Sportscar racing entered the 1980s in limbo and the maiden race of the period was evidence of this, with the lowest entry for a decade.
The Group 6 sportscars had declined in popularity since Renault’s victory at La Sarthe in 1978, which had left the way clear for Group 5 machines to rule the long-distance roost. Sportscar racing was in freefall, and it was painfully obvious.
But that was the blueprint for one of the most patriotic wins of all in 1980. Le Mans native Jean Rondeau had created his own marque in 1978 and, with the twice-around-the-clock race as his central objective, collected some of the finest drivers of the era to drive his bespoke Rondeau M379 at the start of the new decade. Powered by a ubiquitous Cosworth DFV, the machine the team founder shared with Jean-Pierre Jaussaud fended off Jacky Ickx and Reinhold Joest in a Porsche 908/J80 (a replica of the 936, even though the German firm said it was not allowed to be named as such). A lighter version of the M379 Rondeau, running in the GTP division, was taken to third overall by Gordon Spice, Philippe Martin and Jean-Michel Martin.
Porsche’s attentions soon turned elsewhere as a full factory effort. The new Group C regulations,
