Chuck Jones, Ensign’s patron

Chuck Jones, Ensign’s patron, above with Mo Nunn and Patrick Gaillard at Dijon in 1979. The French driver, despite his best efforts, was unable to qualify his Ensign MN179 for this French Grand Prix.

California-born Chuck Jones was a designer, draftsman, inventor, team owner, and patron of racing drivers. He was associated with Mo Nunn’s Ensign team in Formula 1 and was also an early supporter of Dan Gurney’s All American Racers. A fascinating and passionate man.

In 1979, Derek Daly started the season at Ensign, but left the team just after the Monaco Grand Prix and was replaced by Patrick Gaillard who had shown good things, without much means, in Formula 3 then in F2.

Patrick Gaillard only managed to qualify for two of the five Grand Prix he entered, below at Zandvoort, and was replaced by the Swiss Marc Surer for the last three Grand Prix of the season, but the team, without sufficient funding, did not succeed to score any point.