Jean-Pierre Jabouille
Jean-Pierre Jabouille was a French racing driver and engineer, known for helping Renault win with the first turbocharged car in Formula One. He was born on 1 October 1942 in Paris and died on 2 February 2023 in Saint-Cloud at the age of 80.
Jabouille raced in Formula One from 1974 to 1981, taking part in 55 Grands Prix and starting 49 races. He won two races: the 1979 French Grand Prix (from pole) and the 1980 Austrian Grand Prix. He also earned six pole positions, but the Renault turbo era was often troubled by reliability and turbo lag in its early years. Jabouille played a key role in developing Renault’s turbo program, and he scored Renault’s first points with a fourth place at Watkins Glen in 1978.
Before F1, Jabouille made his name in French Formula Three and Formula Two, winning the 1976 Formula Two title. He then joined Renault to help develop the turbo engine that changed the sport.
After leaving Formula One, Jabouille stayed involved in racing. He served as team manager for Ligier, moved to CART with Ligier’s joint entry in 1984, and later worked with Peugeot on their Le Mans program, achieving third place in 1992 and 1993. At Le Mans, his career spanned many years and several teams, with four overall podium finishes.
In his personal life, Jabouille was married to Geneviève Cottin (1974–1997) and was the brother-in-law of Jacques Laffite. He passed away in 2023 at the age of 80.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 05:34 (CET).