1980 Elite Racing League season

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Non-canon.png All information on this page is not part of canon.

1980 Elite Racing League season
Previous: 1979 Next: 1981
Drivers Champion Manufacturers Champion
Template:AUS Alan Jones Flag of Brazil svg.png Fittipaldi-Ford

The 1980 Elite Racing League season was the 21st season of the FIA's Formula One motor racing support series (the series would remain a support series until 1997.) The Drivers Championship was won by ERL rookie Alan Jones. Jones won both the Formula 1 and ERL Championships in the same year, the first driver to do this since Jack Brabham in 1960. The Constructors Championship was won by the Ford powered Fittipaldi team. Both championships were decided at the final race of the season.

This year would be the first of the F1/ERL merge.

Races were also increased from 10 laps to a maximum distance of 100km.

This year would also be one of the closest seasons ever with 9 drivers that could mathematically win the title going into the final race at Watkins Glen because of this TV ratings increased dramatically according to a report this ERL season was "on another level."

Season Review

The F1 calendar was fully implemented into the ERL with the exception of the Belgian Grand Prix and the United States Grand Prix which was allowed to still take place at Sonoma Raceway however it would be under a new California Grand Prix name with the United States Grand Prix itself moving back to Watkins Glen.

In 1980 due to a shortage of drivers wanting to race in the ERL the series was merged with Formula 1 effectively adding a second race to the F1 weekends this had financial benefits and also gave the ERL a sense of legitimacy as the big F1 drivers entered the ERL field.

The French Grand Prix moved from Magny-Cours to Circuit Paul Ricard.

The British Grand Prix moved from Silverstone to Brands Hatch

The Austrian Grand Prix moved from the Salzburgring to the Osterreichring

The Italian Grand Prix moved from Monza to Imola located near the Ferrari factory and just outside Bologna had signed a deal to alternate the Italian GP with Monza, on the condition Monza improve its track safety and facilities. Which it had been doing however the deal had been signed before Monza made changes.

The Canadian Grand Prix moved from Mosport (Canadian Tire Motorsports Park) to the what was then called Ile Notre-Dame now the Circuit Gilles Vileneuve.

The European and Japanese Grand Prix didn't take place in the ERL this season due to Mugello not coming to an agreement to hold a new race and Suzuka mutually parting ways with the ERL due to the F1 merge.

Because of the FISA–FOCA dispute concerning ground-effect aerodynamics, it was announced on Friday's practice for the Spanish Grand Prix at Jarama that the race, to be contested on 1 June, was not going to be held under FISA regulations, therefore, it would not be counted as a Formula One championship race, the ERL race there was also cancelled due to this matter.

Rnd Race Circuit Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Constructor
1 Flag of Argentina svg.png Argentine Grand Prix Buenos Aries Flag of Brazil svg.png Nelson Piquet Flag of Canada svg.png Gilles Vileneuve Flag of Brazil svg.png Nelson Piquet Template:GBR Brabham-Ford
2 Flag of Brazil svg.png Brazilian Grand Prix Interlagos Flag of Finland svg.png Keke Rosberg Template:USA Mario Andretti Flag of Finland svg.png Keke Rosberg Flag of Brazil svg.png Fittipaldi-Ford
3 Flag of South Africa svg.png South African Grand Prix Kyalami Flag of Brazil svg.png Emerson Fittipaldi Template:SUI Clay Regazzoni Template:SUI Clay Regazzoni Template:GBR Ensign-Ford
4 Template:USA California Grand Prix Sonoma Flag of Brazil svg.png Nelson Piquet Template:SUI Clay Regazzoni Template:SUI Clay Regazzoni Template:GBR Ensign-Ford
5 Flag of Monaco svg.png Monaco Grand Prix Monaco Template:AUS Alan Jones Flag of Finland svg.png Keke Rosberg Flag of Finland svg.png Keke Rosberg Flag of Brazil svg.png Fittipaldi-Ford
6 Template:FRA French Grand Prix Paul Ricard Template:AUS Alan Jones Flag of Canada svg.png Gilles Vileneuve Flag of Argentina svg.png Carlos Reutemann Template:GBR Williams-Ford
7 Template:GBR British Grand Prix Brands Hatch Template:FRA Jean-Pierre Jabouille Template:USA Eddie Cheever Template:FRA Jean-Pierre Jabouille Template:FRA Renault
8 Flag of Germany svg.png German Grand Prix Hockenheimring Template:FRA Jacques Laffite Template:USA Mario Andretti Template:USA Mario Andretti Template:GBR Lotus-Ford
9 Template:AUT Austrian Grand Prix Osterreichring Template:FRA Jacques Laffite Template:FRA Jacques Laffite Template:FRA Jacques Laffite Template:FRA Ligier-Ford
10 Flag of the Netherlands svg.png Dutch Grand Prix Zandvoort Flag of Brazil svg.png Emerson Fittipaldi Flag of South Africa svg.png Jody Scheckter Flag of South Africa svg.png Jody Scheckter Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari
11 Flag of Italy svg.png Italian Grand Prix Imola Template:SUI Clay Regazzoni Template:FRA Alain Prost Template:SUI Clay Regazzoni Template:GBR Ensign-Ford
12 Flag of Canada svg.png Canadian Grand Prix Montreal Template:FRA Jacques Laffite Template:FRA Alain Prost Template:AUS Alan Jones Template:GBR Williams-Ford
13 Template:USA United States Grand Prix Watkins Glen Template:USA Mario Andretti Flag of Brazil svg.png Emerson Fittipaldi Flag of Brazil svg.png Emerson Fittipaldi Flag of Brazil svg.png Fittipaldi-Ford
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