LE MANS miniatures Rondeau M379B n°17 3rd Le Mans 1980

N°17 : GORDON SPICE, JEAN-MICHEL MARTIN & PHILIPPE MARTIN
3rd place

1980 IS THE YEAR RONDEAU !

Specifications :

• Body : polyurethan resin
• New ABS injected chassis plate
• Sidewider motor mount
• New rear aluminum turned rims
• New pick-up & braids
• Slot.it axles and crown
• Weight : 99 g

Jean Rondeau entered 2 Rondeau 379 M’s. Car number 15, driven by Ragnotti and Pescarolo, was a new chassis; and the number 16, driven by Rondeau himself and Jaussaud, was the previous year’s chassis  “ITT” that had  finished in the 10th place (driven by Beltoise / Pescarolo). The rear hood (with its wing in two parts) and the air and water flows were modified and new gear created. The Cosworth V8 DFV was a 460 horsepower engine and was prepared by Mader.

Although the budget was tight, the team was able to have checked during endurance practices in the spring in the Castelet. The team had been reinforced with Jean Robin’s arrival (from Matra) and the fittings of fast winders with compressed air for the pit stops further aided their performance.  In the practices session, the car number 15 of Pescarolo was in first place; the car number 16 came in 5th place, thanks to Jaussaud.

After starting of the race in 3rd place, car number 15 led for a few hours, mainly due to its drivers being at ease in the rain. But a cylinder head gasket breaking at 22.56 p.m. sent a wave of panic into the pit. Rondeau started the race at the wheel of car number 16, and from 17.19 p.m. the “waltz of hoods” has begun. He reached second place in the 7th hour behind the Porsche number 9 of Ickx/Joest who kept the lead until the following morning. When #9 was forced to stop Rondeau and Jaussaud took the advantage with 4 laps earlier. From 12 o’clock, when the rain started JP Jaussaud took position at the entry of the deceleration track to dissuade Rondeau not to stop - he thought it was a shower of rain. At 13.15 p.m. Jean Rondeau slid in the Dunlop curve and lightly hit the rails. R. Joest, who slid to avoid the Rondeau number 16, also stopped. In the pits, emotion was at its peak.

The front body of the car number 15 with “Le Point” sponsor markings was hastily prepared for car number 16 with the “ITT” colours and the number 16 handmade. They continued to maintain their lead and finished the race with indescribable fervour and excitement. No other driver and car manufacturer had ever succeeded in such a performance. A 3rd Rondeau 379 B, car number 17, entered by the Martini brothers and Gordon Spice in the GTS category, completed this triumph by finishing in 3rd place.