1978 United States Grand Prix
The Grand Prix of USA East 1978 was held on October 1 at Watkins Glen and was the 15th race of the Formula 1 season 1978.
- 3.1 Start -up
- 3.2 race
- 4.1 Drivers' Championship
- 4.2 Constructors' Championship
Reports
Background
Three weeks after the mass accident at the Grand Prix of Italy, had died of the consequences of Ronnie Peterson, his Lotus teammate Mario Andretti has already appeared as the reigning world champion to his home race in the USA.
As was seen at the time Riccardo Patrese as a trigger of the accident, trying some members of the GPDA to convince the organizers of the U.S. Grand Prix to exclude the Italians of the race, which they finally succeeded. Patrese continued to defend against it by trying to leave the court prohibit the entire race weekend at Watkins Glen. This approach was rejected.
Only a few years later was proven by video of the accident that in fact James Hunt was the main cause of the disaster. This was one of those pilots who wanted to prevent the Patrese's participation in the U.S. Grand Prix.
The gap left by Peterson in the Lotus, was short with Jean -Pierre Jarier closed, was looking for a new cockpit after leaving ATS. Jariers former regular place Keke Rosberg took one that was already started for the German team mid-season three times. He must now complete the first race of the new car called D1.
As with Vittorio Brambilla and Rupert Keegan failed due to injury both Surtees regular driver, the team had to start with a completely new driver line-up, which was composed of the Italian debutants Beppe Gabbiani and the Frenchman René Arnoux, whose previous team Automobiles Martini made his Formula 1 project had stopped after only seven participants. The private team BS Fabrications also did not start. Then moved Brett Lunger to Ensign Racing to replace there Harald Ertl. The Wolf team reported for the first time in its history as a factory team a second car in which Bobby Rahal could make his Grand Prix debut.
Nelson Piquet, who had signed a contract with Brabham factory driver for the following season, was already provided on this weekend as the third driver alongside Niki Lauda and John Watson. There was not a third time racing cars available.
McLaren Racing joined to the two final flyaway races of the season with exceptionally Löwenbräu as the main sponsor.
Training
Due to exceptional cases only 27 candidates for 26 starting positions could be dispensed with the now almost mandatory pre-qualification.
The new world champion Andretti reached his eighth pole position of the season at a faster by more than a second lap time as the runner-up Carlos Reutemann. Meanwhile Ferrari teammate Gilles Villeneuve followed in addition to the distinguished Williams driver Alan Jones on the fourth place. The third row of the grid formed the World Cup opponents the 1976 season, Niki Lauda and James Hunt, John Watson prior and Jean -Pierre Jarier. The fifth series was composed of the brothers- Jean -Pierre Jabouille and Jacques Laffite.
Race
Due to an accident in warm-up, in which his patrol car was damaged, Andretti went with the due date for Jarier car into the race. The Frenchman then had to make do with a spare chassis.
Andretti started from the pole of the lead from Reutemann, Villeneuve, Jones and Jarier. Exceptionally, both Lotus drivers had problems with their vehicles, so Andretti during the first laps behind Reutemann and Villeneuve fell back, and Jarier behind Hunt, Watson and Depailler.
Jones showed up in good shape and took over in the 21st round in third place by Andretti. As Villeneuve was canceled due to an engine failure shortly after, the Australian took the second place.
After Andretti and Lauda were eliminated due to technical problems, Jabouille was in far less successful turbo -powered Renault on a promising third place. However, the brake problems put him near the end of the race, first to fifth place. He was given Jariers failure due to lack of fuel with four laps to eventually fourth behind Reutemann, Jones and Scheckter what the best result and the first World Championship points for Renault and thus meant for a turbo car in F1. Emerson Fittipaldi and Patrick Tambay received the final championship points of the day.
Message list
Classifications
Line-up
Race
WM stands after the race
The first six of the race were 9, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 point (s).