1978 Swedish Grand Prix
The Grand Prix of Sweden 1978 was held on 17 June at the Scandinavian Raceway in Anderstorp place and was the eighth race of the Formula 1 season 1978.
- 3.1 Start -up
- 3.2 race
- 4.1 Drivers' Championship
- 4.2 Constructors' Championship
Reports
Background
The race track in Anderstorp, was held on the since 1973 the Grand Prix of Sweden, had been modified at the end of the long back straight with a baffle that extended the range to 13 meters.
At the middle of the season they had constructed at Brabham under the leadership of the chief designer Gordon Murray shortly a further development of the BT46, which has been referred to as BT46B and was first used at the Swedish GP. The car possessed at the rear on an oversized fan, which was officially declared by the team as a means for cooling the oil to meet the then rules that prohibited movable aerodynamic devices. In reality, however, the device was used to suck air rearwardly to produce a negative pressure to the sealed off by the side skirts vehicle floor. The goal was to achieve a similar output, such as the superior at this time of the season Lotus 79, which were equipped with a very effective technique Car wing. The competitors condemned the principle, as it is their opinion clearly negotiated a forbidden aerodynamic aids and the fan beyond stones kicked up, the pilots met after moving at high speed at the helm. They put a protest, but the car was to be used first.
Since his previous team temporarily Theodore Racing paused, Keke Rosberg joined ATS to replace Alberto Colombo there. In addition, since lacked the Martini team, was due to reported by only 27 drivers no need for pre-qualification, as it had been carried out at the most advanced gaga own Grand Prix of the season.
Training
Mario Andretti secured again by a large margin of nearly seven tenths of seconds the pole position. Even before his team mate Ronnie Peterson, however, qualified actually the Brabham works driver John Watson and Niki Lauda with her controversial vehicles for the second and third places. , The desired effect of the fan seemed to work. Riccardo Patrese reached the fifth place for the team Arrows, which was still with Shadow in a dispute about the allegedly copied blueprints of DN9.
Race
While Andretti took the lead, fell Watson, the Lauda had overtaken at the start, under pressure from Patrese. This took the third place in the second round. Watson fell one lap later back behind Peterson.
In the tenth round Peterson walked past Patrese, but shortly after became slower due to a puncture. In lap 20 Watson dropped out due to a technical defect. While Andretti and Lauda dueled for the top position, followed behind the lying safely at this time in third place Patrese at some distance by Carlos Reutemann before Alan Jones and Gilles Villeneuve.
Through a mistake Andretti Lauda could take the lead in the 38th round. Nine laps later the Americans dropped out due to an engine failure. This Patrese got to second place. He defended this just against Peterson, who had righted some positions after a tire change. Jacques Laffite, who had been lying on the technical failure of Alan Jones in fourth place, went out in the third last round of fuel. Thus he had to leave his position Patrick Tambay, who ultimately finished fourth ahead of Clay Regazzoni and Emerson Fittipaldi.
Niki Lauda came with the Brabham BT46B the only victory at the only use of the car. In the week after the race, the protest of the other teams was accepted and prohibited the fan principle.
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).