1980 Elite Racing League season

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1980 Elite Racing League season
Previous: 1979 Next: 1981
Drivers Champion Manufacturers Champion
Flag of Australia svg.png 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 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Brabham-Ford
2 Flag of Brazil svg.png Brazilian Grand Prix Interlagos Flag of Finland svg.png Keke Rosberg Flag of the United States svg.png 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 Flag of Switzerland svg.png Clay Regazzoni Flag of Switzerland svg.png Clay Regazzoni Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Ensign-Ford
4 Flag of the United States svg.png California Grand Prix Sonoma Flag of Brazil svg.png Nelson Piquet Flag of Switzerland svg.png Clay Regazzoni Flag of Switzerland svg.png Clay Regazzoni Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Ensign-Ford
5 Flag of Monaco svg.png Monaco Grand Prix Monaco Flag of Australia svg.png Alan Jones Flag of Finland svg.png Keke Rosberg Flag of Finland svg.png Keke Rosberg Flag of Brazil svg.png Fittipaldi-Ford
6 Flag of France svg.png French Grand Prix Paul Ricard Flag of Australia svg.png Alan Jones Flag of Canada svg.png Gilles Vileneuve Flag of Argentina svg.png Carlos Reutemann Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Williams-Ford
7 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png British Grand Prix Brands Hatch Flag of France svg.png Jean-Pierre Jabouille Flag of the United States svg.png Eddie Cheever Flag of France svg.png Jean-Pierre Jabouille Flag of France svg.png Renault
8 Flag of Germany svg.png German Grand Prix Hockenheimring Flag of France svg.png Jacques Laffite Flag of the United States svg.png Mario Andretti Flag of the United States svg.png Mario Andretti Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Lotus-Ford
9 Flag of Austria svg.png Austrian Grand Prix Osterreichring Flag of France svg.png Jacques Laffite Flag of France svg.png Jacques Laffite Flag of France svg.png Jacques Laffite Flag of France svg.png 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 Flag of Switzerland svg.png Clay Regazzoni Flag of France svg.png Alain Prost Flag of Switzerland svg.png Clay Regazzoni Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Ensign-Ford
12 Flag of Canada svg.png Canadian Grand Prix Montreal Flag of France svg.png Jacques Laffite Flag of France svg.png Alain Prost Flag of Australia svg.png Alan Jones Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Williams-Ford
13 Flag of the United States svg.png United States Grand Prix Watkins Glen Flag of the United States svg.png Mario Andretti Flag of Brazil svg.png Emerson Fittipaldi Flag of Brazil svg.png Emerson Fittipaldi Flag of Brazil svg.png Fittipaldi-Ford

Teams and Drivers

Several drivers from the 1980 Formula 1 grid joined the ERL grid due to a lack of driver interest in the ERL.

Along with the drivers, several old and new teams re-emerged on the ERL grid.

Jean-Pierre Jabouille crashed during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend broke his leg during a crash so he missed out on the final race at Watkins Glen.

Team Constructor Engine Tyres # Driver Rounds
Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Warsteiner Arrows Racing Team Arrows-Ford Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Goodyear Icon.png 1 Flag of Italy svg.png Riccardo Patrese All
2 Flag of Germany svg.png Jochen Mass All
Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Parmalat Racing Team Brabham-Ford Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Goodyear Icon.png 3 Flag of Brazil svg.png Nelson Piquet All
4 Flag of Mexico svg.png Hector Rebaque All
Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Unipart Racing Team Ensign-Ford Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Goodyear Icon.png 5 Flag of Switzerland svg.png Clay Regazzoni All
Flag of Italy svg.png Scuderia Ferrari Ferrari Ferrari 015 3.0 F12 Michelin Icon.png 6 Flag of Canada svg.png Gilles Vileneuve All
7 Flag of South Africa svg.png Jody Scheckter All
Flag of Brazil svg.png Skol Fittipaldi Team Fittipaldi-Ford Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Goodyear Icon.png 8 Flag of Brazil svg.png Emerson Fittipaldi All
9 Flag of Finland svg.png Keke Rosberg All
Flag of France svg.png Equipe Ligier Gitanes Ligier-Ford Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Goodyear Icon.png 10 Flag of France svg.png Jacques Laffite All
11 Flag of France svg.png Didier Pironi All
Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Team Essex Lotus Lotus-Ford Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Goodyear Icon.png 12 Flag of the United States svg.png Mario Andretti All
13 Flag of Italy svg.png Elio de Angelis All
Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Marlboro Team McLaren McLaren-Ford Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Goodyear Icon.png 14 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png John Watson All
15 Flag of France svg.png Alain Prost All
Flag of Italy svg.png Osella Squadra Corse Osella-Ford Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Goodyear Icon.png 16 Flag of the United States svg.png Eddie Cheever All
Flag of France svg.png Elf Equipe Renault Renault Renault-Gordini EF1 1.5 V6 t Michelin Icon.png 17 Flag of France svg.png Jean-Pierre Jabouille 1-12
18 Flag of France svg.png Rene Arnoux All
Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Candy Team Tyrrell Tyrrell-Ford Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Goodyear Icon.png 19 Flag of France svg.png Jean-Pierre Jarier All
20 Flag of Ireland svg.png Derek Daly All
Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Albilad Williams Racing Team Williams-Ford Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 Goodyear Icon.png 21 Flag of Australia svg.png Alan Jones All
22 Flag of Argentina svg.png Carlos Reutemann All

Drivers Championship

Pos. Driver Points
1 Flag of Australia svg.png Alan Jones 31
2 Flag of Brazil svg.png Emerson Fittipaldi 27
3 Flag of Finland svg.png Keke Rosberg 27
4 Flag of South Africa svg.png Jody Scheckter 25
5 Flag of Switzerland svg.png Clay Regazzoni 24
6 Flag of Canada svg.png Gilles Vileneuve 24
7 Flag of France svg.png Jacques Laffite 21
8 Flag of the United States svg.png Mario Andretti 18
9 Flag of France svg.png Jean-Pierre Jabouille 17
10 Flag of Brazil svg.png Nelson Piquet 14
11 Flag of Ireland svg.png Derek Daly 13
12 Flag of Argentina svg.png Carlos Reutemann 12
13 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png John Watson 11
14 Flag of France svg.png Alain Prost 11
15 Flag of Germany svg.png Jochen Mass 11
16 Flag of the United States svg.png Eddie Cheever 10
17 Flag of France svg.png Didier Pironi 9
18 Flag of Italy svg.png Riccardo Patrese 9
19 Flag of Mexico svg.png Hector Rebaque 4
20 Flag of France svg.png Rene Arnoux 4
21 Flag of France svg.png Jean-Pierre Jarier 3
22 Flag of Italy svg.png Elio de Angelis 0

Teams Championship

Pos. Driver Points
1 Flag of Brazil svg.png Fittipaldi-Ford 54
2 Flag of Italy svg.png Ferrari 49
3 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Williams-Ford 43
4 Flag of France svg.png Ligier-Ford 30
5 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Ensign-Ford 24
6 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png McLaren-Ford 22
7 Flag of France svg.png Renault 21
8 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Arrows-Ford 20
9 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Brabham-Ford 18
10 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Lotus-Ford 18
11 Flag of the United Kingdom svg.png Tyrrell-Ford 16
12 Flag of Italy svg.png Osella-Ford 10
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