1978 F1 season

Season info

Season no.	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)
Reigning Drivers’ Champion	Niki Lauda
Reigning Constructors’ Champion	Ferrari

Quick links

Calendar

#	Grand Prix	Circuit	Date
1	Argentina	Buenos Aires	15 January
2	Brazil	Jacarepagua	29 January
3	South Africa	Kyalami	04 March
4	USA West	Long Beach	02 April
5	Monaco	Monte Carlo	07 May
6	Belgium	Zolder	21 May
7	Spain	Jarama	04 June
8	Sweden	Anderstorp	17 June
9	France	Le Castellet	02 July
10	Britain	Brands Hatch	16 July
11	Germany	Hockenheim	30 July
12	Austria	Osterreichring	13 August
13	Netherlands	Zandvoort	27 August
14	Italy	Monza	10 September
15	USA	Watkins Glen	01 October
16	Canada	Montreal	08 October

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.