The owner of the German ATS team, Günter Schmid, once again changed his technical staff for the 1979 season, dissatisfied with previous results. Technical director John Gentry was joined by Italian chief designer Giacomo Caliri, an aerodynamics specialist and one of the most respected engineers of the era. Caliri had spent over a decade at Ferrari working alongside Mauro Forghieri and also led the Fly Studio in Modena, which had collaborated with Fittipaldi Automotive and Autodelta. Given the limited time available, the two engineers developed the ATS D2, a revised and improved evolution of the previous season’s car, aimed at enhancing ground effect efficiency.
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| ATS D2, Hans-Joachim Stuck Long Beach, USA West GP 1979 |
The aluminum monocoque chassis, Ford-Cosworth V8 engine, and Hewland FGA 400 five-speed gearbox remained unchanged. However, the wheelbase was slightly extended to 2731 mm to lengthen the venturi channels. The shape of the sidepods was modified, becoming longer and more squared-off—typical of wing-cars. However, this also increased the car’s weight, further limiting its already modest performance.
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| ATS D2, Hans-Joachim Stuck Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1979 |
The sole driver for the team was the confirmed Hans-Joachim Stuck, who managed to finish only two of the first ten races, with an eighth place in the Belgian Grand Prix being his best result. The car’s lackluster performance prompted Schmid to once again shake up the technical staff, dismissing Gentry and hiring former Hesketh chief engineer Nigel Stroud—the third designer ATS had employed in just two and a half seasons.
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| ATS D2, Hans-Joachim Stuck Silverstone, British GP 1979 |
Stroud was assisted by aerodynamic engineer Kurt Chabek, who had worked with Willi Khausen’s team. Together, they revised the car’s design, creating a new version intended to overcome the limitations of Gentry and Caliri’s design. The angular shapes of Gentry’s monoposto were abandoned, and a complete redesign of the front suspension was carried out to improve handling. Additionally, the aerodynamics of the car’s bodywork were refined to increase downforce.
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| ATS D2, Hans-Joachim Stuck Hockenheimring, German GP 1979 |
The first iteration of the new D3, which still retained the D2’s chassis, debuted in the last five races of the 1979 championship and showed noticeable improvements. After securing better qualifying positions, moving the ATS from the back of the grid to the midfield, Stuck finished the season with an excellent fifth place at Watkins Glen. This earned the team its first two World Championship points, finishing 11th in the Constructors' Championship.
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