| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Ligier | ||||||||
| Designer(s) | Michel Tétu (Technical Director) Michel Beaujon (Chief Designer) |
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| Technical specifications[1] | |||||||||
| Chassis | Carbon fibre and Kevlar Monocoque | ||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Double wishbones | ||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Double wishbones | ||||||||
| Axle track | Front: 1,790 mm (70 in) Rear: 1,662 mm (65.4 in) |
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| Wheelbase | 2,865 mm (112.8 in) | ||||||||
| Engine | Judd CV, 3,496 cc (213.3 cu in), V8, NA, mid-engine, longitudinally mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | Ligier 6-speed manual | ||||||||
| Weight | 525 kg (1,160 lb) | ||||||||
| Fuel | Valvoline | ||||||||
| Tyres | Goodyear | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | Ligier Loto | ||||||||
| Notable drivers | 25. René Arnoux 26. Stefan Johansson |
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| Debut | 1988 Brazilian Grand Prix | ||||||||
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| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
The Ligier JS31 was a Formula One car designed by Michel Tétu and Michel Beaujon for the Ligier team for use in the 1988 Formula One season. It was powered by the new Judd CV, atmospheric V8 engine and ran on Goodyear tyres. Drivers for the team were French veteran René Arnoux and Swede Stefan Johansson.
The JS31 was the first non-turbo car produced by Ligier since the 1981 season and it proved to be very uncompetitive despite the best efforts of the team and its experienced drivers. The car's major failure was a lack of downforce with Johansson reporting several times during a frustrating season that he had to drive it as if on a wet track because it had so little grip. This was reflected in the car's results. Johansson, a frequent podium visitor in the previous three seasons with Ferrari and McLaren failed to qualify six times and never finished above 9th while seven time grand prix winner Arnoux failed to qualify twice (San Marino and France) and never finished a race higher than 10th. Ligier did not score a point during 1988, and on several occasions both Johansson and Arnoux struggled to outqualify 1987 Formula 3000 champion Stefano Modena and sportscar driver Oscar Larrauri in the equally uncompetitive EuroBrun (EuroBrun and its drivers were F1 'rookies'). In an effort to optimise the weight distribution of the car, it was designed with an unusual and heavy arrangement of fuel tanks: there were two cells either side of the driver, another between the driver and the engine and a fourth between the engine and gearbox.[2]
The JS31 was replaced for 1989 by the Ligier JS33.
(key)
| Year | Team | Engine | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Pts. | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Ligier Loto | Judd CV V8 NA |
BRA | SMR | MON | MEX | CAN | DET | FRA | GBR | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | POR | ESP | JPN | AUS | 0 | NC | |
| René Arnoux | Ret | DNQ | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | DNQ | 18 | 17 | Ret | Ret | 13 | 10 | Ret | 17 | Ret | |||||
| Stefan Johansson | 9 | DNQ | Ret | 10 | Ret | Ret | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | Ret | 11 | DNQ | Ret | Ret | DNQ | 9 |
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