Date June 4, 1978 Course length 3.404 km (2.115 mi) | Location Jarama, Spain Weather Dry | |
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Course Permanent racing facility Distance 75 laps, 255.3 km (158.625 mi) | ||
The 1978 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 4 June 1978 at Jarama.
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Report
Once again the new Lotus 79 demonstrated its speed, with Mario Andretti on pole again with Ronnie Peterson alongside (driving the 79 for the first time), and Carlos Reutemann having to settle for the second row. It was James Hunt who got a great start, and he led into the first corner from Andretti and Reutemann, with Peterson dropping all the way back to ninth. Hunt led for seven laps before Andretti passed him and pulled away. Reutemann ran third until he had to pit for tyres, and so John Watson inherited third until he was passed by Jacques Laffite, but soon the recovering Peterson passed both of them. Hunt now suffered from tyre problems and he also began to drop back, and so Peterson was able to take second and Laffite third. That was how it stayed to the end, Andretti winning from Peterson in another Lotus 1-2, and Laffite getting the final spot on the podium.