Jacques Laffite

Jacques Laffite was a French Formula 1 driver and Ligier's most successful pilot, winning six Grands Prix and giving the French team and Renault engines their historic first victory in 1977.

Jacques Laffite scored six Formula 1 victories across a 16-year career, all for the Ligier team, and became the first Frenchman to win a Grand Prix in a fully French car powered by a French engine — at the 1977 Swedish Grand Prix — before a multi-car crash at the 1986 British Grand Prix ended his career on his 176th start. He rose quickly, winning the French Formula Three title in 1973 and the European Formula Two Championship in 1975, before making his full-time Formula One debut with Frank Williams' team. Laffite joined the newly formed French Ligier team in 1976, and delivered a landmark result the following year at the 1977 Swedish Grand Prix, becoming the first Frenchman to win a Grand Prix in a fully French car powered by a French engine. He enjoyed his finest seasons in 1979 and 1980, finishing fourth in the World Championship both years, and came close to a title challenge in 1981 with two further wins. Laffite spent two winless seasons at Williams before returning to Ligier in 1985, and his career ended abruptly at the start of the 1986 British Grand Prix, when he was seriously injured in a multi-car pile-up at Brands Hatch that broke both his legs. The crash came on his 176th Grand Prix start, tying Graham Hill's then-record for career starts, a mark he was unable to surpass. Laffite recovered to compete in touring cars and became a well-known French television commentator, remaining Ligier's most successful driver with six of the team's nine race victories.

Charismatic, fast-starting driver known for exciting overtaking drives through the field

A beloved figure in French motorsport, later a popular television commentator for TF1

• 6x Grand Prix winner
• Most successful driver in Ligier history
• European Formula Two Champion (1975)
• Twice 4th in World Championship (1979, 1980)