1980
The beginning of the new decade was marred by a continuation of the struggle between FISA (Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile) and FOCA (Formula One Constructor's Association).
Ferrari entered the turbocharged area of engines in this year, joining Renault, which had run them for the past few years. Even with the turbocharged engine, however, this was one of Ferrari's worst years as their classic V-12 engine was too big to put in a car designed to take full advantage of the wing car concept. Aerodynamics were developed even further, resulting in staggering increases in speed and cornering forces.
The cars to beat this year were the Williams, Brabham and Ligier, taking a total of 11 of the 13 races between them, while still using the old standard Ford Cosworth V-8. Renault also notched up three more wins for turbo engines, showing even more potential for this new breed of engine.
The season opened in Argentina - Alan Jones won for Williams over Nelson Piquet in a Brabham, setting up the fight that would last all year. Renault then took the chequered flag at the hands of René Arnoux at the fast Interlagos track in Brazil, where the turbo engine was able to take full advantage of the extra horsepower it had over normally aspirated engines. Second in Brazil was Elio de Angelis, giving Lotus what would be their best finish of the season. Arnoux also then took the next race in South Africa, again thanks to the turbo engine, because Kyalami is run at an altitude of 1800 metres above sea-level and the thinner air does not affect a turbo engine as much as it would a normally aspirated engine.
The next race was won by Piquet, giving him his first career win, though it was overshadowed by the major accident Clay Regazzoni suffered when the brakes failed on his Ensign MN11 and he crashed, paralyzing him from the waist down. Another first-time winner was Didier Pironi, who won the following race at Zolder, making three new winners in the past four races. Carlos Reutemann then returned to the top of the podium with his only win of the season, in Monaco. Also of note at Monaco was what appeared to be an horrific crash that sent Derek Daly flying upside-down over several cars. Nobody was injured, however, and the ironic thing is that the sponsor of the Tyrrell 010 that Daly was driving was immensely happy with the accident because it resulted in a lot of air time when the crash was shown in slow motion and the sponsor's name was visible.
The next race was to be held in Spain but, because of conflict between FISA and FOCA, only the drivers supporting FOCA raced. Jones won, although, as FISA was in control of the points system, they nullified the race and took away all the points. Jones made up for the brief upset in Spain by winning in France and England before another first time winner, Jacques Laffite, took the chequered flag at Hockenheim. His success was followed by yet another win for the Renault turbo, this time at the hands of Jean-Pierre Jabouille at the Osterreichring. Piquet won the next race at Zandvoort in what was becoming a close-fought season, with Jones just barely leading Piquet in the points. But tragedy again struck the racing world as Patrick Depailler was killed while testing with the Alfa Romeo Type 179 at Hockenheim.
Ferrari then introduced their new turbo V-6 engine at the Italian Grand Prix, held at Imola - the first time since 1949 it had been held at a track other than Monza. Piquet won, putting him one point ahead of Jones with two races to go. Also at Imola another engine was shown for the first time, the V-8 turbo Alfa Romeo, though it would not race for several years. Bad luck then caught up with Piquet, who failed to finish the last two races of the season, at Montreal and Watkins Glen. Jones won them both, securing his first and only title.
The season finished with seven different race winners, three of whom had never won before. Seven different men claimed a pole position, including Bruno Giacomelli for Alfa Romeo in the last race of the season. Jones finished with 67 points to Piquet's 54 and Reutemann's 47. Williams also won its first constructors' title as a result of the reliability of its car, with at least one Williams scoring a point in every race but one.