Grand Prix Gold: Brazil 1979
AUTOSPORT relives the great races of the past. Brazil 1979: Ligier dominates for a 1-2 finish – Reutemann's Lotus again heads the rest – Pironi fourth for Tyrrell – Ferraris fifth and sixth after tyre changes – Fittipaldi and Jabouille show well – Andretti, Lauda, Hunt retire
Unlike his Argentine victory, Jacques Laffite's win in last Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix was no Sunday drive. He had to work hard for this one, for his team-mate Patrick Depailler pressured him for most of the 40-lap race to take the chequered flag only five seconds behind the make it a resounding Gitanes-Ligier double.
Depailler's challenge was not the only reason for Laffite's sweat-soaked brow and the lack of energy even to lift his trophy skywards at the end of the race. "Right from the start, the car was understeering badly," said Laffite. "I had to drive as hard as I could all the way. With Patrick only a couple of seconds away for most of the race, there was no chance to relax."
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