Jean-Pierre Jabouille Interview
Renault’s celebration of the 25th anniversary since its maiden Formula One victory would not have been complete without the appearance at Goodwood this year of the very man who took the chequered flag at the 1979 French Grand Prix, Jean-Pierre Jabouille.
Having spent many months attempting to contact the 61-year old, Renault UK Motorsport finally succeeded in establishing contact and set about organising the incredible reunion of Jabouille and Renault’s first Formula One car, RS01.
For Jabouille, the 2004 Goodwood Festival of Speed marks the first time he’s ever attended the world-famous annual event and the experience has impressed him greatly. He commented: “My first impression of the festival was surprise at how big the whole event is and the number of cars it attracts. But more than anything it’s the atmosphere which makes this so superb.
“The celebration dinner on Friday was very good and I enjoyed the evening so much – well, except for when France lost its football match! Even though the Dijon race was so long ago, it still seems as though it was only yesterday when I crossed the line to take the flag. I was very pleased when I was contacted by Renault and told about the event.”
Not only has the festival been a major celebration of Renault’s first ever Formula One victory, it also saw the reunion of two great team-mates and friends – Jabouille and Rene Arnoux. Both drivers were instrumental in making the 1979 French Grand Prix a landmark in Renault’s motorsport history, Jabouille for the victory and Arnoux for his epic on-track battle with Ferrari’s Gilles Villeneuve.
“Rene and I have known each other for a long time, both as friends and as team-mates at Renault”, added Jabouille. “We do occasionally see each other in Paris where we sit down for a coffee sometimes and talk about the old times but this is the first time we’ve been at an event like this together.
“Everyone speaks about my feelings of the Dijon race and whether I would rather have won the Grand Prix or been part of the battle Rene and Gilles enjoyed. Renault UK’s Managing Director Philippe Talou-Derrible asked both myself and Rene this very same question on Friday evening and we both gave the same reply – we wanted to take Renault’s first Grand Prix win!
“Rene and Gilles banging wheels and fighting so hard for so many laps will always be remembered just as much as my victory and I know everything that happened at Dijon in 1979 is such an important part of history, not just for Renault but for motorsport in general.
“When I climbed back in RS01 for the first time on Saturday it was as though I left the car only the day before. Everything was exactly as I remembered all those years ago – the seat felt the same, the size of the cockpit felt just right and everything was just amazing.”
Jabouille has loved being a part of the Goodwood Festival of Speed this year and would like to return again in 2005, so much so he’s compiled a wish-list! “It would be so good if next year Renault could locate an RS10 car, I would love to come back here and drive RS10.
“That would be such a fantastic feeling. I’d also love to be able to drive one of my old Formula 2 cars if that could be achieved and, of course, RS01 again which is the car at the very beginning of the Renault story in Formula One. If RS01 had never been created, Renault would not be where it is today in world motorsport and I’m very proud to be associated with that car.”
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