Ligier JS37

Ligier JS37
Category Formula One
Constructor Ligier
Designer(s) Frank Dernie
Predecessor JS35
Successor JS39
Technical specifications[1]
Chassis Carbon Fibre Monocoque
Wheelbase 2,900 mm (110 in)
Engine Renault RS3C, 3,493 cc (213.2 cu in), V10, NA, mid-engine, longitudinally mounted
Weight 505kg
Fuel Elf
Tyres Goodyear
Competition history
Notable entrants Ligier Gitanes Blondes
Notable drivers 25. Belgium Thierry Boutsen
26. France Érik Comas
Debut 1992 South African Grand Prix
RacesWinsPolesF.Laps
16000

The Ligier JS37 was a Formula One car used by the Ligier team during the 1992 Formula One season. Its best finish in a race was fifth (twice).

Development

For the 1992 season, team owner Guy Ligier secured the use of the Renault RS3 3.5 V10. Initially using the RS3B before being upgraded to RSC3s. The engines were maintained by Mecachrome.[2]

The chassis was designed by Frank Dernie, with some input from Gérard Ducarouge. It was poor aerodynamically and needed to be revised during the season as did the suspension. Prior to the start of the season, Alain Prost test drove the JS37 several times with a view to joining the team after his dismissal from Ferrari the previous year. However, he opted out of racing with the team much to the relief of the team's junior driver, Érik Comas.[2]

Race History

The JS37 was generally a midfield runner which retired from nearly half the races it started. It did not handle bumpy circuits well and performance suffered as a result, with particularly poor qualifying efforts in Mexico, Monaco and Canada. Comas failed to qualify for one race, the Belgian Grand Prix, after a heavy crash in practice on the Friday of the race. Knocked unconscious, he did not participate any further in the race weekend.[3]

Comas did secure three finishes in the points during the mid season including a best of fifth at the French Grand Prix. He overcame the bumpy circuit to finish sixth in Canada, having qualified a poor 22nd, which was the team's first point in almost 3 years. He also finished sixth at Germany, where he achieved his best qualifying position of seventh. Boutsen finished in the points only once, this being fifth at the season ending Australian Grand Prix.[1]

Complete Formula One results

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

Year Chassis Engine(s) Tyres Drivers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Points WCC
1992 JS37 Renault V10 G RSA MEX BRA ESP SMR MON CAN FRA GBR GER HUN BEL ITA POR JPN AUS 6 8th
Thierry Boutsen Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret 12 10 Ret 10 7 Ret Ret Ret 8 Ret 5
Érik Comas 7 9 Ret Ret 9 10 6 5 8 6 Ret DNQ Ret Ret Ret Ret

Notes

  1. 1 2 Stats F1. "Ligier JS37". Retrieved 3 December 2012.
  2. 1 2 Constanduros, 1992, pp. 76–77
  3. ↑ Hamilton, 1992, pp. 204–209

References

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