A black-and-gold opportunity

Besides Romain Grosjean, the only Frenchman ever to race a black-and-gold Lotus was Jean-Pierre Jarier in 1978 when the ex-Shadow driver replaced the late Ronnie Peterson after the Super Swede tragically lost his life at Monza.

Behind the wheel of the JPS Lotus 1979, Jarier proved extremely fast and was challenging for a podium finish at Watkins Glen only to retire with three laps to go.

One week later, the Frenchman lined up on pole at Montreal and took a strong getaway to open a comfortable gap at the front. But Jarier’s enduring bad luck would eventually strike again when he was forced to withdraw with no oil pressure on Lap 49.