Published evidence
1978 Belgian Grand Prix
A historical profile with source-linked evidence. Further research is in progress.
THE HISTORICAL RECORD
Profile & context
Event date: 21 May 1978
- Name
- 1978 Belgian Grand Prix
PROVENANCE
Sources behind this page
F1DB
v2026.17.0 · races/303
Original reference ↗Historical source & scope
F1DB v2026.17.0 · CC BY 4.0. Normalisation, links and calculations by MotorPedia. Original source observations retained.
Source-reported facts are not independent historical confirmation. Missing times and points remain unknown; source-rounded points retain their published precision. Constructor, entrant and team identities are kept distinct.
Recorded qualifying format: TWO_SESSION
Grand Prix context
1978 Belgian Grand Prix · Circuit Zolder
Technical formula: Formula 1. World Championship membership is separate from technical regulations.
1978 Formula 1 World Championship · round 6
Race classification
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mario Andretti | Lotus | 1:39:52.020 · 70 laps · ford | 9 |
| 2 | Ronnie Peterson | Lotus | 1:40:01.920 · 70 laps · ford | 6 |
| 3 | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari | 1:40:16.360 · 70 laps · ferrari | 4 |
| 4 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:40:39.060 · 70 laps · ferrari | 3 |
| 5 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | Accident · Time not recorded · 69 laps · matra | 2 |
| 6 | Didier Pironi | Tyrrell | Time not recorded · 69 laps · ford | 1 |
| 7 | Brett Lunger | McLaren | Time not recorded · 69 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 8 | Bruno Giacomelli | McLaren | Time not recorded · 69 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 9 | René Arnoux | Martini | Time not recorded · 68 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 10 | Alan Jones | Williams | Time not recorded · 68 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 11 | Jochen Mass | ATS | Time not recorded · 68 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 12 | Jacky Ickx | Ensign | Time not recorded · 64 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 13 | Vittorio Brambilla | Surtees | Engine · Time not recorded · 63 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| NC | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Renault | Time not recorded · 56 laps · renault | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Hans-Joachim Stuck | Shadow | Spun off · Time not recorded · 56 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Jody Scheckter | Wolf | Spun off · Time not recorded · 53 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Patrick Depailler | Tyrrell | Gearbox · Time not recorded · 51 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Clay Regazzoni | Shadow | Transmission · Time not recorded · 40 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | Suspension · Time not recorded · 31 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Rolf Stommelen | Arrows | Spun off · Time not recorded · 26 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | John Watson | Brabham | Accident · Time not recorded · 18 laps · alfa-romeo | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Emerson Fittipaldi | Fittipaldi | Accident · Time not recorded · 0 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | James Hunt | McLaren | Accident · Time not recorded · 0 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Niki Lauda | Brabham | Accident · Time not recorded · 0 laps · alfa-romeo | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Rupert Keegan | Surtees | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Derek Daly | Hesketh | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Keke Rosberg | Theodore | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Alberto Colombo | ATS | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNPQ | Héctor Rebaque | Lotus | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNPQ | Arturo Merzario | Merzario | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNP | Bernard de Dryver | Ensign | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNP | Patrick Nève | March | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
Qualifying
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mario Andretti | Lotus | 1:20.900 · ford | |
| 2 | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari | 1:21.690 · ferrari | |
| 3 | Niki Lauda | Brabham | 1:21.700 · alfa-romeo | |
| 4 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:21.770 · ferrari | |
| 5 | Jody Scheckter | Wolf | 1:22.120 · ford | |
| 6 | James Hunt | McLaren | 1:22.500 · ford | |
| 7 | Ronnie Peterson | Lotus | 1:22.620 · ford | |
| 8 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | 1:23.250 · ford | |
| 9 | John Watson | Brabham | 1:23.260 · alfa-romeo | |
| 10 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Renault | 1:23.580 · renault | |
| 11 | Alan Jones | Williams | 1:23.710 · ford | |
| 12 | Vittorio Brambilla | Surtees | 1:23.780 · ford | |
| 13 | Patrick Depailler | Tyrrell | 1:23.820 · ford | |
| 14 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:23.900 · matra | |
| 15 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Fittipaldi | 1:24.110 · ford | |
| 16 | Jochen Mass | ATS | 1:24.140 · ford | |
| 17 | Rolf Stommelen | Arrows | 1:24.140 · ford | |
| 18 | Clay Regazzoni | Shadow | 1:24.180 · ford | |
| 19 | René Arnoux | Martini | 1:24.220 · ford | |
| 20 | Hans-Joachim Stuck | Shadow | 1:24.470 · ford | |
| 21 | Bruno Giacomelli | McLaren | 1:24.810 · ford | |
| 22 | Jacky Ickx | Ensign | 1:24.820 · ford | |
| 23 | Didier Pironi | Tyrrell | 1:24.850 · ford | |
| 24 | Brett Lunger | McLaren | 1:24.990 · ford | |
| 25 | Rupert Keegan | Surtees | 1:25.400 · ford | |
| 26 | Derek Daly | Hesketh | 1:25.690 · ford | |
| 27 | Keke Rosberg | Theodore | 1:25.870 · ford | |
| 28 | Alberto Colombo | ATS | 1:26.010 · ford |
Starting grid
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mario Andretti | Lotus | 1:20.900 · ford | |
| 2 | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari | 1:21.690 · ferrari | |
| 3 | Niki Lauda | Brabham | 1:21.700 · alfa-romeo | |
| 4 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:21.770 · ferrari | |
| 5 | Jody Scheckter | Wolf | 1:22.120 · ford | |
| 6 | James Hunt | McLaren | 1:22.500 · ford | |
| 7 | Ronnie Peterson | Lotus | 1:22.620 · ford | |
| 8 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | 1:23.250 · ford | |
| 9 | John Watson | Brabham | 1:23.260 · alfa-romeo | |
| 10 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Renault | 1:23.580 · renault | |
| 11 | Alan Jones | Williams | 1:23.710 · ford | |
| 12 | Vittorio Brambilla | Surtees | 1:23.780 · ford | |
| 13 | Patrick Depailler | Tyrrell | 1:23.820 · ford | |
| 14 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:23.900 · matra | |
| 15 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Fittipaldi | 1:24.110 · ford | |
| 16 | Jochen Mass | ATS | 1:24.140 · ford | |
| 17 | Rolf Stommelen | Arrows | 1:24.140 · ford | |
| 18 | Clay Regazzoni | Shadow | 1:24.180 · ford | |
| 19 | René Arnoux | Martini | 1:24.220 · ford | |
| 20 | Hans-Joachim Stuck | Shadow | 1:24.470 · ford | |
| 21 | Bruno Giacomelli | McLaren | 1:24.810 · ford | |
| 22 | Jacky Ickx | Ensign | 1:24.820 · ford | |
| 23 | Didier Pironi | Tyrrell | 1:24.850 · ford | |
| 24 | Brett Lunger | McLaren | 1:24.990 · ford |
Championship progression
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mario Andretti | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 27 |
| 2 | Patrick Depailler | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 23 |
| 3 | Carlos Reutemann | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 22 |
| 4 | Ronnie Peterson | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 20 |
| 5 | Niki Lauda | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 16 |
| 6 | John Watson | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 7 |
| 7 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 6 |
| 8 | Jacques Laffite | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 6 |
| 9 | Didier Pironi | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 5 |
| 10 | Jody Scheckter | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 4 |
| 11 | James Hunt | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 3 |
| 11 | Alan Jones | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 3 |
| 11 | Gilles Villeneuve | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 3 |
| 14 | Clay Regazzoni | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 2 |
| 15 | Riccardo Patrese | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 2 |
| 16 | Patrick Tambay | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 1 |