World Drivers' Championship

1978

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Cumulative championship points for each driver after every round.

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Season guide

1978 Formula One World Championship

Mario Andretti won the 1978 World Drivers' Championship for Team Lotus with 64 points, 13 ahead of Ronnie Peterson (Team Lotus).

Andretti won 6 of the 16 races. Team Lotus won the most races (8 of 16). Six different drivers won a race.

Final standings

PosDriverWinsPodiumsPts
1Mario AndrettiTeam Lotus6764
2Ronnie PetersonTeam Lotus2751
3Carlos ReutemannFerrari4748
4Niki LaudaBrabham2744
5Patrick DepaillerTyrrell1534
6John WatsonBrabham0325
7Jody ScheckterWolf0424
8Jacques LaffiteLigier0219
9Gilles VilleneuveFerrari1217
10Emerson FittipaldiFittipaldi0117
11Alan JonesWilliams0111
12Riccardo PatreseArrows0111
13James HuntMcLaren018
14Patrick TambayMcLaren008
15Didier PironiTyrrell007
16Clay RegazzoniShadow004
17Jean-Pierre JabouilleRenault003
18Hans-Joachim StuckShadow002
19Vittorio BrambillaSurtees001
20Derek DalyEnsign001
21Hector RebaqueTeam Lotus001

Only a driver's best results counted towards the title this season, so totals can be lower than the points scored.

Races

RdGrand PrixDateWinnerPoleFastest lap
1Argentine Grand Prix15 Jan 1978Mario AndrettiTeam LotusMario AndrettiGilles Villeneuve
2Brazilian Grand Prix29 Jan 1978Carlos ReutemannFerrariRonnie PetersonCarlos Reutemann
3South African Grand Prix4 Mar 1978Ronnie PetersonTeam LotusNiki LaudaMario Andretti
4United States Grand Prix West2 Apr 1978Carlos ReutemannFerrariCarlos ReutemannAlan Jones
5Monaco Grand Prix7 May 1978Patrick DepaillerTyrrellCarlos ReutemannNiki Lauda
6Belgian Grand Prix21 May 1978Mario AndrettiTeam LotusMario AndrettiRonnie Peterson
7Spanish Grand Prix4 Jun 1978Mario AndrettiTeam LotusMario AndrettiMario Andretti
8Swedish Grand Prix17 Jun 1978Niki LaudaBrabhamMario AndrettiNiki Lauda
9French Grand Prix2 Jul 1978Mario AndrettiTeam LotusJohn WatsonCarlos Reutemann
10British Grand Prix16 Jul 1978Carlos ReutemannFerrariRonnie PetersonNiki Lauda
11German Grand Prix30 Jul 1978Mario AndrettiTeam LotusMario AndrettiRonnie Peterson
12Austrian Grand Prix13 Aug 1978Ronnie PetersonTeam LotusRonnie PetersonRonnie Peterson
13Dutch Grand Prix27 Aug 1978Mario AndrettiTeam LotusMario AndrettiNiki Lauda
14Italian Grand Prix10 Sep 1978Niki LaudaBrabhamMario AndrettiMario Andretti
15United States Grand Prix1 Oct 1978Carlos ReutemannFerrariMario AndrettiJean-Pierre Jarier
16Canadian Grand Prix8 Oct 1978Gilles VilleneuveFerrariJean-Pierre JarierAlan Jones

Race by race

Round 1

Argentine Grand Prix

15 Jan 1978 · Autódromo Juan y Oscar Gálvez, Buenos Aires, Argentina

  • Mario Andretti won for Team Lotus from pole, 13.210s ahead of Niki Lauda.
  • Mario Andretti leads the championship by 3 points from Niki Lauda with 15 rounds to go.
Round 2

Brazilian Grand Prix

29 Jan 1978 · Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

  • Carlos Reutemann won for Ferrari from P4, 49.130s ahead of Emerson Fittipaldi.
  • Polesitter Ronnie Peterson retired (collision).
  • Mario Andretti leads the championship by 2 points from Niki Lauda with 14 rounds to go.
Round 3

South African Grand Prix

4 Mar 1978 · Kyalami, Midrand, South Africa

  • Ronnie Peterson won for Team Lotus from P12, 0.466s ahead of Patrick Depailler.
  • Polesitter Niki Lauda retired (engine).
  • Mario Andretti leads the championship by 1 point from Ronnie Peterson with 13 rounds to go.
Round 4

United States Grand Prix West

2 Apr 1978 · Long Beach, California, USA

  • Carlos Reutemann won for Ferrari from pole, 11.061s ahead of Mario Andretti.
  • Carlos Reutemann took the championship lead from Mario Andretti.
  • Carlos Reutemann's 2nd win of 1978.
Round 5

Monaco Grand Prix

7 May 1978 · Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo, Monaco

  • Patrick Depailler won for Tyrrell from P5, 22.450s ahead of Niki Lauda.
  • First career win for Patrick Depailler.
  • Patrick Depailler took the championship lead from Carlos Reutemann.
Round 6

Belgian Grand Prix

21 May 1978 · Zolder, Heusden-Zolder, Belgium

  • Mario Andretti won for Team Lotus from pole, 9.900s ahead of Ronnie Peterson.
  • Mario Andretti took the championship lead from Patrick Depailler.
  • Championship leader Patrick Depailler retired (gearbox).
  • A one-two finish for Team Lotus.
  • Mario Andretti's 2nd win of 1978.
Round 7

Spanish Grand Prix

4 Jun 1978 · Jarama, Madrid, Spain

  • Mario Andretti won for Team Lotus from pole, 19.560s ahead of Ronnie Peterson.
  • A hat-trick for Mario Andretti: pole, victory and fastest lap.
  • A one-two finish for Team Lotus.
  • Mario Andretti's 3rd win of 1978.
  • Mario Andretti leads the championship by 10 points from Ronnie Peterson with 9 rounds to go.
Round 8

Swedish Grand Prix

17 Jun 1978 · Scandinavian Raceway, Anderstorp, Sweden

  • Niki Lauda won for Brabham from P3, 34.019s ahead of Riccardo Patrese.
  • Championship leader Mario Andretti retired (engine).
  • Polesitter Mario Andretti retired (engine).
  • First career podium for Riccardo Patrese.
  • Mario Andretti leads the championship by 6 points from Ronnie Peterson with 8 rounds to go.
Round 9

French Grand Prix

2 Jul 1978 · Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet, France

  • Mario Andretti won for Team Lotus from P2, 2.930s ahead of Ronnie Peterson.
  • Mario Andretti's 10th career win.
  • A one-two finish for Team Lotus.
  • Mario Andretti's 4th win of 1978.
  • Mario Andretti leads the championship by 9 points from Ronnie Peterson with 7 rounds to go.
Round 10

British Grand Prix

16 Jul 1978 · Brands Hatch, Kent, UK

  • Carlos Reutemann won for Ferrari from P8, 1.230s ahead of Niki Lauda.
  • Championship leader Mario Andretti retired (engine).
  • Polesitter Ronnie Peterson retired (fuel system).
  • Carlos Reutemann's 3rd win of 1978.
  • Mario Andretti leads the championship by 9 points from Ronnie Peterson with 6 rounds to go.
Round 11

German Grand Prix

30 Jul 1978 · Hockenheimring, Hockenheim, Germany

  • Mario Andretti won for Team Lotus from pole, 15.350s ahead of Jody Scheckter.
  • Mario Andretti's 5th win of 1978.
  • Mario Andretti leads the championship by 18 points from Ronnie Peterson with 5 rounds to go.
Round 12

Austrian Grand Prix

13 Aug 1978 · Red Bull Ring, Spielberg, Austria

  • Ronnie Peterson won for Team Lotus from pole, 47.440s ahead of Patrick Depailler.
  • The last of Ronnie Peterson's 10 Grand Prix wins.
  • Championship leader Mario Andretti retired (accident).
  • A hat-trick for Ronnie Peterson: pole, victory and fastest lap.
  • First career podium for Gilles Villeneuve.
  • Ronnie Peterson's 2nd win of 1978.
  • Mario Andretti leads the championship by 9 points from Ronnie Peterson with 4 rounds to go.
Round 13

Dutch Grand Prix

27 Aug 1978 · Circuit Park Zandvoort, Zandvoort, Netherlands

  • Mario Andretti won for Team Lotus from pole, 0.320s ahead of Ronnie Peterson.
  • The last of Mario Andretti's 12 Grand Prix wins.
  • A one-two finish for Team Lotus.
  • Mario Andretti's 6th win of 1978.
  • Mario Andretti leads the championship by 12 points from Ronnie Peterson with 3 rounds to go.
Round 14

Italian Grand Prix

10 Sep 1978 · Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza, Italy

  • Niki Lauda won for Brabham from P4, 1.480s ahead of John Watson.
  • A one-two finish for Brabham.
  • Niki Lauda's 2nd win of 1978.
  • Mario Andretti leads the championship by 13 points from Ronnie Peterson with 2 rounds to go.
Round 15

United States Grand Prix

1 Oct 1978 · Watkins Glen, New York State, USA

  • Carlos Reutemann won for Ferrari from P2, 19.739s ahead of Alan Jones.
  • Championship leader Mario Andretti retired (engine).
  • Polesitter Mario Andretti retired (engine).
  • Carlos Reutemann's 4th win of 1978.
  • Mario Andretti leads the championship by 13 points from Ronnie Peterson with 1 round to go.
Round 16

Canadian Grand Prix

8 Oct 1978 · Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal, Canada

  • Gilles Villeneuve won for Ferrari from P3, 13.372s ahead of Jody Scheckter.
  • Mario Andretti finished as champion, 13 points ahead of Ronnie Peterson.
  • First career win for Gilles Villeneuve.
  • Gilles Villeneuve became the 6th different winner of 1978.
  • A home win for Gilles Villeneuve.
  • Polesitter Jean-Pierre Jarier retired (oil leak).