Published April 25, 2025 | Last update April 25, 2025 | 17 models online
Jean Rondeau was a French race car driver and constructor, who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1980 in a car bearing his own name, an achievement which remains unique in the history of the race.
Inaltera
1976 Le Mans 24h, Inaltera LM. Jean Rondeau had participated several times in the 24-hour race in his home town. In 1976 he had constructed his own cars and entered two of these in the GTP-category. His sponsor Inaltera, a producer of wallpaper, insisted on using its name as brand name. The car with Formula 1 drivers Beltoise and Pescarolo finished eight and won the GTP-class.
#1 Jean-Pierre Beltoise (F) / Henri Pescarolo (F) – 8th / 1st GTP
Inaltera LM – 3.0 liter Ford Cosworth DFV, approximately 430 hp. Goodyear tires. Weight 815 kg. Steel space frame, chassisnr. Rondeau #001
- BIZARRE BZ 223 (resin)
1977 Le Mans 24h, Inaltera LM77. The Rondeau made its debut last year as Inaltera and this year the local team entered three cars. All cars finished, #1 and #2 both outside the top 10, but this car with the rather high number #88 finished in a fine 4th spot. It managed to do as many laps as the 3rd placed Porsche. 4th Overall meant of course also 1st in the GTP category.
#88 Jean Rondeau (F) / Jean Ragnotti (F) – 4th / 1st GTP
Inaltera LM – 3.0 liter Ford Cosworth DFV, approximately 430 hp. Goodyear tires. Weight 815 kg. Steel space frame, chassisnr. Rondeau #001
- ALTAYA Monstres sacrés de l’endurance #37 (diecast)
Rondeau GTP and Group 6
1979 Le Mans 24h, Rondeau M379. Local hero Jean Rondeau once again proved how reliable his cars are. The Rondeau’s were entered as Group 6 prototypes for the first time. The#4 car finished 5th and surprisingly finished 1st in class because the favorite Porsche 936’s failed to finish and GT cars (group 5, GTX and group 4) finished in front. Rally drivers Ragnotti and Darniche piloted the #5 car which finished 10th overall and 2nd in class.
#4 Henri Pescarolo (F) / Jean-Pierre Beltoise (F) – 5th / 1st group 6
#5 Jean Ragnotti (F) / Bernard Darniche (F) – 10th / 2nd group 6
Rondeau M379 – 3.0 Ford Cosworth DFV V8 90º, approx 450 hp. Goodyear tires. Weight 765 kg. Steel space frame, chassisnr. M379 #003 and #002
- QUARTZO QLM 99044 & QLM 99018 (diecast)
1979 Le Mans 24h, Rondeau M378. The 3rd Rondeau, an older M378, was driven by Jean himself and was entered in GTP. He did not make it to the end due to a crash. To be able to participate in GTP, the car has to have a large windscreen over the entire width of the car and Group 6 allows somewhat larger rear spoilers. The minimum weight of a GTP car is about 50 kg higher than that of a Group 6, but basically the design of the M378 and M379 allows Rondeau to participate in both categories.
#55 Jean Rondeau (F) / Jacky Haran (F) – DNF
Rondeau M378 – 3.0 Ford Cosworth DFV V8 90º, approx 450 hp. Goodyear tires. Weight 815 kg. Steel space frame, chassisnr. M379 #003 & #002
- IXO Classic Le Mans & GT Cars LMC 021 (diecast)
1980 Le Mans 24h, Rondeau M379B. Jean Rondeau and veteran Jean-Piere Jaussaud won the 1980 Le Mans race with the futuristic looking Rondeau M379B. Their decision to stay on slick tires during a short shower gave him victory over the Joest Porsche 936 that made two additional pitstops.
#16 Jean Rondeau (F) / Jean-Piere Jaussaud (F) – 1st
#15 Henri Pescarolo (F) / Jean Ragnotti (F) – DNF
Rondeau M379B – 3.0 Ford Cosworth DFV V8 90º, approx 450 hp. Goodyear tires. Weight 765 kg. Steel space frame, chassisnr. M379 #004 & #003
- IXO Classic Le Mans & GT Cars LMC022 (#15) & QUARTZO QLM 99018 (#16) (diecast)
1980 Le Mans 24h, Rondeau M379B. Belgian touring car veterans Martin-brothers drove this Belga Rondeau together with Gordon Spice to 3rd place, making it two Rondeau’s to the podium.
#17 Gordon Spice (GB) / Jean-Michel Martin (B) / Philippe Martin (B) – 3rd
Spice Rondeau M379B – 3.0 Ford Cosworth DFV V8 90º, approx 450 hp. Goodyear tires. Weight 765 kg. Steel space frame, chassisnr. M379 #002
- QUARTZO QLM 99046 (diecast)
1981 Le Mans 24h, Rondeau M379C. After the win in 1980, Rondeau entered no less than 5 cars this year. Two in GTP and three in the faster Group 6 category. The GTP’s did exceptionally well finishing 2nd and 3rd overall. Victory went to the new factory prepared Porsche 936/81.
#7 Jean Louis Schlesser (F) / Phillippe Streif (F) / Jacky Haran (F) – 2nd / 1st GTP
#8 Gordon Spice (GB) / François Migault (F) – 3rd / 2nd GTP
Rondeau M379C – 3.0 Ford Cosworth DFV V8 90º, approx 450 hp. Goodyear tires. Weight 815 kg. Steel space frame, chassisnr. M379 #003 & #002
- IXO Classic Le Mans & GT Cars LMC050 & LMC051 (diecast)
1981 Le Mans 24h, Rondeau M379C. After the win in 1980, Rondeau entered no less than 5 cars this year. All three group 6 Rondeau’s failed to finish. Unfortunately Jean-Louis Lafosse had a fatal accident in the #25 car, he blew a tire at 350 km/h and had no chance …
#25 Jean Ragnotti (F) / Jean-Louis Lafosse (F) – DNF / fatal accident
#26 Henri Pescarolo (F) / Patrick Tambay (F) – DNF
Rondeau M379C – 3.0 Ford Cosworth DFV V8 90º, approx 450 hp. Goodyear tires. Weight 765 kg. Steel space frame, chassisnr. M379 #004 & #006
- SPARK S 2266 & S 2267 (resin)
Group C
1983 Le Mans 24h, Rondeau M482. Ford killed the C100 project after only one season and officially supported Rondeau that was the last Le Mans winner using Ford’s engine. The Rondeau M482 Group C car looked very spectacular with the huge venturi’s but the chassis had big troubles with the ground effect just like modern Formula 1 cars. Also, the strong vibrating Cosworth DFL engine made it no match for the Porsches. All three cars went out with engine related problems.
#24 Henri Pescarolo (F) / Thierry Boutsen (B) – DNF
Rondeau M482 – 3.9 liter Cosworth DFL V8 90º, approx. 550 hp. Goodyear tires. Weight 820 kg. Aluminum monocoque, chassisnr. M482 #002
- BIZARRE BZ24 (resin)
1983 Le Mans 24h, Rondeau M379C. Rondeau developed a new group C car, the M482. Three cars were entered by Ford France but all retired with engine problems. Rondeau also took this old group 6 M379 to Le Mans, it was adapted to the group C rules by adding weight among others. It was no match for the real group C cars and only qualified 32nd despite the presence of Vic Elford who returned to Le Mans after 9 years. It also retired with a broken Cosworth engine.
#28 Joël Gouhier (F) / Anne-Charlotte Verney (F) / Vic Elford (GB) – DNF
Rondeau M379C – 3.0 liter Ford Cosworth DFV V8 90º approx. 480 hp. Avon tires. Weight 800 kg. Aluminium space frame, chassisnr. M379 #002
- SPARK S2269 (resin)
The years after
After the debacle in 1983, Jean Rondeau didn’t have an engine supplier and ran out of sponsors. He sold the cars and equipment and closed his workshop. Since then all Rondeau’s were entered by privateer teams. Jean Rondeau competed 2 more times in Le Mans in other cars before he had a fatal accident when is car got hit by a train ...
1984 Le Mans 24h, Porsche 956L. Former winner Jean Rondeau raced for the team from Preston Henn this year. They finished second, only 2 laps behind the Joest team in a similar car.
#26 Jean Rondeau (F) / John Paul Jr. (USA) / Preston Henn (USA) – 2nd
Henn Porsche 956L- 2.6 liter Porsche 935/79 flat-6 twin turbo, approx. 620 hp. Goodyear tires. Weight 840 kg. Aluminum monocoque, chassisnr. #956 103
- QUARTZO Q 3073 (diecast)
1985 Le Mans 24h, WM P83B. WM was one of the first makes to build a group C car, but it didn’t develop much over the years. The 1985 car was still a P83B, originally built in 1982. Despite the presence of Jean Rondeau – winner in 1980 in his own car – the team could not impress.
#42 Jean Rondeau (F) / Michel Pignard (F) / Jean-Daniël Raulet (F) – 17th
WM P83B – 2.6 liter Peugeot PRV V6 twin turbo, approx. 600 hp. Michelin tires. Weight 900 kg. Aluminium monocoque, chassisnr. #P82-01
- BIZARRE BZ 382 (resin)
1988 Le Mans 24h, Rondeau M379C. The last Rondeau to run at Le Mans was this old 379C. It was entered in group C2, a category that was occupied by many privateer teams and drivers that used cars such as Spice, Tiga, ALD and Argo, many of these with normally aspirated engines. The Rondeau reached the finish but wasn’t classified because it didn’t covered enough distance.
#151 Pierre-Alain Lombardi (CH) / Bruno Sotty (F) / DNS Rolando Vaglio (CH) – DNC
Lombardi Rondeau M379C – 3.0 liter Ford Cosworth DFV V8 90º approx. 480 hp. Avon tires. Weight 800 kg. Aluminium space frame, chassisnr. M379 #006
- SPARK S2269 (resin)
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