| 1978 South African Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 3 of 16 in the1978 Formula One season | |||
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| Race details | |||
| Date | 4 March 1978 | ||
| Official name | XXIVCitizen and Asseng Grand Prix of South Africa | ||
| Location | Kyalami Transvaal Province,South Africa | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 4.104 km (2.550 miles) | ||
| Distance | 78 laps, 320.112 km (198.908 miles) | ||
| Weather | Dry | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | ||
| Time | 1:14.65 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |  Mario Andretti | Lotus-Ford | |
| Time | 1:17.09 on lap 2 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Lotus-Ford | ||
| Second | Tyrrell-Ford | ||
| Third | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | ||
Lap leaders | |||
The1978 South African Grand Prix (formally theXXIV Citizen and Asseng Grand Prix of South Africa) was aFormula One motor race held on 4 March 1978 atKyalami. It was the third round of the1978 Formula One season and the 300th World Championship Grand Prix held since the championship began in1950. This was the debut race of the future world championKeke Rosberg.
TheFerrari (312T3) andBrabham (BT46) teams had new cars in Kyalami for the race. The event also saw the return ofRenault with its unique turbocharged car.
Ronnie Peterson, in theLotus 78 with itsColin Chapman-inspiredground effect aerodynamics, battledPatrick Depailler in his Tyrrell on the last lap to take a dramatic victory. John Watson finished third for Brabham. Young Italian,Riccardo Patrese got his Arrows into the lead before retiring with a blown engine. Pole sitter and reigning world championNiki Lauda, in his first season with Brabham, retired with engine failure and the Ferraris ofCarlos Reutemann andGilles Villeneuve exited on lap 55.James Hunt, who had qualified third on the grid in hisMcLaren M26, only lasted five laps when his engine failed, while his new teammatePatrick Tambay, who qualified fourth, crashed out mid race.
*Positions in red indicate entries that failed to qualify.
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