Published evidence
The Citizen and Asseng Grand Prix of South Africa 1978 · race
A historical profile with source-linked evidence. Further research is in progress.
THE HISTORICAL RECORD
Profile & context
- Name
- The Citizen and Asseng Grand Prix of South Africa 1978 · race
PROVENANCE
Sources behind this page
F1DB
v2026.17.0 · session/300-race
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.
Grand Prix context
The Citizen and Asseng Grand Prix of South Africa 1978 · Kyalami Racing Circuit
Technical formula: Formula 1. World Championship membership is separate from technical regulations.
1978 Formula 1 World Championship · round 3
Race classification
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ronnie Peterson | Lotus | 1:42:15.767 · 78 laps · ford | 9 |
| 2 | Patrick Depailler | Tyrrell | 1:42:16.233 · 78 laps · ford | 6 |
| 3 | John Watson | Brabham | 1:42:20.209 · 78 laps · alfa-romeo | 4 |
| 4 | Alan Jones | Williams | 1:42:54.757 · 78 laps · ford | 3 |
| 5 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:43:24.987 · 78 laps · matra | 2 |
| 6 | Didier Pironi | Tyrrell | Time not recorded · 77 laps · ford | 1 |
| 7 | Mario Andretti | Lotus | Time not recorded · 77 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 8 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | ATS | Time not recorded · 77 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 9 | Rolf Stommelen | Arrows | Time not recorded · 77 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 10 | Héctor Rebaque | Lotus | Time not recorded · 77 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 11 | Brett Lunger | McLaren | Time not recorded · 76 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| 12 | Vittorio Brambilla | Surtees | Time not recorded · 76 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | Engine · Time not recorded · 63 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Jody Scheckter | Wolf | Spun off · Time not recorded · 59 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Patrick Tambay | McLaren | Accident · Time not recorded · 56 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari | Spun off · Time not recorded · 55 laps · ferrari | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | Oil leak · Time not recorded · 55 laps · ferrari | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Rupert Keegan | Surtees | Engine · Time not recorded · 52 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Niki Lauda | Brabham | Engine · Time not recorded · 52 laps · alfa-romeo | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Jochen Mass | ATS | Engine · Time not recorded · 43 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Arturo Merzario | Merzario | Suspension · Time not recorded · 39 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Renault | Engine · Time not recorded · 38 laps · renault | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Keke Rosberg | Theodore | Clutch · Time not recorded · 15 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Emerson Fittipaldi | Fittipaldi | Transmission · Time not recorded · 8 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | Eddie Cheever | Hesketh | Oil leak · Time not recorded · 8 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNF | James Hunt | McLaren | Engine · Time not recorded · 5 laps · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | René Arnoux | Martini | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Clay Regazzoni | Shadow | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Lamberto Leoni | Ensign | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
| DNQ | Hans-Joachim Stuck | Shadow | Time not recorded · ford | Unknown / not applicable |
Qualifying
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niki Lauda | Brabham | 1:14.650 · alfa-romeo | |
| 2 | Mario Andretti | Lotus | 1:14.900 · ford | |
| 3 | James Hunt | McLaren | 1:15.140 · ford | |
| 4 | Patrick Tambay | McLaren | 1:15.300 · ford | |
| 5 | Jody Scheckter | Wolf | 1:15.320 · ford | |
| 6 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Renault | 1:15.360 · renault | |
| 7 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | 1:15.480 · ford | |
| 8 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:15.500 · ferrari | |
| 9 | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari | 1:15.520 · ferrari | |
| 10 | John Watson | Brabham | 1:15.620 · alfa-romeo | |
| 11 | Ronnie Peterson | Lotus | 1:15.940 · ford | |
| 12 | Patrick Depailler | Tyrrell | 1:15.970 · ford | |
| 13 | Didier Pironi | Tyrrell | 1:16.380 · ford | |
| 14 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:16.400 · matra | |
| 15 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Fittipaldi | 1:16.470 · ford | |
| 16 | Jochen Mass | ATS | 1:16.600 · ford | |
| 17 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | ATS | 1:17.120 · ford | |
| 18 | Alan Jones | Williams | 1:17.160 · ford | |
| 19 | Brett Lunger | McLaren | 1:17.300 · ford | |
| 20 | Vittorio Brambilla | Surtees | 1:17.320 · ford | |
| 21 | Rolf Stommelen | Arrows | 1:17.490 · ford | |
| 22 | Héctor Rebaque | Lotus | 1:17.500 · ford | |
| 23 | Rupert Keegan | Surtees | 1:17.570 · ford | |
| 24 | Keke Rosberg | Theodore | 1:17.620 · ford | |
| 25 | Eddie Cheever | Hesketh | 1:17.830 · ford | |
| 26 | Arturo Merzario | Merzario | 1:18.150 · ford | |
| 27 | René Arnoux | Martini | 1:18.210 · ford | |
| 28 | Clay Regazzoni | Shadow | 1:18.300 · ford | |
| 29 | Lamberto Leoni | Ensign | 1:18.380 · ford | |
| 30 | Hans-Joachim Stuck | Shadow | 1:18.450 · ford |
Starting grid
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niki Lauda | Brabham | 1:14.650 · alfa-romeo | |
| 2 | Mario Andretti | Lotus | 1:14.900 · ford | |
| 3 | James Hunt | McLaren | 1:15.140 · ford | |
| 4 | Patrick Tambay | McLaren | 1:15.300 · ford | |
| 5 | Jody Scheckter | Wolf | 1:15.320 · ford | |
| 6 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Renault | 1:15.360 · renault | |
| 7 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows | 1:15.480 · ford | |
| 8 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 1:15.500 · ferrari | |
| 9 | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari | 1:15.520 · ferrari | |
| 10 | John Watson | Brabham | 1:15.620 · alfa-romeo | |
| 11 | Ronnie Peterson | Lotus | 1:15.940 · ford | |
| 12 | Patrick Depailler | Tyrrell | 1:15.970 · ford | |
| 13 | Didier Pironi | Tyrrell | 1:16.380 · ford | |
| 14 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:16.400 · matra | |
| 15 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Fittipaldi | 1:16.470 · ford | |
| 16 | Jochen Mass | ATS | 1:16.600 · ford | |
| 17 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | ATS | 1:17.120 · ford | |
| 18 | Alan Jones | Williams | 1:17.160 · ford | |
| 19 | Brett Lunger | McLaren | 1:17.300 · ford | |
| 20 | Vittorio Brambilla | Surtees | 1:17.320 · ford | |
| 21 | Rolf Stommelen | Arrows | 1:17.490 · ford | |
| 22 | Héctor Rebaque | Lotus | 1:17.500 · ford | |
| 23 | Rupert Keegan | Surtees | 1:17.570 · ford | |
| 24 | Keke Rosberg | Theodore | 1:17.620 · ford | |
| 25 | Eddie Cheever | Hesketh | 1:17.830 · ford | |
| 26 | Arturo Merzario | Merzario | 1:18.150 · ford |
Championship progression
| Position | Driver | Constructor | Recorded details | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mario Andretti | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 12 |
| 2 | Ronnie Peterson | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 11 |
| 3 | Niki Lauda | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 10 |
| 3 | Patrick Depailler | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 10 |
| 5 | Carlos Reutemann | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 9 |
| 6 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 6 |
| 7 | John Watson | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 4 |
| 8 | James Hunt | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 3 |
| 8 | Alan Jones | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 3 |
| 10 | Clay Regazzoni | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 2 |
| 10 | Jacques Laffite | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 2 |
| 12 | Didier Pironi | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 2 |
| 13 | Patrick Tambay | Not applicable / not recorded | Time not recorded | 1 |