In a slender vote, F1 fans have decided that the 1976 Ligier JS5 is the ugliest F1 car of all time.
We recently ran an article with 10 of the ugliest designs in grand prix racing history, spanning from 1971 to 2014, and it was the 1976 Ligier, with its ludicrously oversized airbox, which came out on top.
The car only briefly ran the design, as seen below, in the 1976 season before regulation changes from the Spanish GP saw the design banned. In a more conventional-looking car, Jacques Laffite was able to take three podiums and a pole position later in the year.
It should be pointed out that the JS5 did not receive an outright majority of votes, only receiving a plurality.
The JS5 only narrowly beat the Ensign N179 of 1979, the car famous for having its radiators stacked vertically on the nose in a rather different cooling experiment.
Check out the top two cars below and make sure to look out for the next RacingNews365 poll!
What is the ugliest F1 car in history?
| Car | Vote |
|---|---|
| 1976 Ligier JS5 | 21.50% |
| 1979 Ensign N179 | 20.81% |
| 1976 Tyrrell P34 | 13.28% |
| 2014 Force India VJM07 | 12.13% |
| 2014 Caterham CT05 | 7.66% |
| 1971 March 711 | 7.4% |
| 2012 Ferrari F2012 | 6.76% |
| 2014 Lotus E22 | 4.34% |
| 2004 Williams FW26 | 3.70% |
| 1996 Ferrari F310 | 2.42% |
Also interesting:
Join RacingNews365's Sam Coop, Fergal Walsh and Nick Golding, as they look ahead to the final 10 rounds of the 2025 F1 season. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris' title fight is discussed, as is the dilemma which surrounds Red Bull's second seat.
Rather watch the podcast? Then click here!
Get the latest F1 news from RacingNews365 directly in your Google feed! Click on the link below and you’ll see your favourite F1 website appearing even more often. That way, you’ll never miss any news, analyses, interviews, or exclusives.
Follow RacingNews365 on GoogleMost read
In this article
Never miss a thing from the Formula 1 season! Add the 2026 F1 schedule to your calendar at the touch of a button. Subscribe below and put the dates and times of every race directly on your PC or smartphone, so you don't miss a second from the new season.
Download the F1 calendar Download the F1 calendar
A variant with just the race and qualifying is also available.
Click here to download it..











Join the conversation!