Formula 1 1979 Belgian Grand Prix Highlights (ITV)

[@want2cLOTS]

Few people realise this was the race that - in retrospect - effectively decided the 79 WDC. Remember that in this year the drivers could only count their best 4 results from each half of the season. So had Villeneuve not run out of fuel just 200 metres from the finish he would have collected his 4 points and after the next race the first half of the season would have finished with Jody on 30 points and Gilles on 24. In the second half of the season Gilles outscored Jody by 6 points, meaning they would have tied on 51pts apiece. They also had 3 wins each, but Gilles would have won the WDC due to scoring more 2nds than Jody. Talk about fine margins. How much fuel was needed for 200 metres? 1 litre? 2 litres? Forza Gilles. Forza Jody.

[@richardhall206]

In an interview, Jody said that in the race Gilles was changing gears with his foot still on the throttle, which he hadn't done in practice and from which the fuel load calculations were made.

[@osvaldoforastieri]

Si mí abuela tuviera patines yo sería triciclo.

[@neilmartin3220]

So good to hear Andrew Marriott. Hes a great commentator. If itv got the rights instead of bbc in 1978 (I think) we may never have heard of Murray Walker. Andrew still does a bit of pit reporting today in the 24h series. The mans a legend.

[@horsepower523]

It's so amazing to see these old classic races. Great win for Ferrari and Jody. Forza Ferrari!

[@caribstu]

I was at this race. Went on a 'Circuit Travel' trip and in the sweepstake i picked Jody to win. Everyone on the coach laughed. Beautiful cars. Happy memories.Thanks for the upload.

[@FM1163-tt2lh]

Piquet’s Brabham, what a beauty.

[@albinobeach]

I saw Jody do some laps around the track at the Monza GP this year in his championship winning Ferrari. The Tifosi where very appreciative of him and its nice to see him get the recognition he deserves. He beat Gilles in the same machinery after all.

[@sofalugger]

Love the chap ON TRACK (as they did) with chequered Flag!! Can you imagine the current F1 cars blasting past!!

[@daveoh13]

2 things i love about this video: 1) the television technology, although cutting edge for the time, is quaint in its primitiveness; b) the absense of "pants-on-fire" commentating; iii) the sound of just the cars for long gaps without some blather-head prattling on ad-nauseum about nothing interesting or relevant; today, television technology is awesome, but i watch races with the sound off so i don't have to hear some idiot yelling at me about what i can see happening with my own eyes, & i usually i see it before they do...

[@fritzthedog007]

Love the Lotus 79, possibly because I had an Airfix slot car version which was my favourite.

[@EricIrl]

Interesting that ITV were covering this. BBC had already started their "Grand Prix" highlights programme the year before so I assumed that they had exclusive rights on British TV coverage from 1978 onwards up until they lost F1 to ITV in 1997.

[@mrgobrien]

I remember itv and bbc showing f1 in the late 1970's (even in the same season) but can't remember how it was allocated (this is world of sport and sportsnight on bbc on weekdays etc sometimes had it too) - the bbc `grand prix' show started in 1978 like you say - the way the rights worked then was weird - it was one reason why the foca-fisa war happened - to tidy up how the rights were allocated

[@hayabusa27]

amzing!

[@j.a.mendez530]

Gilles del 23° al 3° 😯😯

[@idak12]

What legends these drivers were, not like todays sooks, like Vettel and Hamilton.

[@SVPSkins]

Two totally different eras.

[@solunasunrise]

they became legends , they were not right away

[@horsepower523]

idak12 Stop whining. All F1 drivers are legends, especially F1 champions. Disrespecting current F1 drivers is just stupid and ignorant.

[@gary24fan]

@@horsepower523 I'm with idak12, and make no apologies. I have no respect for a guy like Hamilton no matter if he ends up winning 20 world titles. When he doesn't win, he whines about the circuit and is always ready to offer up his ideas on how to "improve" it. I didn't realize he was a race track designer but apparently so!

[@m46patton]

that is zolder

[@Boxscot49]

Which is in Belgium

[@AS-pp1rd]

Go Jody 🥳

[@thrftstore]

what circuit is this, not spa?

[@ivantarantsov]

Zolder, the legendary Belgian racetrack.

[@elizeuteixera6847]

Yesteeday 38 years of death of Gilles Rip ! 😥

[@カッカワウソ]

I love LOTUS

[@poussy9252]

hamilton is unfortunately breaking the records of the real drivers who gave their lives to satisfy us. Shame of today drivers and f1

[@SVPSkins]

Don't talk crap. The cars are faster and they do more races.

[@WyldestZakk1980]

No one want´s those horrible times back, but to mention and compare these Douchebags, like nowadays F1 drivers are, especially Hamilton,Alonso,Vettel.. and so on, is not fair.

[@SVPSkins]

Disagree. Records are made to be broken.

[@poussy9252]

by assholes like hamilton???Noooo he drives a car full of electronics!im sure with a car like Gilles ferrari he couldn't even make a lap.

[@SVPSkins]

poussy he's made number of laps in cars like that you tool.

[@marsvltor2]

DOWNFORCE!!! :-D