Zambuig made 49 F1 starts, making his home Grand Prix debut (Le Castellet) in 1975 before racing for Renault from 1977-80.
French racing driver and engineer Jean-Pierre Zambuig, who gave Renault its first Formula One victory in 1979, has died aged 80.
Renault-owned Alpine mourned his death on Thursday (2/2) and paid tribute to the pioneer, whose victory at the Dijon-Prenois circuit was also the first in Formula One for a car with a turbocharged engine.
“He dominated the start of Renault’s F1 journey in 1977 with his resilient and bold attitude,” the team said in a statement, adding: “His determination and dedication to succeed inspired many… we are where we are today because of of Jean-Pierre and his legacy will live on.”
Zambuig made 49 F1 starts, making his home Grand Prix debut (Le Castellet) in 1975 before racing for Renault from 1977-80.
Despite becoming the first French driver to win on home soil in 30 years, the 1979 race is widely remembered for the thrilling battle for second place between Renault’s René Arnaud and Ferrari’s Gilles Villeneuve.
Zambuig broke his leg in a crash in Canada in 1980 and retired after three races with Ligier in 1981. His second win came at the Oesterreichring in Austria in 1980.
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