Formula 1 historical archive

Jody Scheckter won the 1979 Belgian Grand Prix

Jody Scheckter won the 1979 Belgian Grand Prix for Ferrari, ahead of Jacques Laffite and Didier Pironi at Circuit Zolder.

Browse the full classification, related season, driver, team, circuit, and championship history.

Race recap

Winner
Jody Scheckter
Team
Ferrari
Top listed
Jody Scheckter, Jacques Laffite, and Didier Pironi
Race date
May 13, 1979
Pole
Jacques Laffite
Fastest lap
Gilles Villeneuve
Classified drivers
28
Circuit
Circuit Zolder

The decisive result

Jody Scheckter finished first for Ferrari. Jacques Laffite is listed 2 for Ligier, with Didier Pironi 3 for Tyrrell.

Grid to finish

Emerson Fittipaldi from P23 to P9 (+14), John Watson from P19 to P6 (+13), and Hans-Joachim Stuck from P20 to P8 (+12) recorded the largest positive grid-to-finish changes in the classification. Jacques Laffite started from the listed P1 grid position.

Status and fastest lap

The classification lists 6 Finished, 4 DNQ, 3 Collision, 2 +1 lap, and 2 +2 laps. Gilles Villeneuve holds the fastest-lap entry at 1:23.090 on lap 63. It records the result without speculating about incidents or strategy.

This summary sticks to the classification and does not speculate about incidents, strategy, weather, or causes. Source: F1DB (CC BY 4.0) · updated Jul 26, 2026.

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Race classification
PosDriverConstructorTime / statusPoints
1Jody ScheckterFerrari1:39:59.5309
2Jacques LaffiteLigier1:40:14.8906
3Didier PironiTyrrell1:40:34.7004
4Carlos ReutemannTeam Lotus1:40:46.0203
5Riccardo PatreseArrows1:41:03.8402
6John WatsonMcLaren1:41:05.3801
7Gilles VilleneuveFerrari+1 lap0
8Hans-Joachim StuckATS Wheels+1 lap0
9Emerson FittipaldiFittipaldi+2 laps0
10Jan LammersShadow+2 laps0
11Jean-Pierre JarierTyrrell+3 laps0
DNFPatrick DepaillerLigierAccident0
DNFJames HuntWolfAccident0
DNFAlan JonesWilliamsElectrical0
DNFMario AndrettiTeam LotusBrakes0
DNFNelson PiquetBrabhamEngine0
DNFNiki LaudaBrabhamEngine0
DNFRené ArnouxRenaultTurbo0
DNFBruno GiacomelliAlfa RomeoCollision0
DNFElio de AngelisShadowCollision0