F1 season
Season info
Season
29
Races
16
Drivers’ Champion
Mario Andretti (only title; 16th different World Champion, 2nd American champion)
Constructors’ Champion
Lotus-Ford Cosworth (7th title and last for Lotus)
Quick links
Calendar
- First race (circuit)
- Jacarepagua (second Brazilian circuit to host a World Championship race)
- Montreal (third Canadian circuit to host a World Championship race)
- Last race (Grand Prix)
- Sweden
- Last race (circuit)
- Anderstorp
- First race at a circuit since…
- 1976 for Brands Hatch and Le Castellet
- Last race at a circuit until…
- 1980 for Brands Hatch and Le Castellet
- 1981 for Jacarepagua
Race results
# | Grand Prix | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Argentina | Result |
2 | Brazil | Result |
3 | South Africa (300th World Championship race) | Result |
4 | USA West | Result |
5 | Monaco | Result |
6 | Belgium | Result |
7 | Spain | Result |
8 | Sweden | Result |
9 | France | Result |
10 | Britain | Result |
11 | Germany | Result |
12 | Austria | Result |
13 | Netherlands (constructors’ title decider) | Result |
14 | Italy (drivers’ title decider) | Result |
15 | USA | Result |
16 | Canada | Result |
Driver and constructor entries
The following drivers and constructors participated in the 1978 F1 season. Round(s) entered are shown in parentheses.
- Arrows (works team)
- (ITA) Riccardo Patrese (2-14, 16)
- (DEU) Rolf Stommelen (3-16)
- ATS (works team)
- (DEU) Jochen Mass (1-13)
- (FRA) Jean-Pierre Jarier (1-5, 11)
- (ITA) Alberto Colombo (6-7) (Rookie)
- (FIN) Keke Rosberg (8-10, 15-16) (Rookie)
- (AUT) Hans Binder (12)
- (NLD) Michael Bleekemolen (13-16) (Rookie)
- (AUT) Harald Ertl (14)
- Brabham (works team)
- (AUT) Niki Lauda (All)
- (GBR) John Watson (All)
- (BRA) Nelson Piquet (16) (Rookie)
- Ensign (works team)
- (ITA) Lamberto Leoni (1-4) (Rookie)
- (USA) Danny Ongais (1-2)
- (BEL) Jacky Ickx (5-8)
- (IRL) Derek Daly (9-10, 12-16) (Rookie)
- (BRA) Nelson Piquet (11) (Rookie)
- (USA) Brett Lunger (15)
- Ensign (privateers)
- (GBR) Geoff Lees (10)
- (AUT) Harald Ertl (11-14)
- Ferrari (works team)
- (ARG) Carlos Reutemann (All)
- (CAN) Gilles Villeneuve (All)
- Fittipaldi (works team)
- (BRA) Emerson Fittipaldi (All)
- Hesketh (works team)
- (GBR) Divina Galica (1-2)
- (USA) Eddie Cheever (3) (Rookie)
- (IRL) Derek Daly (4-6) (Rookie)
- Ligier (works team)
- (FRA) Jacques Laffite (All)
- Lotus (works team)
- (USA) Mario Andretti (All)
- (SWE) Ronnie Peterson (1-14)
- (FRA) Jean-Pierre Jarier (15-16)
- Lotus (privateer)
- (MEX) Hector Rebaque (All)
- March (privateer)
- (BEL) Patrick Neve (6)
- Martini (works team)
- (FRA) Rene Arnoux (3, 5-6, 9, 11-13) (Rookie)
- McLaren (works team)
- (GBR) James Hunt (All)
- (FRA) Patrick Tambay (1-5, 7-16)
- (ITA) Bruno Giacomelli (6, 9-10, 13-14)
- McLaren (privateers)
- (USA) Brett Lunger (1-14)
- (ESP) Emilio de Villota (7)
- (GBR) Tony Trimmer (10)
- (BRA) Nelson Piquet (12-14) (Rookie)
- Merzario (works team)
- (ITA) Arturo Merzario (All)
- (ITA) Alberto Colombo (14) (Rookie)
- Renault (works team)
- (FRA) Jean-Pierre Jabouille (3-16)
- Shadow (works team)
- (CHE) Clay Regazzoni (All)
- (DEU) Hans-Joachim Stuck (All)
- Shadow (privateer)
- (USA) Danny Ongais (4, 13)
- Surtees (works team)
- (ITA) Vittorio Brambilla (1-14)
- (GBR) Rupert Keegan (1-13)
- (GBR) Brian Henton (12)
- (ITA) Gimax (14) (Rookie)
- (FRA) Rene Arnoux (15-16) (Rookie)
- (ITA) Beppe Gabbiani (15-16)
- Theodore (works team)
- (USA) Eddie Cheever (1-2) (Rookie)
- (FIN) Keke Rosberg (3-7) (Rookie)
- Tyrrell (works team)
- (FRA) Patrick Depailler (All)
- (FRA) Didier Pironi (All) (Rookie)
- Williams (works team)
- (AUS) Alan Jones (All)
- Wolf (works team)
- (ZAF) Jody Scheckter (All)
- (USA) Bobby Rahal (15-16) (Rookie)
- Wolf (privateer)
- (FIN) Keke Rosberg (11-14) (Rookie)
- Final season (drivers)
- Hans Binder
- Michael Bleekemolen
- Alberto Colombo
- Divina Galica
- Gimax Gimax
- Lamberto Leoni
- Brett Lunger
- Patrick Neve
- Danny Ongais
- Ronnie Peterson
- Bobby Rahal
- Rolf Stommelen
- Tony Trimmer
- First entry (drivers) since…
- 1976 for Divina Galica and Rolf Stommelen
- Last entry (drivers) until…
- 1980 for Eddie Cheever, Harald Ertl and Rupert Keegan
- 1981 for Emilio de Villota, Beppe Gabbiani and Brian Henton
- Debut season (constructors)
- Arrows
- ATS
- Martini (only season)
- Merzario
- Theodore
- Final season (constructors)
- Hesketh
- Martini
- Surtees
- First entry (constructors) since…
- 1976 for Williams
- Last entry (constructors) until…
- 1981 for March and Theodore
Maiden wins
Driver | Grand Prix |
---|---|
Patrick Depailler (Tyrrell) | Monaco |
Gilles Villeneuve (Ferrari) | Canada |
Maiden podium finishes
Driver | Grand Prix |
---|---|
Riccardo Patrese (Arrows) | Sweden |
Gilles Villeneuve (Ferrari) | Austria |
Constructor | Grand Prix |
---|---|
Fittipaldi (Emerson Fittipaldi) | Brazil |
Arrows (Riccardo Patrese) | Sweden |
Maiden pole positions
There were no first-time polesitters in 1978.