1977 Formula 1.5 Season

The 1977 Formula 1.5 Season was the 28th season of the Formula 1.5 World Championship. Jacques Laffite won his first World Drivers' Championship with 55 points. Meanwhile, Brabham took their second World Constructors' Championship with 69 points in another close constructors title fight, a dominant theme through the 70's

Carlos Pace carried on his fine form from 1976 by winning the season opener in Argentina and looked to build on that success with following poles in Brazil and South Africa, however he would tragically lose his life in an aircraft accident in Brazil prior to round four of the championship. Another theoretical title contender had been lost just prior to that when Tom Pryce lost his life in an awful collision with a track marshal during the South African Grand Prix. Pryce had been 3rd in ’75, 2nd in ’76, and was looking to go one better with the Shadow team despite some gremlins holding him back in the season opening South American races.

After Long Beach, Pace’s compatriot Emerson Fittipaldi was leading the championship over Tyrrell’s Patrick Depailler. As the European leg of the season got going though, Fittipaldi would struggle for results and fall back as Stuck (Pace’s replacement at Brabham), Jones (Pryce’s replacement at Shadow), Peterson, Laffite, and Watson all notched wins. Winless but still somewhat within title contention was Vittorio Brambilla, who’d jumped ship from March to Surtees in the off season. A poor run following Germany however would see him fall away from the title hunt.

Getting late into the season Laffite looked to be the title favourite, showing greatly improved consistently in the Ligier compared to the year prior. His nearest rival was Stuck, maximising his chance at Brabham taking back to back wins at the British and German GP’s, though unfortunately he’d suffer car troubles in the last few races that'd cost him a real shot at Laffite. Jones would get himself into a decent position with an outright win in Austria and a class win in Italy, a retirement from the race at Watkins Glen however would thrust him just as quickly onto the back foot. Spare a thought for Depailler who’d lead the championship briefly after the Swedish Grand Prix, following that he’d have an awful run of luck though that’d last until he won the last two races in Canada and Japan…by then the impressive display was too little too late.

And speaking of an awful run of luck, reigning champion John Watson saw the worst of it all. The fastest man of 1977 with eight poles and five fastest laps would be limited to just one win in France…which was also tinged by poor luck. A very nearly outright win was snatched away on the final lap by a fuel pickup problem, the Alfa Romeo engine stuttering out of Dijon’s tight hairpin costing him the lead and victory to Andretti’s F1 Lotus. Watson would be limited to ninth in the standings when he could’ve been the first back to back champion since the recently retired Chris Amon.

Laffite simply outlasted his competition en-route to his first championship. Notching eight podiums, two of which were wins scored when his rivals hit trouble. Over F1.5’s then longest ever calendar, no one else could manage their machinery as well as Jacques and Ligier could. They weren’t trundling around though, Jacques took three poles and four fastest laps over the season as well as snatching outright victory in Sweden from Andretti’s ailing Lotus.

## Entries

All entrants ran on Goodyear rubber aside from: Renault who were supplied by Michelin; Meiritsu who ran on Dunlops; and Kojima and Heros who ran on Bridgestone tyres.

### Excluded teams

* Marlboro Team McLaren, John Player Team Lotus, Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC, and Walter Wolf Racing

## Results & standings

### World Drivers' Championship standings

Points were awarded on a 9–6–4–3–2–1 basis to the first six finishers at each Grand Prix. The best eight results from the first nine races and the best seven from the last eight were retained.

Legend: **Bold** = Pole Position; *Italics* = Fastest Lap

### World Constructors' Championship standings

Points were awarded on a 9–6–4–3–2–1 basis for the first six places in each round with only the best placed car from each constructor eligible to score points. The best eight results from the first nine races and the best seven results from the remaining eight races were retained.