The Ligier JS35 was a

Formula One car A Formula One car (also known as an F1 car) is a single-seat, open-cockpit, open-wheel formula racing car with substantial front and rear wings, and an engine positioned behind the driver, intended to be used in competition at Formul ...

used by the Ligier team during the 1991 Formula One season. It was updated to a 'B' spec during the season. Its best finish in a race was seventh (twice).

Development

For the 1991 season, team owner

Guy Ligier Guy Camille Ligier (12 July 1930 – 23 August 2015) was a French racing driver and team owner. He maintained many varied and successful careers over the course of his life, including rugby player, butcher, racing driver and Formula One team owner ...

had secured the use of

V12 engine A V12 engine is a twelve- cylinder piston engine where two banks of six cylinders are arranged in a V configuration around a common crankshaft. V12 engines are more common than V10 engines. However, they are less common than V8 engines. The ...

s from

Lamborghini Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. () is an Italian brand and manufacturer of luxury sports cars and SUVs based in Sant'Agata Bolognese. The company is owned by the Volkswagen Group through its subsidiary Audi. Ferruccio Lamborghini (1916–199 ...

, which had been used the previous season by

Team Lotus Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport categories including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar, and sports car racing. Mo ...

and

Larrousse Larrousse Formula One was a motorsports racing team founded in 1987 by Didier Calmels and former racer Gérard Larrousse, originally under the name Larrousse & Calmels. It was based in Antony, in the southern suburbs of Paris. It was renamed Lar ...

. This was to be a stopgap measure as for 1992, the team were to use

Renault Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufacture ...

V10s.Saward, 1992, p. 72 The JS35 chassis was prepared by Ligier's design department under the direction of

Michel Beaujon Michel may refer to: * Michel (name), a given name or surname of French origin (and list of people with the name) * Míchel (nickname), a nickname (a list of people with the nickname, mainly Spanish footballers) * Míchel (footballer, born 1963), S ...

, Claude Galopin and

Richard Divila Ricardo Ramsey "Richard" Divila (30 May 1945 – 25 April 2020) was a Brazilian motorsports designer. He worked in Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Three, Formula 3000 and sports car racing. Life and career Divila was born in São Paulo. He ...

, the latter two being fired after the disappointing start to the season. The car was overweight and bulky from the start, not helped by the large oil tank required for the new engines. Changes to the suspension for the start of the European leg of the season helped performance a little. The chassis was later updated to a 'B' spec by new Ligier recruit Frank Dernie. The JS35B, which made its debut at the

French Grand Prix The French Grand Prix (french: Grand Prix de France), formerly known as the Grand Prix de l'ACF (Automobile Club de France), is an auto race held as part of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One World Champions ...

, also had some input from Gérard Ducarouge who was recruited mid-season.

Race history

The JS35 was driven by new Ligier drivers

Thierry Boutsen Thierry Marc Boutsen (born 13 July 1957) is a Belgian former racing driver who raced for the Arrows, Benetton, Williams, Ligier and Jordan teams in Formula One. He competed in 164 World Championship Grands Prix (163 starts), winning three rac ...

, formerly of Williams, and

Érik Comas Érik Gilbert Comas (born 28 September 1963) is a French former Formula One driver. He was French Formula 3 champion in 1988, and then Formula 3000 champion in 1990, after scoring the same number of points as Jean Alesi in 1989, but losing on a ...

, the 1990 F3000 champion. Although Boutsen did not finish in the points during the season, he at least had the satisfaction of starting every race of the season, with a best qualification of 14th in

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

. Comas failed to qualify three times, including the season opening

United States Grand Prix The United States Grand Prix is a motor racing event that has been held on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The Grand Prix later became part of the Formula One World Championship. , the Grand Prix has been held ...

. His best qualifying performance was at his home race in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

where he started 14th. Boutsen's best finish was seventh, achieved twice in the early part of the season with the original car. Comas' best finish was in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...

where he finished eighth, having qualified 26th.

Complete Formula One results

( key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in ''italics'' indicate fastest lap)

Notes

References

* {{F1 cars 1991 1991 Formula One season cars Ligier Formula One cars