Published evidence

1979 Toyota United States Grand Prix · qualifying

A historical profile with source-linked evidence. Further research is in progress.

THE HISTORICAL RECORD

Profile & context

Name: 1979 Toyota United States Grand Prix · qualifying

PROVENANCE

Sources behind this page

F1DB

v2026.17.0 · session/328-qualifying

Original reference ↗

Historical source & scope

F1DB v2026.17.0 · CC BY 4.0. Normalisation, links and calculations by MotorPedia. Original source observations retained.

Source-reported facts are not independent historical confirmation. Missing times and points remain unknown; source-rounded points retain their published precision. Constructor, entrant and team identities are kept distinct.

Grand Prix context

1979 Toyota United States Grand Prix · Watkins Glen International

Technical formula: Formula 1. World Championship membership is separate from technical regulations.

1979 Formula 1 World Championship · round 15

Race classification

Source participant rows: shared cars and nonstarters retained
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details	Points
1	Gilles Villeneuve	Ferrari	1:52:17.734 · 59 laps · ferrari	9
2	René Arnoux	Renault	1:53:06.521 · 59 laps · renault	6
3	Didier Pironi	Tyrrell	1:53:10.933 · 59 laps · ford	4
4	Elio de Angelis	Shadow	1:53:48.246 · 59 laps · ford	3
5	Hans-Joachim Stuck	ATS	1:53:58.993 · 59 laps · ford	2
6	John Watson	McLaren	Time not recorded · 58 laps · ford	1
7	Emerson Fittipaldi	Fittipaldi	Time not recorded · 54 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
8	Nelson Piquet	Brabham	Transmission · Time not recorded · 53 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Derek Daly	Tyrrell	Spun off · Time not recorded · 52 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Jody Scheckter	Ferrari	Tyre · Time not recorded · 48 laps · ferrari	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Riccardo Patrese	Arrows	Suspension · Time not recorded · 44 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Alan Jones	Williams	Wheel · Time not recorded · 36 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Marc Surer	Ensign	Engine · Time not recorded · 32 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Clay Regazzoni	Williams	Accident · Time not recorded · 29 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Ricardo Zunino	Brabham	Spun off · Time not recorded · 25 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Jean-Pierre Jabouille	Renault	Engine · Time not recorded · 24 laps · renault	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Patrick Tambay	McLaren	Engine · Time not recorded · 20 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Keke Rosberg	Wolf	Accident · Time not recorded · 20 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Jean-Pierre Jarier	Tyrrell	Accident · Time not recorded · 18 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Mario Andretti	Lotus	Gearbox · Time not recorded · 16 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Carlos Reutemann	Lotus	Spun off · Time not recorded · 6 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Jacques Laffite	Ligier	Spun off · Time not recorded · 3 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Jacky Ickx	Ligier	Spun off · Time not recorded · 2 laps · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNF	Bruno Giacomelli	Alfa Romeo	Spun off · Time not recorded · 0 laps · alfa-romeo	Unknown / not applicable
DNQ	Vittorio Brambilla	Alfa Romeo	Time not recorded · alfa-romeo	Unknown / not applicable
DNQ	Jochen Mass	Arrows	Time not recorded · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNQ	Jan Lammers	Shadow	Time not recorded · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNQ	Héctor Rebaque	Rebaque	Time not recorded · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNQ	Alex Ribeiro	Fittipaldi	Time not recorded · ford	Unknown / not applicable
DNQ	Arturo Merzario	Merzario	Time not recorded · ford	Unknown / not applicable

Qualifying

Recorded qualifying order; Q1/Q2/Q3 and earlier formats remain distinct in original evidence
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details
1	Alan Jones	Williams	1:35.615 · ford
2	Nelson Piquet	Brabham	1:36.914 · ford
3	Gilles Villeneuve	Ferrari	1:36.948 · ferrari
4	Jacques Laffite	Ligier	1:37.066 · ford
5	Clay Regazzoni	Williams	1:37.128 · ford
6	Carlos Reutemann	Lotus	1:37.872 · ford
7	René Arnoux	Renault	1:38.195 · renault
8	Jean-Pierre Jabouille	Renault	1:38.218 · renault
9	Ricardo Zunino	Brabham	1:38.509 · ford
10	Didier Pironi	Tyrrell	1:38.823 · ford
11	Jean-Pierre Jarier	Tyrrell	1:38.945 · ford
12	Keke Rosberg	Wolf	1:39.035 · ford
13	John Watson	McLaren	1:39.233 · ford
14	Hans-Joachim Stuck	ATS	1:39.329 · ford
15	Derek Daly	Tyrrell	1:39.468 · ford
16	Jody Scheckter	Ferrari	1:39.576 · ferrari
17	Mario Andretti	Lotus	1:40.144 · ford
18	Bruno Giacomelli	Alfa Romeo	1:40.277 · alfa-romeo
19	Riccardo Patrese	Arrows	1:40.337 · ford
20	Elio de Angelis	Shadow	1:40.625 · ford
21	Marc Surer	Ensign	1:40.635 · ford
22	Patrick Tambay	McLaren	1:40.731 · ford
23	Emerson Fittipaldi	Fittipaldi	1:40.741 · ford
24	Jacky Ickx	Ligier	1:40.745 · ford
25	Vittorio Brambilla	Alfa Romeo	1:40.789 · alfa-romeo
26	Jochen Mass	Arrows	1:40.824 · ford
27	Jan Lammers	Shadow	1:42.088 · ford
28	Héctor Rebaque	Rebaque	1:43.060 · ford
29	Alex Ribeiro	Fittipaldi	1:45.183 · ford
30	Arturo Merzario	Merzario	1:49.318 · ford

Starting grid

Recorded grid; pole awards are not inferred from starting position
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details
1	Alan Jones	Williams	1:35.615 · ford
2	Nelson Piquet	Brabham	1:36.914 · ford
3	Gilles Villeneuve	Ferrari	1:36.948 · ferrari
4	Jacques Laffite	Ligier	1:37.066 · ford
5	Clay Regazzoni	Williams	1:37.128 · ford
6	Carlos Reutemann	Lotus	1:37.872 · ford
7	René Arnoux	Renault	1:38.195 · renault
8	Jean-Pierre Jabouille	Renault	1:38.218 · renault
9	Ricardo Zunino	Brabham	1:38.509 · ford
10	Didier Pironi	Tyrrell	1:38.823 · ford
11	Jean-Pierre Jarier	Tyrrell	1:38.945 · ford
12	Keke Rosberg	Wolf	1:39.035 · ford
13	John Watson	McLaren	1:39.233 · ford
14	Hans-Joachim Stuck	ATS	1:39.329 · ford
15	Derek Daly	Tyrrell	1:39.468 · ford
16	Jody Scheckter	Ferrari	1:39.576 · ferrari
17	Mario Andretti	Lotus	1:40.144 · ford
18	Bruno Giacomelli	Alfa Romeo	1:40.277 · alfa-romeo
19	Riccardo Patrese	Arrows	1:40.337 · ford
20	Elio de Angelis	Shadow	1:40.625 · ford
21	Marc Surer	Ensign	1:40.635 · ford
22	Patrick Tambay	McLaren	1:40.731 · ford
23	Emerson Fittipaldi	Fittipaldi	1:40.741 · ford
24	Jacky Ickx	Ligier	1:40.745 · ford

Championship progression

Driver standings after this championship round
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details	Points
1	Jody Scheckter	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	51
2	Gilles Villeneuve	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	47
3	Alan Jones	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	40
4	Jacques Laffite	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	36
5	Clay Regazzoni	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	29
6	Patrick Depailler	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	20
7	Carlos Reutemann	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	20
8	René Arnoux	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	17
9	John Watson	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	15
10	Didier Pironi	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	14
11	Jean-Pierre Jarier	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	14
12	Mario Andretti	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	14
13	Jean-Pierre Jabouille	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	9
14	Niki Lauda	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	4
15	Nelson Piquet	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	3
15	Elio de Angelis	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	3
17	Jacky Ickx	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	3
18	Jochen Mass	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	3
19	Riccardo Patrese	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	2
19	Hans-Joachim Stuck	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	2
21	Emerson Fittipaldi	Not applicable / not recorded	Time not recorded	1