It was updated into a 'B' specification for the following season, prior to which Universal Oil Products, the team's major sponsor, withdrew its financial support.

In fact, for the first race of the season, the Argentine Grand Prix, Jarier, the team leader qualified the DN5 on pole.

[2] However, on race day, the car failed to complete the warmup lap due to a crown wheel and pinion failure in the gearbox.

Ultimately, the poor reliability of the car (and some driver induced errors) meant that Jarier finished only two races during the season.

[2] The best of these was fourth at the Spanish Grand Prix, for which he was awarded half points due to the race being stopped as a result of a bad crash.