The 1980 season turned out to be a transitional year for Scuderia Ferrari. On one hand, the engineers in Maranello were already focused on developing the future turbo-powered single-seater, set to debut in 1981. On the other, they were trying to maximize the performance of an outdated design: the 312T, a car born in 1975 that was no longer competitive compared to modern Formula 1 cars. The introduction of ground-effect "wing cars" highlighted Ferrari's structural limitations, as the bulky 180° V12 boxer engine and the transverse gearbox, while beneficial for weight distribution, were ill-suited for effective aerodynamics.
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| FERRARI 312 T5, Gilles Villeneuve Zandvoort, Dutch GP 1980 |
Despite this, the Ferrari 312 T5, an evolution of the T4, showed slight improvements in performance but remained significantly inferior to its competitors in terms of aerodynamic efficiency. The now-refined Renault Turbo engine proved more powerful than Ferrari's V12, while teams equipped with the more compact Ford-Cosworth V8 could design cars with more efficient ground-effect tunnels. To make matters worse, engineer Mauro Forghieri, aware of the necessity of switching to turbocharged engines, dedicated all available resources to the development of the new 126 C Turbo, completely neglecting the 312 T5.
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| FERRARI 312 T5, Gilles Villeneuve Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1980 |
The chassis of the car was another weak point: the old steel tube frame covered with aluminum panels had been surpassed by the modern aluminum honeycomb monocoques used by competitors. Even the Michelin tires, developed to suit the Renault Turbo's needs, proved unsuitable for naturally aspirated Ferraris, offering inferior grip and durability.
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| FERRARI 312 T5, Jody Scheckter Hockenheimring, GP di Germania 1980 |
The human factor didn't help either: reigning world champion Jody Scheckter appeared demotivated and uncompetitive, scoring points on just one occasion and even failing to qualify for the penultimate race of the season. Gilles Villeneuve, on the other hand, demonstrated his talent with strong qualifying performances and some spectacular battles in the early stages of races, but the car’s lack of competitiveness allowed him to score only six points.
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| FERRARI 126 C, Gilles Villeneuve Imola, Italian GP 1980 |
A glimmer of hope emerged during practice for the Italian Grand Prix, held at Imola that year, when Villeneuve took the new 126 C Turbo onto the track. The car set promising lap times, over a second faster than the 312 T5, but was not entered into the race due to reliability issues. The season ended with only eight points, the second-worst result in Ferrari's history after 1969, and a disastrous 10th place in the Constructors' Championship, the worst-ever ranking for the Scuderia.
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