Jacques Laffite

Jacques Laffite has enjoyed a reputation for many years as an open and straightforward person, willing to talk seriously about his career and motor racing in general. He was very helpful when VR’s European Editor asked him to contribute to his Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 book, and he was just as enthusiastic and full of the famed humor when Mike Jiggle caught up with him recently at Silverstone. The fact that he is involved in racing a Morgan in the FIA GT Championship these days just seems to be part of the usual rich pattern of his life.

Over 40 years ago you started as a mechanic for Jean-Pierre Jabouille in Formula 3; that relationship has stood the test of time and you are racing together today.

Laffite: Yes, he was and remains one of my best and closest friends. We met at school, we were about 14 years old, and our lives have been intertwined, in one way or another, from then on. He was racing and I had nothing to do, as my studying was not too good. I wanted to do something to help him. I did not know much about cars or mechanics, but Jean-Pierre taught me very good about how to look after a racing car. The first car we had was a Renault 8 Gordini, then a Brabham, followed by a Matra. The Gordini we used to hillclimb. I followed him for about a year, and thought that motor racing was a really good life. I thought, too, that one day I would like to try racing myself. I had a few lessons at the famous Winfield Racing School and was fortunate to have someone pay for me to enter Formula 3.

You won the very prestigious races at Pau and Monaco, which brought your name to the attention of many team managers.

Laffite: I had a plan for my racing career. I wanted to be successful at the Formula I was starting in, which was Formula Renault. If I was successful, I could move to Formula 3, from there to Formula 2, and so on, until I eventually got to Formula 1. If I found that a Formula was too difficult for me, then I would stay until I was more confident and successful. I wanted to move step by step. Today, drivers such as Raikkonen, Button, Hamilton, and many more seem to spend one year in one Formula and move to the next the following year, successful or not. Drivers are arriving in Formula 1 far too early, and I think it is a Formula one should aspire to. The other thing that speaks many languages and helps to bypass obstacles is money. With me, as it happened, I progressed quite quickly winning in Formula Renault and, yes, along the way winning at Pau and Monte Carlo. I did not have much money and hoped that my results and success would speak for me and help me progress. I won the French Formula 3 and nearly won the British Formula 3 in the same season. The problem was that, in the last race of the British Formula 3 season, it was very wet and I chose the wrong tires. It was too bad, and I lost out.

In 1974, you moved to F2 and the March BMW; you also made your F1 debut for Frank Williams at the Nürburgring, not a track for the faint-hearted?

Laffite: In Formula 2, I won six races. The pupil had beaten the master! Jean-Pierre (Jabouille) was the runner-up to me in the championship that year.

Frank Williams called me after my first Formula 2 win at the Salzburgring. Incidentally, Jabouille was leading that race. He had a problem and I took the win. Frank asked if I wanted to race in Formula 1 for him. I wasn’t too bothered as I wanted to concentrate on my Formula 2 season. As I had previously said I had a plan for my career and to go to Formula 1 too quick would be a mistake. I remember it was in May when he called. I discussed the offer with my team boss, Tico Martini. He said I could take the offer if I wanted to. I rang Frank and said that I would have a test, and he suggested Goodwood. I wasn’t too keen. Goodwood had a reputation for being a very dangerous track; this would be my first Formula 1 drive, so it was not the best of places. I told Frank he would have to bring along Merzario, who was racing for him at the time; he would set a time and I would see if I could get close to his time. I would take it further if I did, and, if not, then I would simply walk away. At Goodwood, Merzario set a time. I’m not sure what it was now. I went out and took it very slow and careful to start. I came in for new tires and went out again and set a time within two-tenths of Merzario. I agreed to race for Frank at the German Grand Prix at Nürburgring. I was very concerned. To illustrate, after the first practice, I was with my wife and friends at a hotel near to the circuit. We had some supper; it was soup. I tried to eat the soup but, as I put the spoon to my mouth, I couldn’t get it in as my teeth were gripped together. It was all due to the immense concentration I had put in to complete practice! I had raced at the Nürburgring before in Formula 3, but my mechanics had made a mistake with the gear ratios and I had to make a pit stop to repair them. I eventually finished 3rd in that race—the leaders were too far in front for me to catch them. However, driving a Formula 1 car was something else. Henri Pescarolo had taken me around the circuit and explained how it should be driven—at 14 miles a lap it was very difficult to learn. I couldn’t really remember where it was flat out and where it was to slow down. I clenched my teeth together and really tried the best I could. Initially, I was fast in the places I should have been slow and vice versa. Such was the concentration that I couldn’t unclench my teeth.

Eventually, I was able to put Henri’s experience into practice and it became one of my most favorite tracks. Later in my career, in DTM, I remember being 8 seconds quicker than all the rest on the first lap. I went past the pits and other teams were thinking that there had been some sort of terrible accident as I was so far in front. You must realize that DTM had Bernd Schneider and Klaus Ludwig, two of the best. I just happened to be much quicker than them.

The year 1975 was a very busy year for you racing in F2, F1, and racing the Alfa-Romeo T33 with wins at Dijon, Nürburgring, and Monza.

Laffite: Incredibly so. I must have raced in something or other every weekend. The race was not easy, nor was that Alfa-Romeo; it was a terrible car to drive. On the way back from a race in Japan, Guy Ligier called me to ask if I would have a test to join his new Formula 1 team in 1976.

You joined the fledgling Ligier team for 1976. Were you surprised that you edged out drivers such as Beltoise and Pescarolo?[pullquote]“I like to win when the cars are equal; it gives me a certain satisfaction knowing I have beaten the best on the day.”[/pullquote]

Laffite: I was, but not too much. I have already said that I was racing something every weekend in 1975. Beltoise and Pescarolo were not. I was really fit and ready. I think that is where I had the upper hand. I don’t like to say this, but to find someone to beat me at that time would have been very difficult. In hindsight, I really didn’t think that I was the right man for the job. With Pescarolo or Beltoise, Ligier would have had a more experienced driver to enter Formula 1, someone used to the system and relationship of a driver within a Formula 1 team. The car was very well engineered and designed. Racing in lower Formula, I had been used to setting up my own car, and running the team. I would buy the engines, the tires, the fuel, the food for the weekend, the paper we wrote things down on—I would do everything. Formula 1 was a completely new experience and very frustrating for me. All they wanted me to do was to drive—nothing else. The engineers were Gerard Ducarouge, Michelle Beaujon and, of course, Guy. We had a team of 15 or 20 to look after one car; something quite foreign to me. I would go out in the car and come in to the pits. I would say I think this needs changing like this or like that. They would say no! It will be this way or that. I would ask for my brakes to be set, or for the gear ratios to be a certain way. They would disagree and put me in my place by saying they were the engineers and I was just the driver. Guy was very nice to me; there was no ill feeling, just a very different way of running a team.

The 1977 season was bittersweet. You were involved in an incident with Tom Pryce at Kyalami, South Africa….

Laffite: At Kyalami you have to understand the undulations of the track. Approaching the main pit straight you would be driving uphill and then down to a right-hand corner. I was just behind Tom, but he left my sight as he went over the crest of the hill. I didn’t realize that he had hit a marshal. I remember seeing a car on the left of the track with smoke coming from it, Jarier’s car. I caught up with Tom and overtook him. Nothing looked too strange or out of the ordinary at that time. When I started to turn the corner I looked into my mirror; it was just something I always did. You never know if the car you have overtaken wants to get back at you. So, I always look. He came straight into the side of me as I took the corner. I saw him go into the fence. I had to pull off too. I still didn’t know what was wrong and was not really concerned for Tom. I saw the marshals attending to him, but it was not something I felt I should get involved with. I went back to the Ligier pit. I was told that Tom had died in the accident, and it all was explained to me about what had happened. A terrible loss, but motor racing does that from time to time.

…and later that year you were to win your first Grand Prix at Anderstorp.

Laffite: It was so strange; I took the car out for practice. It was really shit, very difficult to drive. I left the circuit and went fishing! It wasn’t my job to do anything with the car. The engineers had all the answers. I went back to my hotel later that evening and had some food and a drink with my wife. The next morning I went to the circuit for the morning warm-up; I went out and thought to myself this cannot be the right car; it’s great and very quick. When I came in I asked the mechanics what they had done. They told me nothing, just changed the tires. I could not believe the difference. It was just fantastic. I won the race, yes. I was quicker than Mario (Andretti). He was in 1st place and I was catching him in 2nd place. He had to pit for a small engine problem. I took the lead and was the victor. It was a good win for the team, good for the French people, and good for our sponsors, but not for me. I like to win when the cars are equal; it gives me a certain satisfaction knowing I have beaten the best on the day.

A flying start to the 1979 season soon evaporated with your car retiring from half the Grand Prix, but it did pick up later in the season.

Laffite: I went to Paul Ricard with my new teammate Patrick Depailler to test the new car. I did one or two laps. The car was a load of shit. Too much downforce was holding the car back. I could not see exactly where the problem was. I spoke with Jabouille. He thought the wing under the car, the venturi, was being brought up too sharp at the rear of the car. A much gentler angle of pitch would help. I spoke with Ducarouge and offered the solution. I didn’t tell him who gave me the information. But he was not impressed with what I said. When I got back to the factory, I spoke with the person responsible for making the underside of the car and asked him to make two undertrays as Jabouille had told me. I told him he must not say anything to anyone. He did this, and the new parts were taken to Argentina. The new parts were put onto the car. I had been very concerned about both tracks at Argentina and Brazil. Both had long sweeping corners. If we had left the car in the same state as it was at the Paul Ricard test, we would have been fucked. Fortunately, the cars had their new undertrays on, at my recommendations, and they just flew around the circuit in practice, and I won both races. I told Ducarouge what had been done to the undertray of the car. Designers and engineers always think they know everything. When we got back from South America the undertrays were remanufactured in plastic. We had previously used aluminum, but it was thought to be too heavy. These plastic parts were manufactured and used. We went to the next races but found as soon as the car put some speed down the underside of the car hit the ground, we slowed. The car was terrible, but we didn’t know why. If you are not sure of the problem, it is very difficult to try to solve it. We tried many, many things without success. Wind tunnels were used at this time but, due to cost, very sparingly. We eventually took the car to the wind tunnel and immediately found the problem. As the car built up speed, pressure was applied to the undertray. It had been remanufactured in plastic. It was the plastic bending that caused the car to “bottom” on the ground. The cars were stripped and a new stiffer undertray was made. This was in August. The last few races were good for us and we finished the championship in 4th place; just a shame it took so long to understand the problem.

At the 1980 British Grand Prix, both you and Didier Pironi were faster than any of the other cars, leaving them behind after just a few laps, then disaster came with retirements due to tire and wheel problems.

Laffite: Once again it was a team problem. The wheel rims were supposedly too heavy; they were altered and made lighter. We started off and were well in front of everyone by the second lap. I think I had a problem first and Pironi followed soon after. I spoke to Ducarouge. He told us both it was our fault for driving over the curbs too much and destroying the wheels. Engineers will never admit when it is their fault, it is always the driver.

You were part of the Gilles Villeneuve train at Jarama in 1981. Was that a frustrating race with Watson, Reutemann, and de Angelis following you, too?

Laffite: Let me tell you about 1981. It was the year that the side skirts of the car had to be lifted. There had to be a gap between the side of the car and the road when it was stationary. All the teams in Formula 1 decided to make two types of spring. This was not in the rules, but there was some ambiguity and a loop-hole that could be used. These springs would allow the ride height of the car to lower when the car was at speed and rise when it was stationary. When the FIA officials checked the cars before they went out on the track, they were legal and when they returned from the track, they were legal; everyone was happy. Guy (Ligier) wanted to use just one spring, as he thought the other teams would be told to remove the second spring as the cars did not conform to the regulations. The cars were prepared for Argentina. The only person available to test the springs was Guy Ligier himself. Just think about this though: he weighed 85 kilos, and he tested the car at either Ricard or Clermont Ferrand; it’s not important. What was important, and of no use, was that he fitted springs for his weight. I weighed just 56 kilos, so when I drove, the car was always far too high. The car was quick enough and could have gone faster, but the aerodynamics did not work and we lost top-end speed. We eventually got the problem sorted out, even with the one spring.

I had a good race in Jarama. Jarama would have been better if it had not been for Villeneuve, as you have said. I was on the front row, in pole position. The track was such that the car would roll downhill from the grid spot. A usual trick was to put a stone under a wheel; this would be enough to hold the car. Unfortunately, the stone either moved or was not put there. I had to hold the car on the brake and try to hold it in first gear, too. I was next to the starter; races were started by flag at that time. I knew he would see if I moved or rolled forward, and that would have meant a penalty. With the balancing of the car, my foot slipped and it moved a little. I put my foot on the brake just as the starter dropped the flag. Villeneuve went off; I was left behind a bit but managed to catch him by the end of the first lap. My car was really quick, but he did just enough to hold me back. I knew he would fight to hold his place and I didn’t want an accident. He was a tough racer. Six points would be better than none. The train, as you say, went on for lap after lap; very, very frustrating. The weather conditions didn’t help either; it was very hot and I think we were very dehydrated at the end of the race.

How conscious were you of the cars behind? It must have been very difficult keeping them behind lap after lap.

Laffite: I had no problem. Yes, I knew they were there but I had one of the quickest cars on the grid. Villeneuve’s Ferrari was fast on the straight but slowed in the corners, and slowed accelerating out of the corners. I would build up enough speed to overtake and then another corner. I feel that 1981 was a year where I could have won the championship. We gave silly points away and were not intelligent enough to pick up points and win the title.

Would you say that Ligier, as a team, were their own worst enemy?

Laffite: That is very easy to say now. At the time we were trying as hard as possible to pick up points and win. I don’t think there were enough communications and meetings for us to put the car together and sort problems out quickly. Other teams were much better at it than us.

After languishing for nearly a season and a half, you decided to leave Ligier and re-join Frank Williams.

Laffite: Jabouille was in charge of the 1983 car, a very good car. We were to have a turbo engine developed by Peugeot and Matra. The engine was constructed and had a very good test on the dyno. Then there was a clash between Talbot and Ligier. Jean Todt arrived to take control of Peugeot Sport. Guy said it would be fantastic to have Jean coming to us. I had to disagree with him. Yes, Jean was coming, but he was only interested in the rally team not the F1 team. I was quite rude and told him, “Now we are fucked!” Guy thought he would be clever and arrange for us to have an Alfa-Romeo engine. When I saw the Alfa engine, it was shit. I told Guy that Frank (Williams) had offered me a drive and so I left. Frank had won the championship with Keke in 1982. I knew that he was to have the Honda turbo engine for 1984. It was the place to be, especially if I wanted to follow my dream of becoming World Champion.

Keke Rosberg seemed to have more of an edge with the car than you.

Laffite: For ’83 we had the Ford engine. At the end of the year, we went to Kyalami to test the new engine. Keke’s car was always quicker than mine. I always had the inferior engine or settings. I knew I should have been quicker. I don’t like to say too much because Frank is, and always has been, a very good friend, so I don’t wish to spoil anything. But I did get the shit engines. If Keke had 3.5bar I would only have 3.2bar. It was so bad that Niki Lauda went to talk to Frank on my behalf to see what the problem was. I think it was a question of politics; Honda wanted Nigel Mansell in the team. My contract was cut and I went back to Ligier in 1985. In all these years I still talk with Frank and Patrick (Head) and they still don’t tell me why I was treated like I was. I cannot thank Frank enough for the chance he gave me to enter Formula 1, so it is all the more strange why I was treated so bad the second time I went to drive for him.

Your Formula 1 career ended in 1986 at the British Grand Prix with a very bad crash which left you with a badly broken leg.

Laffite: I was 43 years old, still racing in Formula 1; I would have just kept going. The man up there says, “Jacques it’s time to stop.” He put me in the wall so I would understand that I needed to stop. I could not possibly race Formula 1; I had broken my legs.

It didn’t stop me from racing in DTM, Touring Cars, Le Mans, Ice Racing, or Paris-Dakar on both car and bikes. I have had a very good life since. I really am still involved in Formula 1 because I now commentate for TFI at all the Grands Prix. I can keep up to date with all my friends and keep up with what is happening.

You were always a cheerful, smiling face around the motor racing paddocks. Do you still enjoy your motor racing as much today?

Laffite: It is just my image; I’m really very sad inside!

I am here today with the new Morgan, with Jabouille…maybe I’m very stupid! He is just a crazy guy, too. Our lives, I have said before, keep crossing. This is the new chapter. I really wouldn’t change anything. I am, as the English would say, “’Appy Jack.”