Jacques Laffite

There are a lot of races for me, I've had a long career! I've competed in Formula 3, Formula 2, and more recently touring cars. But it would have to be Formula 1, and the Argentinian Grand Prix of 1979 when I won with the Ligier JS11.

This was a brand new car, and the first time we had used a Ford Cosworth engine. Until then we had used the Matra, but for '79 we felt the Cosworth was the way to go, and the JS11 was Ligier's first ground effect car. It was also the first time that the team had two drivers for a whole year, for Patrick Depailler had joined as my team-mate.

As this was the first race of the season, we had tested a little at Paul Ricard beforehand, and the car was immediately very quick on the short 3.3km track, but when we tried it on the 5.8km circuit, it was not so good. It was difficult to drive through the fast corners like Signes. And this was worrying, because the Buenos Aires track had similar corners. I knew we would have problems when practice started. The car had too much ground effect at the front which made it very oversteery. I felt that if we could change the underbody venturi wing then it would make the car better overall.

So before I left France, I asked the designer Gerard Ducarouge if it was possible to change the car, and I remember telling him that although what we had was a good car, we would be in the shit on this type of quick track. But he said "No, no, it's too late."

And not only did I speak with him, but I went to my brother-in-law Jean-Pierre Jabouille who was driving for Renault. I explained what was happening with the car, and we decided that the underbody needed changing. So I went back to Duca, and Guy Ligier as well, but again they told me it was too late to change anything. They wondered why I wanted to change the car at the last minute, when it had gone so well as Ricard. I explained, but they still said we had no time.

But I was very unsure about the race. At that time I knew every person in the team - there were only about 30 people - as I had been with them from the start. So I went to see the man in charge of the steel parts, and I asked him if he could make me a new part in aluminium to replace some of the fibreglass venturi wing under the car, and he said yes. So I said "Bon! Make me two!", because Depailler needed one as well.

He did the work overnight, and we left the next day for Buenos Aires with these aluminium bits to attach to the cars.

On the Thursday before practice we had an unofficial three hour session, and the car was quick, but it was still handling badly. So I came in to the pits, and had the mechanics quickly fit these new parts to the underside of the car. Immediately, the car was much, much better, the balance was fine, and it was possible to do quick laps easily. The new parts were a great 'elp!

I took pole position over a second clear of Patrick who was next. An all Ligier front row! My start was not so good though, and I think I was fourth at the end of the first lap. But the car was so good I had no problem getting past John Watson. Jean-Pierre Jarier and into the lead, for Patrick's car was still not quite right. A problem with the skirts I seem to remember. And from then on it was easy. I set fastest lap, and everything was great. I was even waving to the backmarkers when I lapped them.

After Argentina, we went to Brazil - I was leading the World Championship. It was the first time that the people in France realised there was a French team in Fl; a blue car. It was very important for the team's future. Ten years later, Gitanes was sponsoring Ligier.

And it was a very important win for my career, really it was my first win. I had won two years before in Sweden with the Matra engine - a true French victory - but I won there because Mario Andretti had a problem with his fuel in the last laps.

It was funny in Argentina to see how difficult it can be to work with a big team, how hard it was for a little thing like making something as small as the aluminium wings to happen even at Ligier, with many people who are important. A little improvement like that could, and did, change everything.

You must fight for things like that. It comes with experience...