Jody Scheckter became the first and, as of 2025, only African-born driver to win the Formula One World Championship, with Ferrari claiming both titles.
Key Facts
- Season number
- 33rd FIA Formula One season
- Rounds
- 15 championship races
- Season span
- 21 January – 7 October 1979
- Drivers' Champion
- Jody Scheckter (Ferrari)
- Constructors' Champion
- Ferrari (4th title in 5 years)
- Notable retirement
- James Hunt's final F1 season
By the Numbers
Cause → Event → Consequence
Ferrari entered 1979 with a competitive package and a strong driver pairing in Jody Scheckter and Gilles Villeneuve. The team had already secured multiple Constructors' titles in the preceding years, providing an experienced platform from which to mount a championship challenge across fifteen rounds.
The 1979 Formula One season ran from January to October over fifteen rounds. Scheckter and Villeneuve finished first and second respectively in the Drivers' Championship, giving Ferrari both the Drivers' and Constructors' titles. Three additional non-championship Formula One races were also held during the season.
Ferrari's double championship proved to be a landmark achievement: it was the team's fourth Constructors' title in five years, yet it marked the last time Ferrari would win the Drivers' Championship for 21 years. Scheckter's victory established him as the sole African-born world champion in Formula One history, a distinction that remained unchallenged through 2025.