Published evidence

The Citizen and Asseng Grand Prix of South Africa 1978

A historical profile with source-linked evidence. Further research is in progress.

THE HISTORICAL RECORD

Profile & context

Event date: 4 Mar 1978

Name: The Citizen and Asseng Grand Prix of South Africa 1978

PROVENANCE

Sources behind this page

F1DB

v2026.17.0 · races/300

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

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

Source participant rows: shared cars and nonstarters retained
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

Recorded qualifying order; Q1/Q2/Q3 and earlier formats remain distinct in original evidence
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details
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

Recorded grid; pole awards are not inferred from starting position
Position	Driver	Constructor	Recorded details
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

Driver standings after this championship round
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

Explore further

The Citizen and Asseng Grand Prix of South Africa 1978 · qualifying ↗The Citizen and Asseng Grand Prix of South Africa 1978 · race ↗