The 1979 South African Grand Prix started March 3rd, 1979 at 01:00 on Kyalami in Midrand, South Africa. Jean-Pierre Jabouille started from pole position with Jody Scheckter next to him. Gilles Villeneuve started from third place.
After 1 hour, 41 minutes and 49 seconds Gilles Villeneuve finished the race first. The podium was completed with Jody Scheckter in second and Jean-Pierre Jarier in third place.
After the 1979 South African Grand Prix, Jacques Laffite is first in the Formula 1 World Championship with 18 points. Laffite is 6 points ahead of Carlos Reutemann.
After 1 hour, 41 minutes and 49 seconds Gilles Villeneuve finished the race first. The podium was completed with Jody Scheckter in second and Jean-Pierre Jarier in third place.
After the 1979 South African Grand Prix, Jacques Laffite is first in the Formula 1 World Championship with 18 points. Laffite is 6 points ahead of Carlos Reutemann.
Circuit
Location
Midrand, South Africa
Date
March 3rd, 1979 at 01:00
Round
3/15
Winner
Gilles Villeneuve
Winning time
1:41:49.96
Pole position
Jean-Pierre Jabouille
Results
| Pos | Driver | Car | Time/Retired | Grid | Laps | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 2 | #12 Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:41:49.96 | 3 | 78 | 9 |
| 2 | #11 Jody Scheckter | Ferrari | +3.42 | 2 | 78 | 6 |
| 3 6 | #4 Jean-Pierre Jarier | Tyrrell | +22.11 | 9 | 78 | 4 |
| 4 4 | #1 Mario Andretti | Team Lotus | +27.88 | 8 | 78 | 3 |
| 5 6 | #2 Carlos Reutemann | Team Lotus | +1:06.97 | 11 | 78 | 2 |
| 6 2 | #5 Niki Lauda | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | +1 Lap | 4 | 77 | 1 |
| 7 5 | #6 Nelson Piquet | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | +1 Lap | 12 | 77 | 0 |
| 8 5 | #20 James Hunt | Wolf | +1 Lap | 13 | 77 | 0 |
| 9 13 | #28 Clay Regazzoni | Williams | +2 Laps | 22 | 76 | 0 |
| 10 7 | #8 Patrick Tambay | McLaren | +3 Laps | 17 | 75 | 0 |
| 11 5 | #29 Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | +3 Laps | 16 | 75 | 0 |
| 12 8 | #30 Jochen Mass | Arrows | +4 Laps | 20 | 74 | 0 |
| 13 5 | #14 Emerson Fittipaldi | Fittipaldi | +4 Laps | 18 | 74 | 0 |
| - | #31 Hector Rebaque | Team Lotus | DNF (Engine) | 23 | 71 | 0 |
| - | #16 René Arnoux | Renault | DNF (Tyre) | 10 | 67 | 0 |
| - | #27 Alan Jones | Williams | DNF (Suspension) | 19 | 63 | 0 |
| - | #7 John Watson | McLaren | DNF (Ignition) | 14 | 61 | 0 |
| - | #9 Hans-Joachim Stuck | ATS | DNF (Accident) | 24 | 57 | 0 |
| - | #15 Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Renault | DNF (Engine) | 1 | 47 | 0 |
| - | #26 Jacques Laffite | Ligier | DNF (Accident) | 6 | 45 | 0 |
| - | #3 Didier Pironi | Tyrrell | DNF (Throttle) | 7 | 25 | 0 |
| - | #18 Elio de Angelis | Shadow | DNF (Accident) | 15 | 16 | 0 |
| - | #25 Patrick Depailler | Ligier | DNF (Accident) | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| - | #17 Jan Lammers | Shadow | DNF (Accident) | 21 | 2 | 0 |
| - | #22 Derek Daly | Ensign | Did not qualify | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| - | #24 Arturo Merzario | Merzario | Did not qualify | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Standings after race
| Pos | Driver | Car | Wins | Podiums | Pts | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 2 | 2 | 18 | |
| 2 | Carlos Reutemann | Team Lotus | 2 | 12 | -6 | |
| 3 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1 | 1 | 11 | -7 |
| 4 | Patrick Depailler | Ligier | 1 | 9 | -9 | |
| 5 | Jody Scheckter | Ferrari | 1 | 7 | -11 | |
| 6 | Mario Andretti | Team Lotus | 5 | -13 | ||
| 7 | John Watson | McLaren | 1 | 4 | -14 | |
| 8 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Tyrrell | 1 | 4 | -14 | |
| 9 | Didier Pironi | Tyrrell | 3 | -15 | ||
| 10 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Fittipaldi | 1 | -17 | ||
| 11 | Niki Lauda | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | 1 | -17 | ||
| 12 | Jochen Mass | Arrows | 0 | -18 | ||
| 13 | Elio de Angelis | Shadow | 0 | -18 | ||
| 14 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | 0 | -18 | ||
| 15 | James Hunt | Wolf | 0 | -18 | ||
| 16 | Clay Regazzoni | Williams | 0 | -18 | ||
| 17 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | 0 | -18 | ||
| 18 | Alan Jones | Williams | 0 | -18 | ||
| 19 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Renault | 0 | -18 | ||
| 20 | Patrick Tambay | McLaren | 0 | -18 | ||
| 21 | Derek Daly | Ensign | 0 | -18 | ||
| 22 | Jan Lammers | Shadow | 0 | -18 | ||
| 23 | Hector Rebaque | Team Lotus | 0 | -18 | ||
| 24 | René Arnoux | Renault | 0 | -18 | ||
| 25 | Hans-Joachim Stuck | ATS | 0 | -18 | ||
| 26 | Arturo Merzario | Merzario | 0 | -18 |
| Pos | Team | Wins | Podiums | Pts | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ligier | 2 | 3 | 27 | |
| 2 | Ferrari | 1 | 2 | 18 | -9 |
| 3 | Team Lotus | 2 | 17 | -10 | |
| 4 | Tyrrell | 1 | 7 | -20 | |
| 5 | McLaren | 1 | 4 | -23 | |
| 6 | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | 1 | -26 | ||
| 7 | Fittipaldi | 1 | -26 | ||
| 8 | Arrows | 0 | -27 | ||
| 9 | Shadow | 0 | -27 | ||
| 10 | Wolf | 0 | -27 | ||
| 11 | Williams | 0 | -27 | ||
| 12 | Renault | 0 | -27 | ||
| 13 | Ensign | 0 | -27 | ||
| 14 | ATS | 0 | -27 | ||
| 15 | Merzario | 0 | -27 |
Other race results
| Year | Winner | 2nd | 3rd | Fastest lap | Pole position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | #2 Alain Prost | Ayrton Senna | Mark Blundell | Alain Prost | |
| 1992 | #5 Nigel Mansell | Riccardo Patrese | Ayrton Senna | Nigel Mansell | |
| 1985 | #5 Nigel Mansell | Keke Rosberg | Alain Prost | Nigel Mansell | |
| 1984 | #8 Niki Lauda | Alain Prost | Derek Warwick | Nelson Piquet | |
| 1983 | #6 Riccardo Patrese | Andrea de Cesaris | Nelson Piquet | Patrick Tambay | |
| 1982 | #15 Alain Prost | Carlos Reutemann | René Arnoux | René Arnoux | |
| 1980 | #16 René Arnoux | Jacques Laffite | Didier Pironi | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | |
| 1978 | #6 Ronnie Peterson | Patrick Depailler | John Watson | Niki Lauda | |
| 1977 | #11 Niki Lauda | Jody Scheckter | Patrick Depailler | James Hunt | |
| 1976 | #1 Niki Lauda | James Hunt | Jochen Mass | James Hunt | |
| 1975 | #3 Jody Scheckter | Carlos Reutemann | Patrick Depailler | Carlos Pace | |
| 1974 | #7 Carlos Reutemann | Jean-Pierre Beltoise | Mike Hailwood | Niki Lauda | |
| 1973 | #3 Jackie Stewart | Peter Revson | Emerson Fittipaldi | Denny Hulme | |
| 1972 | #12 Denny Hulme | Emerson Fittipaldi | Peter Revson | Jackie Stewart | |
| 1971 | #6 Mario Andretti | Jackie Stewart | Clay Regazzoni | Jackie Stewart | |
| 1970 | #12 Jack Brabham | Denny Hulme | Jackie Stewart | Jackie Stewart | |
| 1969 | #7 Jackie Stewart | Graham Hill | Denny Hulme | Jack Brabham | |
| 1968 | #4 Jim Clark | Graham Hill | Jochen Rindt | Jim Clark | |
| 1967 | #4 Pedro Rodríguez | John Love | John Surtees | Jack Brabham | |
| 1965 | #5 Jim Clark | John Surtees | Graham Hill | Jim Clark | |
| 1963 | #1 Jim Clark | Dan Gurney | Graham Hill | Jim Clark | |
| 1962 | #3 Graham Hill | Bruce McLaren | Tony Maggs | Jim Clark |