1979 Australian Grand Prix

  1979 Australian Grand Prix

Race details
Round 1 of 3 of the 1979 Australian Drivers' Championship
Date	11 March 1979
Official name	XLIV Australian Grand Prix
Location	Wanneroo Park, Wanneroo, Western Australia
Course	Permanent racing facility 2.411 km (1.498 mi)
Distance	63 laps, 151.893 km (93.374 mi)
Weather	Sunny
Pole position
Driver	Alfredo Costanzo	Lola-Chevrolet
Time	0'52.11
Fastest lap
Driver	John Wright Johnnie Walker	Lola-Chevrolet Lola-Chevrolet
Time	0'54.92
Podium
First	Johnnie Walker	Lola-Chevrolet
Second	John Bowe	Elfin-Chevrolet
Third	Rob Butcher	Lola-Chevrolet

The 1979 Australian Grand Prix was an open wheel racing car race held at Wanneroo Park north of Perth on 11 March 1979.

It was the 44th Australian Grand Prix and was open to Australian Formula 1 cars (incorporating Formula 5000 and Formula Pacific). The event was also the first round of the 1979 Australian Drivers' Championship and the only time the AGP was held at the Wanneroo circuit.

Classification

Results as follows:^[1]

Qualifying

Pos	No	Driver	Car	Qual	Gap
1	84	Alfredo Costanzo	Lola T430 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	0:52.11	—
2	12	Larry Perkins	Elfin MR8 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	0:52.77	+0.66
3	25	Johnnie Walker	Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	0:53.00	+0.89
4	15	Terry Hook	Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	0:53.20	+1.09
5	24	Jon Davison	Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	0:54.20	+2.09
6	76	John Wright	Lola T400 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	0:54.27	+2.16
7	7	John McCormack	McLaren M23 / Leyland 5.0L V8	0:54.67	+2.56
8	11	John Bowe	Elfin MR8 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	0:55.30	+3.19
9	10	Rob Butcher	Lola T332 / Chevrolet V8	0:55.85	+3.74
10	71	John Smith	Ralt RT1 / Ford 1.6L I4	0:56.59	+4.48
11	38	Ivan Tighe	Chevron B37 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	0:57.11	+5.00
12	30	Peter Larner	Chevron B39 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	0:57.30	+5.19
13	19	Barry Singleton	Gardos GL1 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	0:58.20	+6.09
14	8	Rod Housego	Elfin 622 / Ford 1.6L I4	1:00.70	+8.59
15		Bob Creasy	Birrana 273 / Ford 1.6L I4	1:01.00	+8.89
16	40	Geoff Nicol	Elfin 622 / Ford 1.6L I4	1:01.89	+9.78
17	3	Bill Downey	Minos / Ford 1.6L I4	1:03.35	+11.24
18	17	Bob Kingsbury	El Toro / Alfa Romeo 1.6L I4	1:05.45	+13.34

Race

Pos	No	Driver	Car	Laps	Time
1	25	Johnnie Walker	Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	63	59m 09.72s
2	11	John Bowe	Elfin MR8 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	63	59m 22.13s
3	10	Rob Butcher	Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	61
4	71	John Smith	Ralt RT1 / Ford 1.6L I4	61
5	15	Terry Hook	Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	59
6	19	Barry Singleton	Gardos GL1 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	59
7	38	Ivan Tighe	Chevron B37 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	49
8	40	Geoff Nicol	Elfin 622 / Ford 1.6L I4	45
Ret	76	John Wright	Lola T400 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	62	Engine
Ret	17	Bob Kingsbury	El Toro / Alfa Romeo 1.6L I4	39	Battery
Ret	7	John McCormack	McLaren M23 / Leyland 5.0L V8	36	Gearbox
Ret	8	Rod Housego	Elfin 622 / Ford 1.6L I4	33	Exhaust
Ret	3	Bill Downey	Minos / Ford 1.6L I4	30	Transmission
Ret	24	Jon Davison	Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	20	Fuel Pump
Ret	30	Peter Larner	Chevron B39 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	8	Brakes / Suspension
Ret	12	Larry Perkins	Elfin MR8 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	0	Accident
Ret	84	Alfredo Costanzo	Lola T430 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8	0	Accident
DNS		Bob Creasy	Birrana 273 / Ford 1.6L I4	0	Gearbox

Notes

• Pole Position: Alfredo Costanzo - 52.11
• Fastest Lap: John Wright / Johnnie Walker - 54.92

References

External links

• Australian Grand Prix winners Retrieved from CAMS Online Manual of Motor Sport on 17 September 2008
• John Walker & Lola T332 -1979 AGP images (refer page 32) Retrieved from Austin 7 Club SA (Inc) on 17 September 2008
• Results of the 1979 Australian Grand Prix at www.terrywalkersplace.com (refer page 3)