Jabouille delivers to Renault historical first F1 win

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On this day in 1979, Jean-Pierre Jabouille delivered to Renault its first F1 victory, the first win of a turbo-charged engine and his own first triumph in Grand Prix racing.

The French Grand Prix was run at Dijon-Prenois, a track with fast sweeping corners and a long uphill main straight perfectly suited to the qualities of Renault's small but powerful Gordini 1.5 liter V6 engine.

From the outset of the weekend Jabouille was in a league of his own, with team mate René Arnoux close behind as the yellow cars dictated the pace.

On race day, only a valiant Gilles Villeneuve could come close to disrupting the all-French dominance, and indeed he did after a legendary and epic, tyre-smoking, all-balls-out battle with Arnoux.

A race of many firsts, but above all, truly a race to remember.

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.