1978 German Grand Prix
The Grand Prix of Germany in 1978 took place on July 30 at Hockenheim and was the eleventh round of the Formula 1 season 1978.
- 3.1 Start -up
- 3.2 race
- 4.1 Drivers' Championship
- 4.2 Constructors' Championship
Reports
Background
The Grand Prix of Germany, the Theodore team stepped up again, though not as early in the season with their own car, but with a Wolf WR3 bought second-hand last year. As a driver, Keke Rosberg returned to the team. Meanwhile place at ATS was retaken by its local predecessor Jean -Pierre Jarier.
Instead of Derek Daly, the Brazilian debutant Nelson Piquet was hired as Ensign works driver. Another Ensign N177 came as a factory-supported customer's vehicle for the German private team Sachs Racing used, which took up the first time. Harald Ertl was made possible by a Formula 1 comeback.
Moreover, since Martini was again present with René Arnoux, bringing the entry list comprised 30 pilots, since the Spanish Grand Prix decided to for the first time to carry out a pre-qualification.
Training
At the pre-qualification, which took place on Thursday before the race weekend, Keke Rosberg, Arturo Merzario, Héctor Rebaque, René Arnoux and Brett Lunger had to participate. In rainy conditions, no lap times were achieved under 2:10. With Arnoux and Lunger resigned from the two slowest pilots.
The actual Grand Prix weekend was held in high summer temperatures and sunshine, so that in regular training and in the race for the usual 6.8 -kilometer track lap times 1:50 to 2:00 minutes with average speeds over 200 km / h were achieved.
Training was fastest for the fifth time this season, Mario Andretti, followed closely by his Lotus team-mate Ronnie Peterson, who completed a slower by only nine hundredths of a second lap time. Brabham driver Niki Lauda shared the second row with Jody Scheckter on Wolf. Lauda's team-mate John Watson finished with Williams driver Alan Jones the third row in front of Jacques Laffite Ligier on and James Hunt in the McLaren. For an overall very well mixed grid also Jean -Pierre Jabouille ensured in the Renault and Emerson Fittipaldi in his own car, which completed the top ten. The two Ferrari drivers Carlos Reutemann and Gilles Villeneuve, however, only reached the starting positions 12 and 15
Race
Shortly after the start collided Jochen Mass because of suspension damage with Hans -Joachim Stuck. To the chagrin of the local audience thus eliminated directly from the two most successful of the four participating German pilots. With Rolf Stommelen also one of the two remaining Germans were back hopeless, because he had collided with Patrick at the start Depailler.
While the two Lotus 79 from the beginning were able to sell the rest of the field, Scheckter had problems with the fuel supply and thus fell back to the end of the field. Lauda initially finished third, however, this position had to hand in the third round to Jones. Shortly after his hitherto lying in fifth teammate Watson fell due to a gearbox problem way back. The five then placed Hunt benefited in the twelfth round of technical failure Laudas by ingesting fourth.
In the fifth round was Peterson, who had taken the lead at the start, according to the order imposed by Lotus teammate Andretti leadership, because this team possessed in a contractually guaranteed number-one status. Hunt had to make a pit stop on lap 20 due to a puncture. Jones was the victim of a fault in the fuel system.
Despite the superiority on the track it came time being to any further double win for Lotus as Peterson was forced to retire on lap 37 due to a gearbox failure. This came Scheckter, who had fought in the meantime impressively forward again to second place before Laffite. Shortly before the end of the race took over Fittipaldi fourth place of Didier Pironi, who has struggled with brake problems.
The battle for sixth place, were involved in the Villeneuve, Ertl and Rebaque promised voltage in the closing stages of the race. Villeneuve was hampered by problems with the fuel supply, so Ertl could go by him. Shortly thereafter, however, this was eliminated because of an engine failure. With three laps to eventually took Rebaque sixth of Villeneuve and thus secured his first World Championship point in his Formula 1 career.
Since Andretti scored full marks and its direct competitors also all remained without points, the Americans extended his lead in the standings to 18 points clear of.
Stommelen, who had reached the goal in eleventh place, was later disqualified because he had just abandoned in the early stages of the race illegally the route. Ertl therefore moved due to its number of rounds completed to eleventh place.
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).