Jacques-Henri Marie Sabin Laffite (; born 21 November 1943) is a French former racing driver and broadcaster, who competed in Formula One from to . Laffite won six Formula One Grands Prix across 13 seasons.
Born and raised in Paris, Laffite trained as a racing driver with the Winfield Racing School at Magny-Cours in 1968. Laffite twice entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Ligier before making his Formula One debut at the 1974 German Grand Prix with Frank Williams. Laffite remained at Frank Williams through the season, scoring his maiden podium at the and winning the European Formula Two Championship with Martini. He moved to Ligier in , taking several podiums amongst his maiden pole position in Italy. Laffite retained his seat the following season, taking his maiden win at the . After a winless season in , Ligier constructed the highly-competitive JS11 in response to the ground effect era. Laffite won the opening two rounds of the season—including a grand slam at the —but ultimately finished the championship in fourth after suffering eight retirements. Laffite again finished fourth in the and championships, losing out on the latter by six points to Nelson Piquet and taking several wins across both. Laffite failed to finish 11 of 15 Grands Prix in , leaving for Williams at the end of the season. After two winless seasons with Williams, amongst further reliability issues, Laffite returned to Ligier in , scoring several podiums. At the 1986 British Grand Prix, Laffite was seriously injured in a multi-car collision that broke both of his legs. He subsequently retired from Formula One, having achieved six wins, seven pole positions, seven fastest laps and 32 podiums.
Outside of Formula One, Laffite was a race-winner in the World Sportscar Championship with Kauhsen, as well as in the BMW M1 Procar Championship with BMW. He competed in the World Touring Car Championship in 1987 with Alfa Corse, and the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft from 1990 to 1992. Laffite entered nine editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans from to across multiple classes. Upon retiring from motor racing, Laffite was a presenter for TF1 from 1997 to 2012.
Early years Jacques-Henri Marie Sabin Laffite was born in Paris on 21 November 1943. He attended the Cours Hattemer, a private school. He was trained as a racing driver in 1968 at Winfield Racing School in France.
Formula One career Laffite debuted in Formula One in 1974 for Frank Williams' Iso–Marlboro team. The following year he raced for the same team, now named Williams, scoring a second place in the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring.
In , Laffite moved to the French Ligier team, scoring 20 points and a pole position at the Italian Grand Prix. The next two seasons were transitional, although he managed to win his first Grand Prix at Anderstorp in the 1977 Swedish Grand Prix.
The 1979 season opened with Laffite winning the first two races. He fought for the World Championship title until the last races, but eventually placed only fourth, with 36 points. The following two seasons were similar, with two more fourth places in the Championship and a further three victories. In 1982, however, Laffite finished only 17th in the final classification, with only 5 points scored.
During the early 1980s, Laffite also made three end of season trips to Australia to race in the non-championship Australian Grand Prix. He failed to finish his first race in 1981 (he was lucky to start after his car hit the wall on the outside of the last turn of the short (1.609 km (1.000 mi)) Calder Park Raceway in qualifying, but his local crew were able to repair it for the race). He finished second to fellow Frenchman Alain Prost in 1982, and third behind Brazilian Roberto Moreno and Australian John Smith in 1983. In all of his pre-Formula One AGP drives, Laffite drove a Formula Pacific or Formula Mondial Ralt RT4 powered by a 1.6-litre Ford I4 engine.
Results in the next two seasons were not much better, when he moved back to England, again to race for Williams (11 and five points, respectively). Now in his forties, Laffite returned to Ligier in 1985: in that season he was on the podium three times (Great Britain, Germany and Australia), for a total of 16 points. In 1986, he scored 14 points including two more podium finishes in the first half of the season, but he broke both legs in a crash at the start of the British Grand Prix at Brands Hatch and thereafter retired from Formula One, ending his career tied with Graham Hill for the most Grand Prix starts at 176. He was the most successful driver in Ligier's history, having taken six of their nine wins.
As a result of Laffite's injuries, new safety rules were enforced from the season that stated that in all cars the driver's feet must be behind the front axle line.
Post-Formula One career Laffite recovered from his injuries and later raced in touring cars, finishing 17th in the inaugural World Touring Car Championship driving an Alfa Romeo 75 for Alfa Corse as well as racing three seasons in the German-based DTM series.
Laffite is now a television commentator for the French network TF1, best known for his reaction to the incident at the 1997 European Grand Prix in which Michael Schumacher collided with Jacques Villeneuve, and Laffite reacted with curse words on live television.
Laffite made his 2007 FIA GT3 European Championship debut at the 2008 Bucharest City Challenge, driving for AutoGT Racing Team.
In October 2008, at the age of 64, Laffite tested a Renault R27 F1 car at the Paul Ricard circuit.
Laffite has two daughters: Camille and Margot, a sports journalist of Formula One on Canal+. He is also golf enthusiast, is a shareholder of Dijon-Bourgogne Golf.
Also deeply attached to the Creuse for Golf Fisheries and nature, Laffite has a property in Creuse near Aubusson.
Racing record
Career summary SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition197224 Hours of Le MansAutomobiles Ligier10000N/ADNF197324 Hours of Le MansAutomobiles Ligier10000N/ADSQ1974European Formula TwoBP Racing France101115313rdFormula OneFrank Williams Racing Cars500000NC24 Hours of Le MansAutomobiles Ligier10000N/A8th1975European Formula TwoAutomobiles Martini146547601stFormula OneFrank Williams Racing Cars Williams Ambrozium H7 Racing100001612thWorld Sportscar ChampionshipWilli Kauhsen Racing Team3300360NC1976Formula OneLigier Gitanes160113207thWorld Sportscar ChampionshipEquipe Renault Elf4030115NCEuropean Formula TwoFred Opert Racing200120NC‡Willi Kauhsen Racing Team100001977Formula OneLigier Gitanes1710121810thEuropean Formula TwoFred Opert Racing300000NC24 Hours of Le MansRenault Sport10000N/ADNF1978Formula OneLigier Gitanes160002198thEuropean Formula TwoMaublanc Racing Services200000NC24 Hours of Le MansGrand Touring Cars Inc.10000N/A10th1979Formula OneLigier Gitanes152426364thBMW M1 Procar ChampionshipBMW Motorsport41102357th1980Formula OneÉquipe Ligier Gitanes141115344thBMW M1 Procar ChampionshipBMW Motorsport60101379th1981Formula OneÉquipe Talbot Gitanes152117444th1982Formula OneÉquipe Talbot Gitanes150001517th1983Formula OneTAG Williams Team1300001111th1984Formula OneWilliams Grand Prix Engineering160000514th1985Formula OneÉquipe Ligier Équipe Ligier Gitanes150013169th1986Formula OneÉquipe Ligier90002148th1987World Touring Car ChampionshipAlfa Corse600008617th1990Deutsche Tourenwagen MeisterschaftBigazzi M Team2110331077th24 Hours of Le MansJoest Porsche Racing10000N/A14th1991Deutsche Tourenwagen MeisterschaftSnobeck S.A.2102138111th1992Deutsche Tourenwagen MeisterschaftMS Racing2300104313th199324 Hours of Le MansJacadi Racing10000N/ADNF199424 Hours of Le MansLarbre Compétition10000N/ADNF199624 Hours of Le MansTeam Bigazzi SRL10000N/A11th2007FIA GT3 European ChampionshipAutoGT Racing60000022nd2008FIA GT3 European ChampionshipAutoGT Racing70000029th 2013 Eurocup Mégane Trophy Oregon Team100000NC† Graded drivers not eligible for European Formula Two Championship points
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Automobiles Ligier Pierre Maublanc Ligier JS2-Maserati S 3.0 195 DNF DNF Automobiles Ligier Guy Ligier Ligier JS2-Maserati S 3.0 24 DSQ DSQ Automobiles Ligier Alain Serpaggi Ligier JS2-Maserati S 3.0 310 8th 5th Renault Sport Patrick Depailler Renault Alpine A442 S +2.0 289 DNF DNF Grand Touring Cars Inc. Vern Schuppan Sam Posey Mirage M9-Renault S +2.0 293 10th 5th Joest Porsche Racing Henri Pescarolo Jean-Louis Ricci Porsche 962C C1 328 14th 14th Jacadi Racing Michel Maisonneuve Christophe Dechavanne Venturi 500LM-Renault GT 210 DNF DNF Larbre Compétition Jacques Alméras Jean-Marie Alméras Porsche 911 Carrera RSR GT2 94 DNF DNF Team Bigazzi SRL Steve Soper Marc Duez McLaren F1 GTR-BMW GT1 318 11th 9th
Complete European Formula Two Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pts BP Racing France March 742 BMW M12 BAR HOC PAU SAL HOC MUG KAR PER HOC VLL 3rd 31 Automobiles Martini Martini Mk 16 BMW M12 EST THR HOC NÜR PAU HOC SAL ROU MUG PER SIL ZOL NOG VLL 1st 60 Fred Opert Racing Chevron B35 BMW HOC THR VLL SAL PAU HOC ROU MUG PER EST NOG NC 0 Willi Kauhsen Racing Team March 762 Hart HOC Fred Opert Racing Chevron B40 Hart SIL THR HOC NÜR VLL PAU MUG ROU NOG PER MIS EST DON NC 0 Maublanc Racing Services March 782 BMW THR HOC NÜR PAU MUG VLL ROU DON NOG PER MIS HOC NC 0 Graded drivers not eligible for European Formula Two Championship points
Complete Formula One World Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Pts Frank Williams Racing Cars Iso–Marlboro FW Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG BRA RSA ESP BEL MON SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA CAN USA NC 0 Frank Williams Racing Cars Williams FW02 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG BRA RSA ESP 12th 6Williams Ambrozium H7 Racing Williams FW04 MON BEL SWE NED FRA GBR GER AUT ITA USA Ligier Gitanes Ligier JS5 Matra MS73 3.0 V12 BRA RSA USW ESP BEL MON SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN USA JPN 7th 20 Ligier Gitanes Ligier JS7 Matra MS73 3.0 V12Matra MS76 3.0 V12 ARG BRA RSA USW ESP MON BEL SWE FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA USA CAN JPN 10th 18 Ligier Gitanes Ligier JS7 Matra MS76 3.0 V12 ARG BRA USW 8th 19 Ligier JS7/9 Matra MS78 3.0 V12 RSA BEL SWE Ligier JS9 MON ESP FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA USA CAN Ligier Gitanes Ligier JS11 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG BRA RSA USW ESP BEL MON FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN USA 4th 36 Équipe Ligier Gitanes Ligier JS11/15 Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 ARG BRA RSA USW BEL MON FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN USA 4th 34 Équipe Talbot Gitanes Talbot Ligier JS17 Matra MS81 3.0 V12 USW BRA ARG SMR BEL MON ESP FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA CAN CPL 4th 44 Équipe Talbot Gitanes Talbot Ligier JS17B Matra MS81 3.0 V12 RSA BRA USW SMR BEL DET CAN 17th 5 Talbot Ligier JS19 MON NED GBR FRA GER AUT SUI ITA CPL TAG Williams Team Williams FW08C Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 BRA USW FRA SMR MON BEL DET CAN GBR GER AUT NED ITA EUR 11th 11 Williams FW09 Honda RA163-E 1.5 V6 t RSA Williams Grand Prix Engineering Williams FW09 Honda RA163E 1.5 V6 t BRA RSA BEL SMR FRA MON CAN DET DAL 14th 5 Williams FW09B Honda RA164E 1.5 V6 t GBR GER AUT NED ITA EUR POR Équipe Ligier Ligier JS25 Renault EF4B 1.5 V6 t BRA POR SMR MON 9th 16 Équipe Ligier Gitanes CAN DET FRA GBR GER AUT NED ITA BEL EUR RSA AUS Équipe Ligier Ligier JS27 Renault EF4B 1.5 V6 t BRA ESP SMR MON BEL CAN DET FRA GBR GER HUN AUT ITA POR MEX AUS 8th 14
Complete World Touring Car Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 DC Points 1987 Alfa Corse Alfa Romeo 75 MNZ JAR DIJovr:9cls:5 NURovr:9cls:7 SPAovr:12cls:9 BNOovr:10cls:8 SILovr:10cls:8 BAT CAL WEL FJI 17th 86 * Overall race position shown. Registered WTCC points paying position may differ.