| 1979 Formula One season
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| Mario Andretti entered the season as a two-time World Champion, but driving for Ferrari instead of Lotus.
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| Season
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| Races
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17
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| Start date
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TBA
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| Start Event
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 TBA
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| End date
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TBA
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| End Event
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TBA
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| Awards
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| Driver's Champion
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TBD
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| Constructor's Champion
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TBD
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| Entrant's Champion
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TBD
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| Seasons
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| Previous season
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Next season
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| 1978
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1980
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| Regional Series
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| Tier 1
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1979 British Formula One
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The 1979 Formula One season was the 30th season of Formula One. Mario Andretti and Lotus entered the season as reigning champions; however, they would not enter the season together, as Andretti unexpectedly moved to Ferrari and swapped seats with his rival Jody Scheckter after one of the most chaotic off-seasons in Grand Prix history.
Teams and drivers
| Team
|
Constructor
|
Chassis
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Engine
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Tyres
|
#
|
Driver
|
Rounds
|
 Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC [?]
|
Ferrari
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Ferrari 312T4
|
Ferrari 015 3.0 F12
|
Template:Goodyear
|
1
|
Template:USA Mario Andretti
|
1-
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| 2
|
 Keke Rosberg
|
1-
|
| Template:GBR Penthouse Team Tyrrell [?]
|
Tyrrell-Ford
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Tyrrell 011
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Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Michelin
|
3
|
Template:GBR Tom Pryce
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1-
|
| 4
|
Template:GBR Robert Kagan
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1-
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| Template:GBR Essex Team Lotus [?]
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Lotus-Ford
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Lotus 80
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Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Goodyear
|
5
|
 Jody Scheckter
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1-
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| 6
|
Template:GBR Thomas Nurmester
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1-
|
| Template:GBR Parmalat Racing Team [?]
|
Brabham-Ford
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Brabham BT46C
|
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Goodyear
|
7
|
Template:GBR James Hunt
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1-
|
| 8
|
 Nelson Piquet
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1-
|
| Template:GBR March Engineering [?]
|
March-Ford
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March 791
|
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Dunlop
|
9
|
Template:FRA Guillaume Gauthier
|
1-
|
| 10
|
Template:GBR Harvey Jones
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1-
|
| Template:GBR Marlboro Team McLaren [?]
|
McLaren-Ford
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McLaren M28
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Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Dunlop
|
11
|
Template:BEL Jacky Ickx
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1-
|
| 12
|
 Masahiro Hasemi
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1-
|
| Template:FRA Équipe Renault Elf [?]
|
Renault
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Renault RS10
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Renault-Gordini EF1 1.5 V6t
|
Template:Michelin
|
14
|
Template:FRA Jean-Pierre Jabouille
|
1-
|
| 15
|
Template:FRA Didier Pironi
|
1-
|
 ATS Kauhsen Racing Team [?]
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ATS-Ford
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ATS WK2
|
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Goodyear
|
16
|
Jochen Mass
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1-
|
| Rolf Stommelen
|
TBA
|
| 17
|
Template:AUT Harald Ertl
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1-
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| Template:GBR Warsteiner Arrows North Star Racing Team [?]
|
Arrows-Ford
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Arrows A2
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Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Michelin
|
18
|
Template:FRA René Arnoux
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1-
|
| 19
|
Template:FRA Gabriel Château
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1-
|
| Template:GBR Team Ensign [?]
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Ensign-Ford
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Ensign N179
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Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Michelin
|
21
|
 Ronnie Peterson
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1-
|
| 22
|
 Jan Lammers
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1-
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| Scuderia Everest [?]
|
Minardi-Ford
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Minardi M179
|
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Dunlop
|
23
|
Piercarlo Ghinzani
|
5-6
|
| 24
|
Template:USA Eddie Cheever
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5-6
|
| Template:FRA Ligier Gitanes [?]
|
Ligier-Matra
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Ligier JS11
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Matra MS73 3.0 V12
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Template:Goodyear
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25
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Template:FRA Jacques Laffite
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1-
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| 26
|
 Ricardo Zunino
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1-
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| Template:GBR Saudia Williams Racing Team [?]
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Williams-Ford
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Williams FW07
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Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
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Template:Goodyear
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27
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Template:AUS Alan Jones
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1-7, 9-17
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| Template:GBR John Watson
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8
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| 28
|
 Gilles Villeneuve
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1-
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| Autodelta [?]
|
Alfa Romeo
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Alfa Romeo 179
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Alfa Romeo 115-12 3.0 F12
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Template:Pirelli
|
30
|
Emerson Fittipaldi
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1-
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| 31
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Elio de Angelis
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1-
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| HB Lola Bewaking Alarmsystemen [?]
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Lola-Ford
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Lola T400
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Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Pirelli
|
32
|
Michael Bleekemolen
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5-15
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| 33
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Vittorio Brambilla
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5-13, 15
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| Huub Rothengatter
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14
|
| Dywa [?]
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Dywa-Renzo
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Dywa-002
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Renzo BI-2 3.0 V8
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Template:Dunlop
|
35
|
Beppe Gabbiani
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5-15
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| 36
|
Arsenio Matarazzo
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5-15
|
| Template:USA Interscope Racing [?]
|
Interscope-Ford
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Interscope IR4
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Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Dunlop
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37
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Template:USA Danny Ongais
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1-
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| 38
|
Template:SUI Marc Surer
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1-
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| Team Merzario [?]
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Merzario-Ford
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Merzario A1
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Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Dunlop
|
39
|
Arturo Merzario
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5-7,9-15
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| Freddy Kottulinsky
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8
|
| 40
|
Renzo Zorzi
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5-15
|
 Madom Formula 1 [?]
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March-Ford
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March 771
|
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Dunlop
|
41
|
Emilio de Villota
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5, 8, 11
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| 42
|
 David Kennedy
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5, 8, 11
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| Template:GBR B&S Fabrications [?]
|
Spartec-Ford
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Spartec G71A
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Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Dunlop
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43
|
Template:BEL Patrick Nève
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5-8, 10-14
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| Luciano Sighinolfi
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9, 15
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| 44
|
Lella Lombardi
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5-7, 9-10, 12-15
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| Template:GBR Rupert Keegan
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8, 11
|
| Template:GBR Hesketh Racing [?]
|
Hesketh-Ford
|
Hesketh 308F
|
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Pirelli
|
45
|
Riccardo Patrese
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1-
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| 46
|
Bruno Giacomelli
|
1-
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| Template:BEL VDS Racing [?]
|
Martini-Ford
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Martini MK24B
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Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Dunlop
|
47
|
Template:BEL Teddy Pilette
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6, 10, 12-14
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| 48
|
Template:BEL Bernard de Dryver
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6
|
| Template:BEL Claude Bourgoignie
|
10
|
| Template:BEL Hervé Regout
|
12
|
| Template:BEL Silvio Bachot
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13
|
| Template:BEL Pierre Dieudonné
|
14
|
 Team Rebaque [?]
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Rebaque-Ford
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Rebaque HR102
|
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Pirelli
|
49
|
Héctor Rebaque
|
5-15
|
| 50
|
Template:USA Brett Lunger
|
5-15
|
| Template:GBR British Formula One Racing Team [?]
|
March-Ford
|
March 781B
|
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8
|
Template:Dunlop
|
51
|
Template:GBR Divina Galica
|
8, 11
|
| 52
|
Template:GBR Stephen South
|
8, 11
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Driver Changes
Pre-season
- Bobby Rahal and Tom Sneva both elected to leave Formula One and return to IndyCar for the 1979 season.
- Clay Regazzoni was let go at McLaren after one season and replaced by Belgian veteran Jacky Ickx, whom McLaren had coaxed out of retirement. Masahiro Hasemi was retained by the for 1979 after replacing René Arnoux for the final three races of 1978.
- Tom Pryce, having already done three races for Tyrrell in 1978 on loan from March to replace the injured Robert Kagan, signed full-time with Tyrrell for 1979 to replace Pironi. Pryce's seat at March would hence be taken by Harvey Jones, entering his first full season of Formula One after several bit parts in the previous three seasons.
- Rookie Dutchman Jan Lammers was signed by Ensign to replace Bobby Rahal after his return to North America.
- The revolving door that had characterised the #26 Ligier over the previous few seasons was now in the hands of well-funded Argentine driver Ricardo Zunino.
Calendar
Championship Grands Prix
Non-Championship Events
Standings
Drivers' Championship
| Position
|
1st
|
2nd
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3rd
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4th
|
5th
|
6th
|
| Points
|
9
|
6
|
4
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3
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2
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1
|
Only a driver's best 12 finishes counted towards the championship
TBA
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Gunnar Nilsson Memorial Trophy