Jean Rondeau
Encyclopedia
Jean Rondeau
Jean Rondeau (Le Mans
, France
, 13 May 1946 - Champagné, France, 27 December 1985) was a French race car driver and constructor, who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans
in 1980, in a car bearing his own name, an achievement which remains unique in the history of the race.
for his team in 1979.
took victory in the 1980 24 Hours of Le Mans
after fighting hard against the Porsche 908
/80 of Jacky Ickx
and Reinhold Joest
. Rondeau remains the only man to win the race in a car bearing his own name and design. After teammates Pescarolo and Jean Ragnotti
retired with engine problems during the night, Rondeau and Jaussaud took overall victory by a margin of two laps.
Rondeau's factory, similarly to those of Courage
and Henri Pescarolo
, was based near Le Mans. The Rondeau M379B that won the 1980 Le Mans race was powered by a Ford
-Cosworth
V8 engine, as were all cars constructed by the team. In 1981 he entered five cars, finishing 2nd and 3rd. However, this was overshadowed by the death of Jean-Louis Lafosse in the early hours of the race after crashing out on the Hunaudieres straight. Rondeau would never again approach those heights with his own cars; 1982 saw all three works M382's outed before half distance, while his three all-new M482 cars retired early as well. Rondeau's team was wound up at the end of 1983.
Before that, Rondeau had suffered disappointment in 1982 when he believed he had won the Manufacturers' title in the World Sportscar Championship. However, an FIA ruling allowed Porsche
to claim points from a privately entered 911 at the Nurburgring race, which gave the title to the German-based company. Rondeau's main sponsor, elevator company Otis, were so incensed that they withdrew sponsorship of the French concern.
Rondeau finished 2nd in 1984
as part of the Preston Henn race team, running with John Paul, Jr. in a Swap Shop Porsche 956
.
The Rondeau car was last seen at Le Mans in 1988 in privately run hands; Henri Pescarolo has since occasionally run one of the M379B's in historic competition. A total of 19 Rondeau chassis were constructed, of which 17 remain in existence.
Jean Rondeau (Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 13 May 1946 - Champagné, France, 27 December 1985) was a French race car driver and constructor, who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
in 1980, in a car bearing his own name, an achievement which remains unique in the history of the race.
Early career
Rondeau drove briefly in Formula Renault before moving to saloon cars. He raced a handful of Le Mans events as a guest driver before forming the Inaltera team in 1976. After the wallpaper company withdrew its sponsorship, Rondeau went alone with his Ford-powered GTP cars in 1978, scoring a coup by hiring Henri PescaroloHenri Pescarolo
Henri Pescarolo is a former racing driver from France. He participated in 64 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 22 September 1968. He achieved one podium, and scored a total of 12 championship points...
for his team in 1979.
Le Mans Win
Rondeau and Jean-Pierre JaussaudJean-Pierre Jaussaud
Jean-Pierre Jaussaud is a French former racing driver, more famous for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1978 and 1980....
took victory in the 1980 24 Hours of Le Mans
1980 24 Hours of Le Mans
The 1980 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 48th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on June 14 and 15 1980. It was the seventh round of the 1980 World Championship for Makes.-Pre-race:...
after fighting hard against the Porsche 908
Porsche 908
The Porsche 908 was a racing car from Porsche, introduced in 1968 to continue the Porsche 906/Porsche 910/Porsche 907 series of models designed under Ferdinand Piech....
/80 of Jacky Ickx
Jacky Ickx
Jacques Bernard "Jacky" Ickx is a Belgian former racing driver who achieved 25 podium finishes in Formula One and six wins in the 24 hours of Le Mans.- Racing career :...
and Reinhold Joest
Reinhold Joest
Reinhold Joest is a former German race car driver and current team owner. During the last 25 years, Joest Racing has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans nine times.-Driving career:...
. Rondeau remains the only man to win the race in a car bearing his own name and design. After teammates Pescarolo and Jean Ragnotti
Jean Ragnotti
Jean "Jeannot" Ragnotti , is a French former rally driver for Renault in the World Rally Championship....
retired with engine problems during the night, Rondeau and Jaussaud took overall victory by a margin of two laps.
Rondeau the constructor
Courage Compétition
Courage Compétition was a racing team and chassis constructor company now owned by Oreca, based in Le Mans, France near the Circuit de la Sarthe. It was founded by Yves Courage, a French race driver who ran hillclimbs before founding the company...
and Henri Pescarolo
Henri Pescarolo
Henri Pescarolo is a former racing driver from France. He participated in 64 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 22 September 1968. He achieved one podium, and scored a total of 12 championship points...
, was based near Le Mans. The Rondeau M379B that won the 1980 Le Mans race was powered by a Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
-Cosworth
Cosworth
Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries...
V8 engine, as were all cars constructed by the team. In 1981 he entered five cars, finishing 2nd and 3rd. However, this was overshadowed by the death of Jean-Louis Lafosse in the early hours of the race after crashing out on the Hunaudieres straight. Rondeau would never again approach those heights with his own cars; 1982 saw all three works M382's outed before half distance, while his three all-new M482 cars retired early as well. Rondeau's team was wound up at the end of 1983.
Before that, Rondeau had suffered disappointment in 1982 when he believed he had won the Manufacturers' title in the World Sportscar Championship. However, an FIA ruling allowed Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
to claim points from a privately entered 911 at the Nurburgring race, which gave the title to the German-based company. Rondeau's main sponsor, elevator company Otis, were so incensed that they withdrew sponsorship of the French concern.
Rondeau finished 2nd in 1984
24 Hours of Le Mans
The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world's oldest sports car race in endurance racing, held annually since near the town of Le Mans, France. Commonly known as the Grand Prix of Endurance and Efficiency, race teams have to balance speed against the cars' ability to run for 24 hours without sustaining...
as part of the Preston Henn race team, running with John Paul, Jr. in a Swap Shop Porsche 956
Porsche 956
The Porsche 956 was a Group C sports-prototype racing car designed by Norbert Singer and built by Porsche in 1982 for the FIA World Sportscar Championship...
.
The Rondeau car was last seen at Le Mans in 1988 in privately run hands; Henri Pescarolo has since occasionally run one of the M379B's in historic competition. A total of 19 Rondeau chassis were constructed, of which 17 remain in existence.