RIP Guy Ligier.

[Furinkazen]

News that the boss of the famous French team that morphed into Prost F1 in later years has passed away tonight. The Ligier name still exists via ONROAK-OAK in sportscars.

RIP.

 

[SagarisGTB]

The man did it all really. Rugby player, raced in F1, raced at Le Mans (including winning his class), Nurburgring 1000km, Monza 1000km, Targa Florio (most of the sportscar racing in Ford GT40s), became the boss of his own F1 team, and also built sportscars and microcars. Few ever experience such a rich life.

RIP.

 

[G.T.Ace]

RIP, he and his name will never be forgotten. What a legacy he's leaving behind.

 

[Liquid]

There was a brief time when Ligier genuinely were a top running team; 3rd in 1979 WCC and even 2nd in 1980. Shame that once the Renault deal was over after 1986, they drifted away as the financial support disappeared around them. Lovely revival in 1993-96; quite fitting that their last victory came courtesy of a Frenchman in Monaco.

Salut, Guy.

 

[GTPorsche]

He lived a long, full life. Worthy of being celebrated, not sadden.

 

[daan]

There was a brief time when Ligier genuinely were a top running team; 3rd in 1979 WCC

Rumour has it that in 1979 when they won the first 2 races of the year, they had the cars setup written on the back of a cigarette packet (Gitanes, probably) but they then lost that cigarette packet... Can't really be true, but it's a great story.

 

[Tired Tyres]

Rumour has it that in 1979 when they won the first 2 races of the year, they had the cars setup written on the back of a cigarette packet (Gitanes, probably) but they then lost that cigarette packet... Can't really be true, but it's a great story.

It can be if you've read enough F1 books by different authors and all of whom say the same thing.

Another rumour has it that the mechanics used to drink good French wine between sessions. When asked about it Jacques Laffite suggested that "They were not always totally professional."

 

[Pupik]

Rumour has it that in 1979 when they won the first 2 races of the year, they had the cars setup written on the back of a cigarette packet (Gitanes, probably) but they then lost that cigarette packet... Can't really be true, but it's a great story.

I heard that one years ago, and I've always had the silly notion it was a Marlboro packet, because that's how strange the sport is...

The '79 season started out at two fast circuits with long straights, but Renault stemmed Ligier with power advantages at Kyalami's mile-high altitudes. Ferrari still had engine gusto, Lotus went the wrong way with ground-effect, and Williams became a force to be reckoned with. Losing Pironi to a hand-gliding accident didn't help their fortunes, and drafting in Ickx was a mistake ("Nakajima-ed" into the team for sponsors' sake). What might have been...

That crazy teapot, those lovely blue cars, the loss of Laffite was pretty much the end of the team until they figured out the V10 Renaults. To think Schuey's second title was thanks to Flavio buying up Ligier! The Mugen engines weren't all that bad, and that last win in Monaco in '96 is one of my favorite wrecky-wacky races.

Predictably, Prost made a meal out of the team, but their first car was actually Ligier's last F1 design; the JS45 was probably the 2nd or 3rd best car on the grid. It ran quite well in Panis' hands (until Canada), and Trulli also shone on occasions.

 

[Liquid]

To be fair, I always thought Prost made good cars let down by mismanagement and crap engines but the 1995, 1996 and 1997 Ligiers were gorgeous gems capable of some great results. A what might have been for me is if Prost had kept hold of the Mugen-Honda engines...