Ligier JS9
| Company type | Racing car |
|---|---|
| Industry | Formula One racing |
| Predecessor | Ligier JS7 |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Founder | Equipe Ligier |
| Headquarters | France |
Key people | Gérard Ducarouge, Michel Beaujon, Robert Choulet, Jacques Laffite |
| Products | Formula One race car |
The Ligier JS9 was a Formula One race car developed and campaigned by Equipe Ligier during the 1978 Formula One season. Piloted by French driver Jacques Laffite, the vehicle secured two podium finishes, both third places.
Development
The JS9 was engineered by Gérard Ducarouge and Michel Beaujon, with aerodynamic contributions from Robert Choulet. It featured a prominent rear wing but did not incorporate the ground effect technology that rivals such as Lotus were beginning to utilize. The car transitioned from the earlier Hewland TL200 gearbox to a lighter Hewland FGA 6-speed unit while continuing to use the Matra MS76 V12 engine. However, Matra halted further development of their V12 powerplant during the season, which likely constrained its competitiveness. Only two JS9 chassis were constructed; the second chassis included updated suspension components. The JS9 marked Ligier’s last model powered by a Matra V12 before the team switched to Cosworth engines in 1979.
Racing history
In the 1978 season, Ligier fielded a single car for Jacques Laffite. Initially, the team competed with the JS7 and a hybrid JS7/9 before introducing the JS9 at the Monaco Grand Prix. Laffite qualified 15th at Monaco but retired due to gearbox issues. The JS9 achieved its first podium finish at the Spanish Grand Prix, where Laffite climbed from tenth on the grid to third place. After three consecutive races without scoring points, he earned another third place in Germany, starting from seventh position.
Using the second chassis, Laffite added two additional points finishes: fifth place in Austria—where he recorded his best qualifying position of fifth—and fourth in Italy. The JS9 demonstrated dependable performance throughout the year, retiring only twice: at Monaco and during the final race in Canada.
Complete Formula One World Championship results
(key) (Bold signifies pole position; italics denote fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:F1 | Équipe Ligier | Matra MS76 | Template:Goodyear | ARG | BRA | RSA | USW | MON | BEL | ESP | SWE | FRA | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | USA | CAN | 19* | 6th | |
| Jacques Laffite | Ret | 3rd | 7th | 10th | 3rd | 5th | 8th | 4th | 11th | Ret |
*6 points scored in 1978 were with the JS7 and JS7/9