Team Agostini Marlboro | 9 | Giacomo Agostini | Williams FW06 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | All |
| Team Agostini Marlboro | 10 | Gimax | Williams FW06 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 4, 6, 10-11 |
| Team Agostini Marlboro | 10 | Marco Micangeli | Williams FW06 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 12, 14 |
| Team Agostini Marlboro | 10 | Guido Pardini | Williams FW06 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 13 |
| Team Agostini Marlboro | 44 | Lella Lombardi | Williams FW06 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 4 |
| Theodore Racing with Hi-Line | 11 | David Kennedy | Wolf WR4 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 1-11 |
| Theodore Racing with Hi-Line | 11 | David Kennedy | Wolf WR6 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 12-15 |
| Theodore Racing with Hi-Line | 7 | Valentino Musetti | Wolf WR3 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 8-9 |
| Theodore Racing with Hi-Line | 7 | Valentino Musetti | Wolf WR4 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 12 |
| Theodore Racing with Hi-Line | 12 | Geoff Lees | Wolf WR4 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 15 |
| Frank Williams Racing | 14 | Giorgio Pianta | Williams FW06 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 10 |
| C. W. Clowes Racing | 16 | Rupert Keegan | Arrows A1 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 2-9, 11-15 |
| C. W. Clowes Racing | 17 | Ricardo Zunino | Arrows A1 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 8-14 |
| BS Fabrications | 17 | Ricardo Zunino | McLaren M23 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 6 |
| BS Fabrications | 17 | Ricardo Zunino | Arrows A1 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 7 |
| Team Surtees | 22 | Philip Bullman | Surtees TS20 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 1-3 |
| Team Surtees | 22 | Gordon Smiley | Surtees TS20 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 9-10, 12 |
| Team Surtees | 22 | Gordon Smiley | Surtees TS20+ | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 13-15 |
| Team Surtees | 23 | Claude Bourgoignie | Surtees TS20 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 1 |
| Team Surtees | 23 | Jean-Pierre Jaussaud | Surtees TS20 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 10 |
| Dennis Leech | 24 | Dennis Leech | McLaren M23 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 13 |
| LEC Refrigeration Racing | 27 | David Purley | LEC CRP1 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 12-13 |
| LEC Refrigeration Racing | 27 | David Purley | Shadow DN9 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 14-15 |
| Smith & Jones | 33 | Robin Smith | Ensign N174 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 1, 3 |
| Smith & Jones | 33 | Richard Jones | Ensign N174 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 2, 5 |
| Smith & Jones | 33 | Robin Smith | Surtees TS19 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 7, 9, 12, 14 |
| Smith & Jones | 33 | Richard Jones | Surtees TS19 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 8, 11, 15 |
| Willi Kauhsen | 39 | Gianfranco Brancatelli | Kauhsen WK | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 1 |
| Walz Toj Racing | 42 | Gerd Biechteler | March 781 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 1-3 |
| Iain McLaren | 88 | Iain McLaren | McLaren M26 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 2, 4, 8 |
| Formula 2 ||||||
| Cooper Industries | 8 | John Cooper | March 792 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 1-2, 4, 13 |
| Divina Galica | 13 | Divina Galica | March 792 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 2, 8 |
| Pontin Racing | 15 | Kim Mather | March 772P | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 1 |
| Pontin Racing | 15 | Kim Mather | March 772P | BMW M12 2.0 L4 | 2, 4-9 |
| Pontin Racing | 15 | Kim Mather | March 772P/782 | Ford BDG Eden 2.0 L4 | 11 |
| Pontin Racing | 15 | Mike Wilds | March 772P/782 | Ford BDG Eden 2.0 L4 | 13 |
| Pontin Racing | 15 | Kim Mather | March 772P/782 | Ford BDG Richardson 2.0 L4 | 15 |
| A. G. Dean Racing | 18 | Tony Dean | Chevron B42 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 1-2, 4-5, 8-10 |
| A. G. Dean Racing | 19 | Brian Robinson | Chevron B42 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 1-2, 4-5, 7-9, 11-14 |
| A. G. Dean Racing | 19 | Brian Robinson | Chevron B48 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 15 |
| Adrian Russell | 20 | Adrian Russell | March 782 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 1, 4-8, 10 |
| RAM Racing | 25 | Germain Garon | Chevron B42 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 1-2, 10 |
| RAM Racing | 25 | Hervé Regout | Chevron B42 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 4-9, 11-15 |
| Onyx Race Engineering | 26 | Patrick Nève | Pilbeam MP42 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 5-6 |
| Onyx Race Engineering | 26 | Neil Bettridge | Pilbeam MP42 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 7 |
| Kenneth Brill | 28 | Kenneth Brill | Chevron B35D | Ford BDG 2.0 L4 | 2, 4, 6-8, 11 |
| Warren Booth | 29 | Warren Booth | Chevron B42 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 2, 4, 6, 8-9 |
| Dicksons of Perth | 30 | Norman Dickson | March 792 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 1-2, 4-9, 11-13, 15 |
| Dicksons of Perth | 31 | Gianfranco Brancatelli | March 772P | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 5 |
| Dicksons of Perth | 34 | Pascal Witmeur | March 772P | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 1 |
| Ecurie Motul Nogaro | 34 | Alain Couderc | AGS JH15 | BMW M12 2.0 L4 | 10 |
| Walz Toj Racing | 65 | Klaus Walz | March 782 | BMW M12 2.0 L4 | 1-2 |
| Theodore Racing | 77 | Derek Warwick | March 792 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 4, 13-14 |

## Results and standings
### Races

| Rnd | Track | Date | Laps | Pole Position | Fastest Lap | Race Winner | Constructor |
| 1 | Zolder | 1 April | 40 | David Kennedy | Desiré Wilson | David Kennedy | Wolf |
| 2 | Oulton Park | 13 April | 65 | Guy Edwards | David Kennedy | David Kennedy | Wolf |
| 3 | Brands Hatch | 15 April | 39 | Rupert Keegan | Rupert Keegan | Guy Edwards | Fittipaldi |
| 4 | Mallory Park | 7 May | 75 | Bernard de Dryver | Guy Edwards | Rupert Keegan | Arrows |
| 5 | Snetterton | 20 May | 53 | Guy Edwards | Rupert Keegan | Rupert Keegan | Arrows |
| 6 | Thruxton | 28 May | 50 | Guy Edwards | David Kennedy | Emilio de Villota | Lotus |
| 7 | Zandvoort | 4 June | 40 | Guy Edwards | Emilio de Villota | Emilio de Villota | Lotus |
| 8 | Donington Park | 24 June | 52 | Rupert Keegan | Ricardo Zunino | Rupert Keegan | Arrows |
| 9 | Oulton Park | 30 June | 65 | Guy Edwards | Emilio de Villota | Emilio de Villota | Lotus |
| 10 | Nogaro | 8 July | 50 | Ricardo Zunino | Ricardo Zunino | Emilio de Villota | Lotus |
| 11 | Mallory Park | 29 July | 75 | Emilio de Villota | Ricardo Zunino | David Kennedy | Wolf |
| 12 | Brands Hatch | 27 August | 40 | Rupert Keegan | Guy Edwards | Ricardo Zunino | Arrows |
| 13 | Thruxton | 9 September | 50 | Ricardo Zunino | Emilio de Villota | Rupert Keegan | Arrows |
| 14 | Snetterton | 23 September | 55 | Rupert Keegan | Rupert Keegan | Rupert Keegan | Arrows |
| 15 | Silverstone | 7 October | 35 | Rupert Keegan | Rupert Keegan | Gordon Smiley | Surtees |

### Drivers' standings

Points are awarded to the top ten classified finishers using the following structure:
| Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | PP | FL |
| Points | 9 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Pos. | Driver | ZOL | OUL | BRH | MAL | SNE | THR | ZAN | DON | OUL | NOG | MAL | BRH | THR | SNE | SIL | Pts |
| 1 | Rupert Keegan | | 11 | Ret | 1 | 1 | Ret | NC | 1 | Ret | | Ret | DNS | 1 | 1 | 2 | 65 |
| 2 | David Kennedy | 1 | 1 | DNS | 3 | NC | 2 | 2 | 10 | Ret | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | Ret | 63 |
| 3 | Emilio de Villota | Ret | 7 | Ret | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | Ret | Ret | 8 | Ret | 55 |
| 4 | Bernard de Dryver | 5 | Ret | 2 | Ret | 4 | DNS | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | Ret | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 41 |
| 5 | Guy Edwards | DSQ | 2 | 1 | 5 | Ret | Ret | 7 | 6 | Ret | Ret | 3 | 2 | Ret | Ret | 8 | 40 |
| 6 | Ricardo Zunino | | | | | | 5 | Ret | 4 | Ret | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | | 39 |
| 7 | Desiré Wilson | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11 | Ret | 3 | 4 | Ret | 5 | 4 | Ret | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 28 |
| 8 | Giacomo Agostini | 9 | 6 | 5 | Ret | 2 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 3 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 6 | 7 | 7 | 19 |
| 9 | Gordon Smiley | DNS | 9 | 4 | Ret | 7 | 4 | 5 | | 10 | DNS | | 6 | Ret | Ret | 1 | 18 |
| 10 | Tiff Needell | 2 | 10 | Ret | 7 | | | 8 | | | Ret | Ret | | | | 6 | 7 |
| 11 | Norman Dickson | 6 | 4 | | 6 | 6 | DNS | 10 | 7 | Ret | | NC | Ret | 14 | | 10 | 6 |
| = | Derek Warwick | | | | 2 | | | | | | | | | 13 | Ret | | 6 |
| 13 | Philip Bullman | 4 | 5 | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 |
| 14 | Kim Mather | 7 | 8 | | Ret | 10 | 8 | NC | 8 | 6 | | 4 | | DNS | Ret | Ret | 4 |
| = | Neil Bettridge | | | | | | | Ret | 12 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 5 | 5 | Ret | 12 | 4 |
| = | Geoff Lees | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | 4 |
| 17 | David Leslie | | | | | | | | 14 | 4 | | DNS | Ret | | | | 3 |
| = | David Purley | | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | 10 | 4 | 9 | 3 |
| 19 | John Cooper | DNS | Ret | | 10 | 5 | 7 | 9 | DSQ | | | | | 11 | | | 2 |
| = | Divina Galica | | Ret | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | | | 2 |
| = | Gimax | | | | Ret | | 9 | | | | Ret | 5 | | | | | 2 |
| = | Giorgio Pianta | | | | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | 2 |
| 23 | Tony Dean | 12 | NC | | 9 | | | | 11 | Ret | 6 | | | | | | 1 |
| = | Valentino Musetti | Ret | Ret | 6 | NC | Ret | | | 13 | DNS | | | NC | | | | 1 |
| — | Robin Smith | 11 | | 7 | | | | 11 | | 8 | | | 8 | | Ret | | 0 |
| — | Brian Robinson | 13 | 12 | | 12 | 9 | | 13 | Ret | 7 | | NC | 9 | Ret | 9 | 11 | 0 |
| — | Richard Jones | | Ret | | | DNS | | | Ret | | | 7 | | | | 13 | 0 |
| — | Hervé Regout | | | | 8 | DNS | Ret | 12 | Ret | 11 | | NC | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 0 |
| — | Adrian Russell | Ret | | | DNQ | 8 | Ret | 14 | Ret | | Ret | | | | | | 0 |
| — | Germain Garon | 14 | Ret | | | | | | | | 8 | | | | | | 0 |
| — | Klaus Walz | 8 | NC | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| — | Guido Pardini | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | | | 0 |
| — | Warren Booth | | 13 | | 13 | | 10 | | 15 | 9 | | | | | | | 0 |
| — | Dennis Leech | | | | | | | | | | | | | 9 | | | 0 |
| — | Gerd Biechteler | 10 | DNS | DNQ | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| — | Mike Wilds | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | | | 0 |
| — | Lella Lombardi | | | | 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| — | Kenneth Brill | | DNQ | | DNQ | | NC | Ret | DNS | | | DNS | | | | | 0 |
| — | Patrick Nève | | | | | Ret | NC | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| — | Gianfranco Brancatelli | Ret | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| — | Marco Micangeli | | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | Ret | | 0 |
| — | Pascal Witmeur | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| — | Claude Bourgoignie | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| — | Ray Mallock | | | | | Ret | | | | | | | | | | | 0 |
| — | Alain Couderc | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | | | | 0 |
| — | Jean-Pierre Jaussaud | | | | | | | | | | Ret | | | | | | 0 |
| — | Iain McLaren | | DNS | | DNQ | | | | DNS | | | | | | | | 0 |
| Pos. | Driver | ZOL | OUL | BRH | MAL | SNE | THR | ZAN | DON | OUL | NOG | MAL | BRH | THR | SNE | SIL | Pts |
| Colour | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | Second place |
| Bronze | Third place |
| Green | Points finish |
| Blue | Non-points finish |
| Blue | Non-classified finish (NC) |
| Purple | Retired (Ret) |
| Red | Did not qualify (DNQ) |
| Red | Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| White | Withdrew (WD) |
| White | Race cancelled (C) |
| Blank | Did not practice (DNP) |
| Blank | Did not arrive (DNA) |
| Blank | Excluded (EX) |