Guy Ligier, the owner of the eponymous French racing team, was an internationally renowned rugby player in the 1960s. After retiring at the age of 34, he was encouraged to pursue his passion for motorsports by his friend Jo Schlesser. Schlesser, also a gentleman driver who took up car racing later in life, quickly became one of France’s top racing drivers in the 1960s. Ligier, initially racing as a hobby with an old Porsche prototype, was immediately captivated by the world of motorsport. By 1966, he had already founded his own racing “Equipe,” purchasing an old Formula 1 Cooper with which he made his debut in the top category. However, unlike his friend Schlesser, Ligier lacked the talent to make a significant impact. Following Schlesser’s tragic death in a racing accident in 1968, Ligier decided to hang up his helmet and instead become a constructor, naming his future cars with the initials “JS” in honor of his late friend.
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| LIGIER JS5, Jacques Laffite Long Beach, USA West GP 1976 |
Without realizing it, Ligier was creating what would become the symbol of French motorsport for years to come and one of the most prestigious Formula 1 teams. His first cars were sports prototypes, but the allure of Formula 1 was too strong to resist. In 1975, plans were set in motion to build the team’s first fully “Fabriqué en France” single-seater for the pinnacle of motorsport. Ligier recruited Gérard Ducarouge from Matra as technical director, Michel Beaujon as designer, and Robert Choulet as aerodynamics specialist. Together, they created the Ligier JS5, a highly original and spectacular car, instantly recognizable by its massive white and blue air intake, which featured the stylized dancer symbol of French tobacco sponsor Gitanes.
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| LIGIER JS5, Jacques Laffite Nürburgring, German GP 1976 |
Despite its eye-catching livery, the car itself was fairly conventional. It had an aluminum monocoque chassis and was powered by the Matra MS73 60° V12 engine, paired with a five-speed Hewland/Ligier 2-200 TL gearbox. The JS5 had smooth bodywork, a prominent snowplow-style front wing that partially enclosed the front wheels, and long, tapered sidepods that housed the radiators ahead of the rear wheels.
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| LIGIER JS5, Jacques Laffite Montecarlo, Monaco GP 1976 |
The car’s enormous air intake above the driver’s head was soon replaced by a rounded engine cover with an oval-shaped intake. Due to the Matra V12’s size, the car had a relatively long wheelbase of 2,608 mm, though its weight was kept to just 525 kg despite the larger fuel tanks needed to satisfy the thirsty French V12. For his team’s first season in Formula 1, Guy Ligier chose French driver Jacques Laffite, who quickly confirmed the car’s strong technical foundation. He qualified in the fifth row for the season opener in Brazil, scored his first points at the Long Beach Grand Prix, the third race of the season, and finished on the podium just two races later.
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| LIGIER JS5, Jacques Laffite Paul Ricard, French GP 1976 |
The French team went on to secure a second-place finish in Austria and claimed pole position at Monza, ultimately finishing the season with 20 points. Laffite ranked eighth in the Drivers' Championship, while Equipe Ligier Gitanes secured sixth place in the Constructors' standings.
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