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1978 Brazilian Grand Prix
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | F1 |
| Country | Brazil |
| Grand Prix | Brazilian |
| Image | Autódromo_de_Jacarepaguá_1978-1995.png |
| Date | January 29 |
| Year | 1978 |
| Race_No | 2 |
| Season_No | 16 |
| Location | Jacarepagua, Brazil |
| Course | Permanent racing facility |
| Course_mi | 3.126 |
| Course_km | 5.031 |
| Distance_laps | 63 |
| Distance_mi | 196.945 |
| Distance_km | 316.953 |
| Weather | Very hot and humid, 100.4°F (38°C) |
| Pole_Driver | Ronnie Peterson |
| Pole_Country | Sweden |
| Pole_Team | Lotus-Ford |
| Pole_Time | 1:40.45 |
| Fast_Driver | Carlos Reutemann |
| Fast_Country | Argentina |
| Fast_Team | Ferrari |
| Fast_Time | 1:43.07 |
| Fast_Lap | 35 |
| First_Driver | Carlos Reutemann |
| First_Country | Argentina |
| First_Team | Ferrari |
| Second_Driver | Emerson Fittipaldi |
| Second_Country | Brazil |
| second_flag_suffix | 1968 |
| Second_Team | Fittipaldi-Ford |
| Third_Driver | Niki Lauda |
| Third_Country | Austria |
| Third_Team | Brabham-Alfa Romeo |
| Lapchart |
The 1978 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 29 January 1978 at Jacarepagua. The race was run at the height of summer in Rio de Janeiro in 100°F temperatures, and it was won by Argentine driver Carlos Reutemann driving a Ferrari 312T2 in a flag-to-flag performance. The win also represented the first win for tyre manufacturer Michelin. Local driver Emerson Fittipaldi was second, scoring the first podium finish for the Fittipaldi team with Austrian Brabham driver Niki Lauda finishing third. French driver Didier Pironi took his first points in Formula One, finishing sixth, while Arrows made its F1 debut with Riccardo Patrese finishing tenth, four laps down.
Qualifying
Qualifying classification
| Pos. | Driver | Constructor | Time | No | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden Ronnie Peterson | Lotus-Ford | **1:40.45** | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UK James Hunt | McLaren-Ford | 1:40.53 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US Mario Andretti | Lotus-Ford | 1:40.62 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Argentina Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari | 1:40.73 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| France Patrick Tambay | McLaren-Ford | 1:40.94 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canada Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:40.97 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brazil Emerson Fittipaldi | Fittipaldi-Ford | 1:41.50 | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Australia Alan Jones | Williams-Ford | 1:41.87 | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FRG Hans-Joachim Stuck | Shadow-Ford | 1:42.07 | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Austria Niki Lauda | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | 1:42.08 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| France Patrick Depailler | Tyrrell-Ford | 1:42.10 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Africa Jody Scheckter | Wolf-Ford | 1:42.11 | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US Brett Lunger | McLaren-Ford | 1:42.65 | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| France Jacques Laffite | Ligier-Matra | 1:42.71 | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Switzerland Clay Regazzoni | Shadow-Ford | 1:42.80 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| France Jean-Pierre Jarier | ATS-Ford | 1:42.91 | 16 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Italy Lamberto Leoni | Ensign-Ford | 1:43.17 | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Italy Riccardo Patrese | Arrows-Ford | 1:43.19 | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| France Didier Pironi | Tyrrell-Ford | 1:43.55 | 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FRG Jochen Mass | ATS-Ford | 1:43.74 | 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UK John Watson | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | 1:43.75 | 21 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mexico Héctor Rebaque | Lotus-Ford | 1:43.86 | 22 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US Danny Ongais | Ensign-Ford | 1:43.94 | 23 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UK Rupert Keegan | Surtees-Ford | 1:44.20 | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Italy Arturo Merzario | Merzario-Ford | 1:44.20 | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| US Eddie Cheever | Theodore-Ford | 1:44.28 | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Italy Vittorio Brambilla | Surtees-Ford | 1:44.66 | DNQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UK Divina Galica | Hesketh-Ford | 1:46.79 | DNQ |
*Positions in red indicate entries that failed to qualify.
Race
Report
The first Formula One race held at Jacarepagua was held in typically extreme weather conditions of January in Rio, meaning the race was held in both hot and humid conditions. Ronnie Peterson took the pole position in the leading Lotus ahead of James Hunt in the leading McLaren, teammate Mario Andretti in the other Lotus, Carlos Reutemann in the leading Ferrari, Patrick Tambay in the second McLaren and Gilles Villeneuve in the other Ferrari.
Peterson got off to a poor start from the pole and dropped back to 4th, whilst into the first corner it was Reutemann from 4th on the grid who got the best start and lead the first lap for Ferrari ahead of Hunt, Andretti, Peterson, Tambay and Villeneuve. Hunt in the leading McLaren and Andretti in the leading Lotus were running 2nd and 3rd behind Reutemann, until Hunt was forced to pit for tyres whilst Andretti soon started to suffer from gearbox problems and dropped to 4th, handing their 2nd and 3rd places over to home favourite Emerson Fittipaldi and reigning world-champion Niki Lauda respectively. Peterson eventually retired after a collision by lap 16. The hot and humid conditions had eventually caused Hunt, Tambay and Villeneuve in the other Ferrari to all spin off and crash by lap 36. Reutemann meanwhile had no challengers for the lead all race long, and won by a comfortable margin ahead of former double world-champion Fittipaldi, Lauda, Andretti in the remaining Lotus, Clay Regazzoni in the Shadow and Didier Pironi in the Tyrrell.
Classification
| Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Tyre | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | DNS | DNS | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ | DNQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Argentina **Carlos Reutemann** | **Ferrari** | 63 | 1:49:59.86 | 4 | **9** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 14 | Brazil **Emerson Fittipaldi** | **Fittipaldi-Ford** | 63 | +49.13 | 7 | **6** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Austria **Niki Lauda** | **Brabham-Alfa Romeo** | 63 | +57.02 | 10 | **4** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | US **Mario Andretti** | **Lotus-Ford** | 63 | +1:33.12 | 3 | **3** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 | Switzerland **Clay Regazzoni** | **Shadow-Ford** | 62 | +1 Lap | 15 | **2** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | France **Didier Pironi** | **Tyrrell-Ford** | 62 | +1 Lap | 19 | **1** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 | FRG Jochen Mass | ATS-Ford | 62 | +1 Lap | 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | UK John Watson | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | 61 | +2 Laps | 21 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26 | France Jacques Laffite | Ligier-Matra | 61 | +2 Laps | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 36 | Italy Riccardo Patrese | Arrows-Ford | 59 | +4 Laps | 18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27 | Australia Alan Jones | Williams-Ford | 58 | +5 Laps | 8 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 25 | Mexico Héctor Rebaque | Lotus-Ford | 40 | Physical | 22 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Canada Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 35 | Spun Off | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | France Patrick Tambay | McLaren-Ford | 34 | Spun Off | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | UK James Hunt | McLaren-Ford | 25 | Spun Off | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 16 | FRG Hans-Joachim Stuck | Shadow-Ford | 25 | Fuel System | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 20 | South Africa Jody Scheckter | Wolf-Ford | 16 | Accident | 12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Sweden Ronnie Peterson | Lotus-Ford | 15 | Collision | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 | US Danny Ongais | Ensign-Ford | 13 | Brakes | 23 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30 | US Brett Lunger | McLaren-Ford | 11 | Overheating | 13 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 | France Patrick Depailler | Tyrrell-Ford | 8 | Accident | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 | UK Rupert Keegan | Surtees-Ford | 5 | Accident | 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23 | Italy Lamberto Leoni | Ensign-Ford | 0 | Transmission | 17 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 | France Jean-Pierre Jarier | ATS-Ford | Mass Drove Car | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 37 | Italy Arturo Merzario | Merzario-Ford | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 32 | US Eddie Cheever | Theodore-Ford | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 19 | Italy Vittorio Brambilla | Surtees-Ford | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 | UK Divina Galica | Hesketh-Ford |
Notes
- This was the Formula One World Championship debut for British constructor Arrows.
Championship standings after the race
;Drivers' Championship standings
| Pos | Driver | Points | Source: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [[File:1rightarrow_blue.svg | 10px]] | 1 | USA Mario Andretti | 12 |
| [[File:1rightarrow_blue.svg | 10px]] | 2 | AUT Niki Lauda | 10 |
| [[File:1uparrow_green.svg | 10px]] 4 | 3 | ARG Carlos Reutemann | 9 |
| [[File:1uparrow_green.svg | 10px]] 5 | 4 | BRA Emerson Fittipaldi | 6 |
| [[File:1downarrow_red.svg | 10px]] 2 | 5 | FRA Patrick Depailler | 4 |
;Constructors' Championship standings
| Pos | Constructor | Points | Source: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [[File:1rightarrow_blue.svg | 10px]] | 1 | UK Lotus-Ford | 12 |
| [[File:1rightarrow_blue.svg | 10px]] | 2 | UK Brabham-Alfa Romeo | 10 |
| [[File:1uparrow_green.svg | 10px]] 2 | 3 | ITA Ferrari | 9 |
| [[File:1uparrow_green.svg | 10px]] 4 | 4 | BRA Fittipaldi-Ford | 6 |
| [[File:1downarrow_red.svg | 10px]] 2 | 5 | UK Tyrrell-Ford | 5 |
- Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.
References
Name_of_race = Brazilian Grand Prix | Year_of_race = 1978 | Previous_race_in_season = 1978 Argentine Grand Prix | Next_race_in_season = 1978 South African Grand Prix | Previous_year's_race = 1977 Brazilian Grand Prix | Next_year's_race = 1979 Brazilian Grand Prix}}
References
- "Rio de Janeiro January 29, 1978 Historical Weather (Brazil) - Weather Spark".
- "1978 Brazilian Grand Prix". formula1.com.
- (29 January 1978). "1978 Brazilian Grand Prix - Race Results & History - GP Archive".
- "Brazil 1978 - Championship • STATS F1".
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