1978 F1 World Championship Season
| Season: | 29th World Championship season |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Races: | 16 |
| Winning drivers: | Mario Andretti (6)  Carlos Reutemann (4)  Ronnie Peterson (2) Niki Lauda (2)  Patrick Depailler (1)  Gilles Villeneuve (1) |
| Winning constructors: | Lotus (8) Ferrari (5) Brabham (2) Tyrrell (1) |
| First-time winners (driver): | Patrick Depailler Gilles Villeneuve |
| First-time winners (constructor): | none |
| Other seasons: |
Jump to: Calendar | Driver & constructor entries | Race winners | Pole positions | Fastest laps | Qualifying results | Driver standings | Constructor standings | Statistics
Calendar
- DT: Drivers’ title decider
- CT: Constructors’ title decider
| No. | Grand Prix | Circuit | Date | Race Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | Buenos Aires | 15 January | 1978 Argentine Grand Prix |
| 2 |  Brazil | Jacarepagua | 29 January | 1978 Brazilian Grand Prix |
| 3 |  South Africa | Kyalami | 04 March | 1978 South African Grand Prix |
| 4 | USA West | Long Beach | 02 April | 1978 United States Grand Prix West |
| 5 |  Monaco | Monte Carlo | 07 May | 1978 Monaco Grand Prix |
| 6 |  Belgium | Zolder | 21 May | 1978 Belgian Grand Prix |
| 7 |  Spain | Jarama | 04 June | 1978 Spanish Grand Prix |
| 8 | Sweden | Anderstorp | 17 June | 1978 Swedish Grand Prix |
| 9 | France | Le Castellet | 02 July | 1978 French Grand Prix |
| 10 | Britain | Brands Hatch | 16 July | 1978 British Grand Prix |
| 11 |  Germany | Hockenheim | 30 July | 1978 German Grand Prix |
| 12 | Austria | Osterreichring | 13 August | 1978 Austrian Grand Prix |
| 13 |  Netherlands CT | Zandvoort | 27 August | 1978 Dutch Grand Prix |
| 14 | Italy DT | Monza | 10 September | 1978 Italian Grand Prix |
| 15 | USA | Watkins Glen | 01 October | 1978 United States Grand Prix |
| 16 | Canada | Montreal | 08 October | 1978 Canadian Grand Prix |
Driver and constructor entries
Race winners
- Highlight: Home driver/constructor
| No. | Grand Prix | Circuit | Driver | Constructor | Start | Win Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | Buenos Aires | Mario Andretti | Lotus-Ford Cosworth | 1 | 13.210s |
| 2 | Brazil | Jacarepagua | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari | 4 | 49.130s |
| 3 | South Africa | Kyalami | Ronnie Peterson | Lotus-Ford Cosworth | 12 | 0.466s |
| 4 | USA West | Long Beach | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari | 1 | 11.061s |
| 5 | Monaco | Monte Carlo | Patrick Depailler | Tyrrell-Ford Cosworth | 5 | 22.450s |
| 6 | Belgium | Zolder | Mario Andretti | Lotus-Ford Cosworth | 1 | 9.900s |
| 7 | Spain | Jarama | Mario Andretti | Lotus-Ford Cosworth | 1 | 19.560s |
| 8 | Sweden | Anderstorp | Niki Lauda | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | 3 | 34.019s |
| 9 | France | Le Castellet | Mario Andretti | Lotus-Ford Cosworth | 2 | 2.930s |
| 10 | Britain | Brands Hatch | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari | 8 | 1.230s |
| 11 | Germany | Hockenheim | Mario Andretti | Lotus-Ford Cosworth | 1 | 15.350s |
| 12 | Austria | Osterreichring | Ronnie Peterson | Lotus-Ford Cosworth | 1 | 47.440s |
| 13 | Netherlands | Zandvoort | Mario Andretti | Lotus-Ford Cosworth | 1 | 0.320s |
| 14 | Italy | Monza | Niki Lauda | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | 4 | 1.480s |
| 15 | USA | Watkins Glen | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari | 2 | 19.739s |
| 16 | Canada | Montreal | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 3 | 13.372s |
Polesitters
- Highlight: Home driver/constructor
Fastest laps
- Highlight: Home driver/constructor
| No. | Grand Prix | Circuit | Driver | Constructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | Buenos Aires | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari |
| 2 | Brazil | Jacarepagua | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari |
| 3 | South Africa | Kyalami | Mario Andretti | Lotus-Ford Cosworth |
| 4 | USA West | Long Beach |  Alan Jones | Williams-Ford Cosworth |
| 5 | Monaco | Monte Carlo | Niki Lauda | Brabham-Alfa Romeo |
| 6 | Belgium | Zolder | Ronnie Peterson | Lotus-Ford Cosworth |
| 7 | Spain | Jarama | Mario Andretti | Lotus-Ford Cosworth |
| 8 | Sweden | Anderstorp | Niki Lauda | Brabham-Alfa Romeo |
| 9 | France | Le Castellet | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari |
| 10 | Britain | Brands Hatch | Niki Lauda | Brabham-Alfa Romeo |
| 11 | Germany | Hockenheim | Ronnie Peterson | Lotus-Ford Cosworth |
| 12 | Austria | Osterreichring | Ronnie Peterson | Lotus-Ford Cosworth |
| 13 | Netherlands | Zandvoort | Niki Lauda | Brabham-Alfa Romeo |
| 14 | Italy | Monza | Mario Andretti | Lotus-Ford Cosworth |
| 15 | USA | Watkins Glen | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Lotus-Ford Cosworth |
| 16 | Canada | Montreal | Alan Jones | Williams-Ford Cosworth |
Qualifying results
World Drivers’ Championship standings
The top six classified finishers of each race were awarded points on the following basis: 1st (9), 2nd (6), 3rd (4), 4th (3), 5th (2), 6th (1)
Only the best seven results from the first eight races and the best seven results from the last eight races counted towards the championship.
- Highlight: Rookie
- Bold: pole position
- Underline: fastest lap
- Bold & underline: pole & fastest lap
| Pos | Driver | ARG | BRA | ZAF | USW | MCO | BEL | ESP | SWE | FRA | GBR | DEU | AUT | NLD | ITA | USA | CAN | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mario Andretti | 1 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 1 | R | 1 | R | 1 | R | 1 | 6 | R | 10 | 64 |
| 2 | Ronnie Peterson | 5 | R | 1 | 4 | R | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | R | R | 1 | 2 | R | 51 | ||
| 3 | Carlos Reutemann | 7 | 1 | R | 1 | 8 | 3 | R | 10 | 18 | 1 | R | DSQ | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 48 |
| 4 | Niki Lauda | 2 | 3 | R | R | 2 | R | R | 1 | R | 2 | R | R | 3 | 1 | R | R | 44 |
| 5 | Patrick Depailler | 3 | R | 2 | 3 | 1 | R | R | R | R | 4 | R | 2 | R | 11 | R | 5 | 34 |
| 6 | John Watson | R | 8 | 3 | R | 4 | R | 5 | R | 4 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 2 | R | R | 25 |
| 7 | Jody Scheckter | 10 | R | R | R | 3 | R | 4 | R | 6 | R | 2 | R | 12 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 24 |
| 8 | Jacques Laffite | 16R | 9 | 5 | 5 | R | 5R | 3 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 11 | R | 19 |
| 9 | Gilles Villeneuve | 8 | R | R | R | R | 4 | 10 | 9 | 12 | R | 8 | 3 | 6 | 7 | R | 1 | 17 |
| = | Emerson Fittipaldi | 9 | 2 | R | 8 | 9 | R | R | 6 | R | R | 4 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 5 | R | 17 |
| 11 | Alan Jones | R | 11 | 4 | 7 | R | 10 | 8 | R | 5 | R | R | R | R | 13 | 2 | 9 | 11 |
| = | Riccardo Patrese | 10 | R | 6 | 6 | R | R | 2 | 8 | R | 9 | R | R | R | 4 | 11 | ||
| 13 | James Hunt | 4 | R | R | R | R | R | 6 | 8 | 3 | R | DSQ | R | 10 | R | 7 | R | 8 |
| = | Patrick Tambay | 6 | R | R | 12R | 7 | R | 4 | 9 | 6 | R | R | 9 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | |
| 15 | Didier Pironi | 14 | 6 | 6 | R | 5 | 6 | 12 | R | 10 | R | 5 | R | R | R | 10 | 7 | 7 |
| 16 |  Clay Regazzoni | 15 | 5 | DNQ | 10 | DNQ | R | 15R | 5 | R | R | DNQ | NC | DNQ | NC | 14 | DNQ | 4 |
| 17 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | R | R | 10 | NC | 13 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | 4 | 12 | 3 | ||
| 18 | Hans-Joachim Stuck | 17 | R | DNQ | DNS | R | R | R | 11 | 11 | 5 | R | R | R | R | R | R | 2 |
| 19 |  Hector Rebaque | DNQ | R | 10 | DNPQ | DNPQ | DNPQ | R | 12 | DNQ | R | 6 | R | 11 | DNQ | R | DNQ | 1 |
| = | Vittorio Brambilla | 18 | DNQ | 12 | R | DNQ | 13R | 7 | R | 17 | 9 | R | 6 | DSQ | R | 1 | ||
| = |  Derek Daly | DNPQ | DNPQ | DNQ | DNQ | R | DSQ | R | 10 | 8 | 6 | 1 | ||||||
| Brett Lunger | 13 | R | 11 | DNQ | DNPQ | 7 | DNQ | DNQ | R | 8 | DNPQ | 8 | R | R | 13 | |||
| Bruno Giacomelli | 8 | R | 7 | R | 14 | |||||||||||||
| Jochen Mass | 11 | 7 | R | R | DNQ | 11 | 9 | 13 | 13 | NC | R | DNQ | DNQ | |||||
| Jean-Pierre Jarier | 12 | DNS | 8 | 11 | DNQ | DNQ | 15R | R | ||||||||||
| Rene Arnoux | DNQ | DNPQ | 9 | 14 | DNPQ | 9 | R | 9 | R | |||||||||
| Rolf Stommelen | 9 | 9 | R | R | 14 | 14 | 15 | DNQ | DSQ | DNPQ | DNPQ | DNPQ | 16 | DNQ | ||||
| Nelson Piquet | R | R | R | 9 | 11 | |||||||||||||
 Keke Rosberg | R | DNPQ | DNPQ | DNQ | DNPQ | 15 | 16 | R | 10 | NC | R | DNPQ | R | NC | ||||
| Rupert Keegan | R | R | R | DNS | R | DNQ | 11 | DNQ | R | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNS | |||||
| Harald Ertl | 11R | R | DNPQ | DNQ | ||||||||||||||
| Jacky Ickx | R | 12 | R | DNQ | ||||||||||||||
| Bobby Rahal | 12 | R | ||||||||||||||||
| Arturo Merzario | R | DNQ | R | R | DNPQ | DNPQ | DNQ | NC | DNQ | R | DNQ | DNQ | R | R | R | DNQ | ||
| Lamberto Leoni | R | DNS | DNQ | DNQ | ||||||||||||||
| Danny Ongais | R | R | DNPQ | DNPQ | ||||||||||||||
| Michael Bleekemolen | DNQ | DNQ | R | DNQ | ||||||||||||||
| Eddie Cheever | DNQ | DNQ | R | |||||||||||||||
| Alberto Colombo | DNQ | DNQ | DNPQ | |||||||||||||||
| Divina Galica | DNQ | DNQ | ||||||||||||||||
| Beppe Gabbiani | DNQ | DNQ | ||||||||||||||||
| Emilio de Villota | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||
| Geoff Lees | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||
| Tony Trimmer | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||
| Hans Binder | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||
| Gimax | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||
| Patrick Neve | WD | |||||||||||||||||
| Brian Henton | DNS | |||||||||||||||||
| No. | Driver | ARG | BRA | ZAF | USW | MCO | BEL | ESP | SWE | FRA | GBR | DEU | AUT | NLD | ITA | USA | CAN | Points |
Race to the title
The Race to the title graph shows how the title race played out over the course of the season between the top five drivers of 1978.
World Constructors’ Championship standings
The top six classified finishers of each race were awarded points on the following basis: 1st (9), 2nd (6), 3rd (4), 4th (3), 5th (2), 6th (1)
Constructors only received points for its highest placed car. Only the best seven results from the first eight races and the best seven results from the last eight races counted towards the championship.
- Bold: pole position
- Underline: fastest lap
- Bold & underline: pole & fastest lap
| Pos | Constructor | ARG | BRA | ZAF | USW | MCO | BEL | ESP | SWE | FRA | GBR | DEU | AUT | NLD | ITA | USA | CAN | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lotus-Ford Cosworth | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | R | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 15R | 10 | 86 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 7 | 1 | R | 1 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 58 |
| 3 | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | 2 | 3 | 3 | R | 2 | R | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 1 | R | 11 | 53 |
| 4 | Tyrrell-Ford Cosworth | 3 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 12 | R | 10 | 4 | 5 | 2 | R | 11 | 10 | 5 | 38 |
| 5 | Wolf-Ford Cosworth | 10 | R | R | R | 3 | R | 4 | R | 6 | R | 2 | NC | 12 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 24 |
| 6 | Ligier-Matra | 16R | 9 | 5 | 5 | R | 5R | 3 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 11 | R | 19 |
| 7 | Fittipaldi-Ford Cosworth | 9 | 2 | R | 8 | 9 | R | R | 6 | R | R | 4 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 5 | R | 17 |
| 8 | McLaren-Ford Cosworth | 4 | R | 11 | 12R | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 6 | R | 8 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 15 |
| 9 | Williams-Ford Cosworth | R | 11 | 4 | 7 | R | 10 | 8 | R | 5 | R | R | R | R | 13 | 2 | 9 | 11 |
| 9 | Arrows-Ford Cosworth | 10 | 9 | 6 | 6 | R | 14 | 2 | 8 | R | 9 | R | R | R | 16 | 4 | 11 | |
| 11 | Shadow-Ford Cosworth | 15 | 5 | DNQ | 10 | R | R | 15R | 5 | 11 | 5 | R | NC | R | NC | 14 | R | 6 |
| 12 | Renault | R | R | 10 | NC | 13 | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | 4 | 12 | 3 | ||
| 13 | Surtees-Ford Cosworth | 18 | R | 12 | R | R | 13R | 7 | R | 17 | 9 | R | 6 | DSQ | R | 9 | R | 1 |
| 13 | Ensign-Ford Cosworth | R | R | DNQ | DNQ | R | 12 | R | DNQ | DNQ | R | 11R | R | R | 10 | 8 | 6 | 1 |
| 15 | ATS-Ford Cosworth | 11 | 7 | 8 | 11 | DNQ | 11 | 9 | 13 | 13 | NC | R | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | R | NC | |
| 16 | Martini-Ford Cosworth | DNQ | DNPQ | 9 | 14 | DNPQ | 9 | R | ||||||||||
| 17 | Merzario-Ford Cosworth | R | DNQ | R | R | DNPQ | DNPQ | DNQ | NC | DNQ | R | DNQ | DNQ | R | R | R | DNQ | |
| 18 |  Theodore-Ford Cosworth | DNQ | DNQ | R | DNPQ | DNPQ | DNQ | DNPQ | ||||||||||
| 19 | Hesketh-Ford Cosworth | DNQ | DNQ | R | DNPQ | DNPQ | DNQ | |||||||||||
| 20 | March-Ford Cosworth | DNA | ||||||||||||||||
| No. | Constructor | ARG | BRA | ZAF | USW | MCO | BEL | ESP | SWE | FRA | GBR | DEU | AUT | NLD | ITA | USA | CAN | Points |
Race to the title
The Race to the title graph shows how the title race played out over the course of the season between the top five constructors of 1978.