1978 Formula One Season

This article is a stub. You can help the Formula One Wiki by expanding it.

1978 FIA Formula One World Championship

Previous	Next
1977	1979

1978 World Champion, Mario Andretti

Season Information

Number of races

16

Season opener

Argentine Grand Prix

Season finale

Canadian Grand Prix

Tyre suppliers

G M

Drivers' World Championship

Constructors' World Championship

Champion

Lotus-Ford
86 points

Runner-Up

Ferrari
58 points

3rd

Brabham-Alfa Romeo
53 points

The 1978 Formula One season was the 29th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. Included was the F1 World Championship and one non-championship race. The season commenced on January 15, 1978 in Argentina, and ended on October 8 in Canada after sixteen races.

The World Drivers' Champion was American Mario Andretti, who drove for the Constructors' Champions, Lotus-Ford Cosworth. It would be Andretti's only title, and Lotus' last title.

The season was marred by the death of Andretti's teammate, Ronnie Peterson, at the Italian Grand Prix. Peterson finished second the Championship.

Teams and Drivers

Entry List

The full entry list for the 1978 Formula One Season is outlined below:

Constructor	Chassis	Tyre	No.	Driver	Rounds
Team	Engine		No.	Driver	Rounds

Brabham-Alfa Romeo	BT45C BT46 BT46B	G	1	Niki Lauda	All
Parmalat Racing Team	Alfa Romeo 115-12 F12 3.0		2	John Watson	All
			66	Nelson Piquet	16

Tyrrell-Ford Cosworth	008	G	3	Didier Pironi	All
Elf Team Tyrrell	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		4	Patrick Depailler	All

Lotus-Ford Cosworth	78 79	G	5	Mario Andretti	All
John Player Team Lotus	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		6	John Watson	1–14
			55	Jean-Pierre Jarier	15–16

McLaren-Ford Cosworth	M26	G	7	James Hunt	All
Marlboro Team McLaren	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		8	Patrick Tambay	1–5, 7–16
			33	Bruno Giacomelli	6, 9–10, 13–14

ATS-Ford Cosworth	HS1 D1	G	9	Jochen Mass	1–13
ATS Racing Team F&S Properties/ATS Racing Team	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		9 10	Michael Bleekemolen	13–16
			10	Jean-Pierre Jarier	1–5, 11
			10	Alberto Colombo	6–7
			10	Keke Rosberg	8–10, 15–16
			10	Hans Binder	12
			10	Harald Ertl	14

Ferrari	312T2 312T3	M	11	Carlos Reutemann	All
Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		12	Gilles Villeneuve	All

Fittipaldi-Ford Cosworth	F5A	G	14	Emerson Fittipaldi	All
Fittipaldi Automotive	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		14	Emerson Fittipaldi	All

Renault	RS01	M	15	Jean-Pierre Jabouille	3–16
Equipe Renault Elf	Renault EF1 V6t 1.5		15	Jean-Pierre Jabouille	3–16

Shadow-Ford Cosworth	DN8 DN9	G	16	Hans-Joachim Stuck	All
Shadow Racing Team	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		17	Clay Regazzoni	All

Surtees-Ford Cosworth	TS19 TS20	G	18	Rupert Keegan	1–13
Team Surtees Durex Team Surtees Beta Team Surtees	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		18	Gimax	14
			18	René Arnoux	15–16
			19	Vittorio Brambilla	1–14
			19	Beppe Gabbiani	15–16

Wolf-Ford Cosworth	WR1 WR3 WR4 WR5 WR6	G	20	Jody Scheckter	All
Walter Wolf Racing	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		21	Bobby Rahal	15–16

Ensign-Ford Cosworth	N177	G	22	Danny Ongais	1–2
Team Tissot Ensign	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		22 23	Lamberto Leoni	1–4
			22	Jacky Ickx	5–8
			22	Derek Daly	9–10, 12–16
			22	Nelson Piquet	11
			23	Brett Lunger	15

Ensign-Ford Cosworth	N175	G	23	Geoff Lees	10
Mario Deliotti Racing	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		23	Geoff Lees	10

Ensign-Ford Cosworth	N177	G	23	Harald Ertl	11–14
Sachs Racing	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		23	Harald Ertl	11–14

Hesketh-Ford Cosworth	308E	G	24	Divina Galica	1–2
Olympus Cameras/Hesketh Racing	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		24	Eddie Cheever	3
			24	Derek Daly	4–6

Lotus-Ford Cosworth	78	G	25	Héctor Rebaque	All
Team Rebaque	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		25	Héctor Rebaque	All

Ligier-Matra	JS7 JS7/9 JS9	G	26	Jacques Laffite	All
Ligier Gitanes	Matra MS76 V12 3.0 Matra MS78 V12 3.0		26	Jacques Laffite	All

Williams-Ford Cosworth	FW06	G	27	Alan Jones	All
Williams Grand Prix Engineering	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		27	Alan Jones	All

McLaren-Ford Cosworth	M25*	G	28	Emilio de Villota	7
Centro Asegurador	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		28	Emilio de Villota	7

McLaren-Ford Cosworth	M23 M26	G	29	Nelson Piquet	12–14
BS Fabrications Liggett Group/BS Fabrications	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		30	Brett Lunger	1–14

Martini-Ford Cosworth	MK23	G	31	René Arnoux	3, 5–6, 9–13
Automobiles Martini	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		31	René Arnoux	3, 5–6, 9–13

Theodore-Ford Cosworth Wolf-Ford Cosworth	TR1 WR3 WR4	G	32	Eddie Cheever	1–2
Theodore Racing Hong Kong	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		32	Keke Rosberg	3–7, 11–14

Merzario-Ford Cosworth	A1	G	34	Alberto Colombo	14
Team Merzario	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		37	Arturo Merzario	All

Arrows-Ford Cosworth	FA1 A1	G	35	Riccardo Patrese	2–14, 16
Arrows Racing Team	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		36	Rolf Stommelen	3–16

Shadow-Ford Cosworth	DN9	G	39	Danny Ongais	4, 13
Interscope Racing	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		39	Danny Ongais	4, 13

McLaren-Ford Cosworth	M23	G	40	Tony Trimmer	10
Melchester Racing	Cosworth DFV V8 3.0		40	Tony Trimmer	10

* Emilio drove M25 in the Spanish Grand Prix, but his car crashed and drove McLaren M23 instead in the practice session.

Calendar

World Championship Schedule

The full World Championship Schedule for 1978 is outlined below:

Round	Grand Prix	Date

		15 January
Official Title	XIV Gran Premio de la República Argentina
Circuit	Buenos Aires
Location	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Lap distance	5.968 km (3.708 mi)
Race distance	310.336 km (192.834 mi)
Date	15 January	Laps	52

		29 January
Official Title	VII Grande Prêmio do Brasil
Circuit	Jacarepaguá
Location	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Lap distance	5.031 km (3.126 mi)
Race distance	316.953 km (196.945 mi)
Date	29 January	Laps	63

		4 March
Official Title	XXIV Grand Prix of South Africa
Circuit	Kyalami Circuit
Location	Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa
Lap distance	4.104 km (2.550 mi)
Race distance	320.112 km (198.908 mi)
Date	4 March	Laps	78

		2 April
Official Title	3rd Long Beach Grand Prix
Circuit	Long Beach Street Circuit
Location	Long Beach, California, USA
Lap distance	3.251 km (2.020 mi)
Race distance	260.08 km (161.606 mi)
Date	2 April	Laps	80

		7 May
Official Title	36e Grand Prix de Monaco
Circuit	Circuit de Monaco
Location	Monte Carlo, Monaco
Lap distance	3.312 km (2.058 mi)
Race distance	248.4 km (154.349 mi)
Date	7 May	Laps	75

		21 May
Official Title	XXXVI Grand Prix of Belgium
Circuit	Circuit Zolder
Location	Heusden-Zolder, Belgium
Lap distance	4.262 km (2.648 mi)
Race distance	298.34 km (185.380 mi)
Date	21 May	Laps	70

		4 June
Official Title	XXIV Gran Premio de España
Circuit	Circuito del Jarama
Location	San Sebastián de los Reyes, Spain
Lap distance	3.404 km (2.115 mi)
Race distance	255.3 km (158.636 mi)
Date	4 June	Laps	75

		17 June
Official Title	XIV Grand Prix of Sweden
Circuit	Scandinavian Raceway
Location	Anderstorp, Sweden
Lap distance	4.025 km (2.501 mi)
Race distance	281.75 km (175.071 mi)
Date	17 June	Laps	70

		2 July
Official Title	64e Grand Prix de France
Circuit	Circuit Paul Ricard
Location	Le Castellet, France
Lap distance	5.809 km (3.610 mi)
Race distance	313.686 km (194.915 mi)
Date	2 July	Laps	54

		16 July
Official Title	XXXI John Player British Grand Prix
Circuit	Brands Hatch
Location	West Kingsdown, Kent, England
Lap distance	3.908 km (2.428 mi)
Race distance	297.008 km (184.552 mi)
Date	16 July	Laps	76

		30 July
Official Title	XL Großer Preis von Deutschland
Circuit	Hockenheimring
Location	Hockenheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Lap distance	6.789 km (4.218 mi)
Race distance	305.505 km (189.832 mi)
Date	30 July	Laps	45

		13 August
Official Title	XL Großer Preis von Deutschland
Circuit	Österreichring
Location	Spielberg, Styria, Austria
Lap distance	5.941 km (3.692 mi)
Race distance	320.814 km (199.345 mi)
Date	13 August	Laps	54

		27 August
Official Title	XXV Grand Prix van Nederland
Circuit	Circuit Park Zandvoort
Location	Zandvoort, Netherlands
Lap distance	4.252 km (2.642 mi)
Race distance	318.9 km (198.155 mi)
Date	27 August	Laps	75

		10 September
Official Title	49° Gran Premio d'Italia
Circuit	Autodromo Nazionale Monza
Location	Monza, Italy
Lap distance	5.800 km (3.604 mi)
Race distance	^{[convert: invalid number]}
Date	10 September	Laps	40*

		1 October
Official Title	23rd Toyota Grand Prix of the United States
Circuit	Watkins Glen International
Location	Watkins Glen, New York, USA
Lap distance	3.400 km (2.113 mi)
Race distance	200.6 km (124.647 mi)
Date	1 October	Laps	59

		8 October
Official Title	XVII Grand Prix du Canada
Circuit	Circuit Île Notre-Dame
Location	Watkins Glen, New York, USA
Lap distance	4.410 km (2.740 mi)
Race distance	308.7 km (191.817 mi)
Date	8 October	Laps	70

* The race originally began with 52 laps, but the red flag appeared when the race was shorten to 40 laps after Peterson's fatal accident.

Non-Championship Schedule

The full Non-Championship Schedule for 1978 is outlined below:

Date	Event	Circuit	Report
19th March	XXX Daily Express International Trophy	Silverstone	Report

Season Review

Pre-Season

Race 1: Argentine Grand Prix

Race 2: Brazilian Grand Prix

Race 3: South African Grand Prix

Race 4: Long Beach Grand Prix

Race 5: Monaco Grand Prix

Race 6: Belgian Grand Prix

Race 7: Spanish Grand Prix

Race 8: Swedish Grand Prix

Race 9: French Grand Prix

Race 10: Britsh Grand Prix

Race 11: German Grand Prix

Race 12: Austrian Grand Prix

Race 13: Dutch Grand Prix

Race 14: Italian Grand Prix

Race 15: United States Grand Prix

Race 16: Canadian Grand Prix

Non-Championship Rounds

Results

World Championship

A run down of results for the 1978 FIA Formula One World Championship is shown below:

Round	Event				Report
Round	Grid		Result		Report

Argentine Grand Prix			Report
[[Mario Andretti]] Lotus-Ford Cosworth	1	[[Mario Andretti]] Lotus-Ford Cosworth	Fastest Lap
[[Carlos Reutemann]] Ferrari	2	[[Niki Lauda]] Brabham-Alfa Romeo	[[Gilles Villeneuve]] Ferrari
[[Ronnie Peterson]] Lotus-Ford Cosworth	3	[[Patrick Depailler]] Tyrrell-Ford Cosworth	1:49.76 on Lap 3

Brazilian Grand Prix			Report
[[Ronnie Peterson]] Lotus-Ford Cosworth	1	[[Carlos Reutemann]] Ferrari	Fastest Lap
[[James Hunt]] McLaren-Ford Cosworth	2	[[Emerson Fittipaldi]] Fittipaldi-Ford Cosworth	[[Carlos Reutemann]] Ferrari
[[Mario Andretti]] Lotus-Ford Cosworth	3	[[Niki Lauda]] Brabham-Alfa Romeo	1:43.07 on Lap 35