Most Wins: Lewis Hamilton (106) • Most Titles: M. Schumacher & L. Hamilton (7) • 77 Seasons Since 1950 • 1,159 Races in Database • 818 Drivers Tracked • Most Wins: Lewis Hamilton (106) • Most Titles: M. Schumacher & L. Hamilton (7) • 77 Seasons Since 1950 • 1,159 Races in Database • 818 Drivers Tracked •
PITLANESTATS

1978 Formula 1 Season

16 races · Champion: Mario Andretti

Driver Standings

PosDriverTeamPtsWins
1 Mario Andretti Team Lotus 64 6
2 Ronnie Peterson Team Lotus 51 2
3 Carlos Reutemann Ferrari 48 4
4 Niki Lauda Brabham 44 2
5 Patrick Depailler Tyrrell 34 1
6 John Watson Brabham 25 0
7 Jody Scheckter Wolf 24 0
8 Jacques Laffite Ligier 19 0
9 Gilles Villeneuve Ferrari 17 1
10 Emerson Fittipaldi Fittipaldi 17 0
11 Alan Jones Williams 11 0
12 Riccardo Patrese Arrows 11 0
13 James Hunt McLaren 8 0
14 Patrick Tambay McLaren 8 0
15 Didier Pironi Tyrrell 7 0
16 Clay Regazzoni Shadow 4 0
17 Jean-Pierre Jabouille Renault 3 0
18 Hans-Joachim Stuck Shadow 2 0
19 Vittorio Brambilla Surtees 1 0
20 Derek Daly Hesketh 1 0
21 Hector Rebaque Team Lotus 1 0
Brett Lunger McLaren 0 0
Bruno Giacomelli McLaren 0 0
Jochen Mass ATS 0 0
Jean-Pierre Jarier ATS 0 0
René Arnoux Martini 0 0
Rolf Stommelen Arrows 0 0
Nelson Piquet Ensign 0 0
Keke Rosberg Theodore 0 0
Rupert Keegan Surtees 0 0
Harald Ertl Ensign 0 0
Jacky Ickx Ensign 0 0
Bobby Rahal Wolf 0 0
Arturo Merzario Merzario 0 0
Michael Bleekemolen ATS 0 0
Danny Ongais Ensign 0 0
Lamberto Leoni Ensign 0 0
Eddie Cheever Theodore 0 0

Constructor Standings

PosConstructorPtsWins
1 Team Lotus 86 8
2 Ferrari 58 5
3 Brabham 53 2
4 Tyrrell 38 1
5 Wolf 24 0
6 Ligier 19 0
7 Fittipaldi 17 0
8 McLaren 15 0
9 Williams 11 0
10 Arrows 11 0
11 Shadow 6 0
12 Renault 3 0
13 Surtees 1 0
14 Ensign 1 0
ATS 0 0
Martini 0 0
Merzario 0 0
Theodore 0 0
Hesketh 0 0

Races

R11978-01-15
Argentine Grand Prix
Autódromo Juan y Oscar Gálvez
Mario Andretti
R21978-01-29
Brazilian Grand Prix
Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet
Carlos Reutemann
R31978-03-04
South African Grand Prix
Kyalami
Ronnie Peterson
R41978-04-02
United States Grand Prix West
Long Beach
Carlos Reutemann
R51978-05-07
Monaco Grand Prix
Circuit de Monaco
Patrick Depailler
R61978-05-21
Belgian Grand Prix
Zolder
Mario Andretti
R71978-06-04
Spanish Grand Prix
Jarama
Mario Andretti
R81978-06-17
Swedish Grand Prix
Scandinavian Raceway
Niki Lauda
R91978-07-02
French Grand Prix
Circuit Paul Ricard
Mario Andretti
R101978-07-16
British Grand Prix
Brands Hatch
Carlos Reutemann
R111978-07-30
German Grand Prix
Hockenheimring
Mario Andretti
R121978-08-13
Austrian Grand Prix
Red Bull Ring
Ronnie Peterson
R131978-08-27
Dutch Grand Prix
Circuit Park Zandvoort
Mario Andretti
R141978-09-10
Italian Grand Prix
Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
Niki Lauda
R151978-10-01
United States Grand Prix
Watkins Glen
Carlos Reutemann
R161978-10-08
Canadian Grand Prix
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
Gilles Villeneuve

The 1978 Season

1978 belonged to Lotus and the ground-effect revolution. The Lotus 79, with its underbody venturi tunnels generating massive downforce, was years ahead of its rivals and carried Mario Andretti to the drivers' title, making him the second American-born World Champion.

The season ended in sorrow when Andretti's teammate Ronnie Peterson died from injuries sustained in a startline crash at Monza, on the very day Andretti clinched the championship. Lotus took the constructors' title, but the triumph was deeply bittersweet.