Sports car world championship 1978

Renault Alpine A442B ; Winning car of Didier Pironi and Jean-Pierre Jaussaud the 24-hour race at Le Mans

The 1978 World Sports Car Championship was the 26th season of this championship. It started on February 4th and ended on September 3rd.

championship

Before the start of the championship, the FIA changed both the technical and the sporting regulations. Only the silhouette vehicles of Group 5 were permitted . With this, the open sports cars and racing prototypes disappeared from the world championship with one exception. In addition to sports cars, GTP vehicles and cars from the North American IMSA series were also eligible to compete in the Le Mans 24-hour race . For the first time since the introduction of the World Championship in 1953 , there was a drivers' championship with the World Challenge for endurance drivers. Seven of the 13 races were part of the drivers' classification, which ended with the overall victory of the American John Paul senior .

The expected duel between the two German vehicle manufacturers Porsche and BMW for the title in the brand world championship only took place to a limited extent. The Porsche 935s were clearly superior to the competitors from BMW in the individual races, but the peculiarity of the class standings made for excitement. Porsche drove in Group 5 with engines over 2 liters, BMW with engines up to 2 liters. Thanks to an idiosyncratic and controversial award of points, BMW also received 20 points per race for the best-placed under 2-liter car, like the overall winner. Porsche was also particularly affected by the deletion results, so that both manufacturers had 120 points at the end of the season. But since BMW did not manage to win a race, Porsche was again brand world champion.

Racing calendar

No.	date	Race name / circuit	team	Overall winner	vehicle	championship
1	February 4-5	Daytona 24 Hours ( Daytona International Speedway )	Brumo's Porsche	Rolf Stommelen Peter Gregg Toine Hezemans	Porsche 935 / 77A	Brands and drivers
2	March 18th	Sebring 12-hour race ( Sebring International Raceway )	Dick Barbour performance	Brian Redman Charles Mendez Bob Garretson	Porsche 935	driver
3	19th March	6-hour race of Mugello ( Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello )	Gelo Racing Team	John Fitzpatrick Hans Heyer Toine Hezemans	Porsche 935 / 77A	Brands
4th	2nd of April	Talladega 6 Hours ( Talladega Superspeedway )	Brumo's Porsche	Brad Frisselle Peter Gregg	Porsche 935	driver
5	April 16	6-hour race of Dijon ( Circuit de Dijon-Prenois )	Porsche Kremer Racing	Bob Wollek Henri Pescarolo	Porsche 935 / 77A	Brands
6th	May 14th	Silverstone 6 Hours ( Silverstone Circuit )	Martini Racing	Jochen Mass Jacky Ickx	Porsche 935/78	Brands
7th	28th of May	1000 km race on the Nürburgring ( Nürburgring )	Weisberg Gelo team	Klaus Ludwig Hans Heyer Toine Hezemans	Porsche 935 / 77A	Brands and drivers
8th	June 10-11	24 Hours of Le Mans ( Circuit des 24 Heures )	Renault Sport	Didier Pironi Jean-Pierre Jaussaud	Renault Alpine A442B	driver
9	25th June	6-hour race of Misano ( Autodromo di Santamonica )	Porsche Kremer Racing	Bob Wollek Henri Pescarolo	Porsche 935 / 77A	Brands
10	2nd July	Daytona 6 Hours (Daytona International Speedway)	Jim Downing	Jim Downing John Paul Sr.	Mazda RX-2	driver
11	8th of July	6 Hours of Watkins Glen ( Watkins Glen International )	Gelo Racing	John Fitzpatrick Peter Gregg Toine Hezemans	Porsche 935 / 77A	Brands
12	September 3	6-hour race of Vallelunga ( Autodromo Vallelunga )	Porsche Kremer Racing	Bob Wollek Henri Pescarolo	Porsche 935 / 77A	Brands
13	September 3	Road Atlanta 6 Hours ( Road Atlanta )	Atlanta Racing Enterprises	James Reeve Pete Harrison	Buick Skyhawk	driver

Mastery of the constructors

Brands World Championship overall ranking

position	constructor	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	8th	total
1	Porsche	20th	20th	20th	20th	20th	20th	(20)	(20)	120
2	BMW		20th	20th	20th	20th	20th	20th	(20)	120
3 =	Chevrolet							10		10
3 =	Fiat						10			10
5 =	Renault						8th			8th
5 =	De Tomaso		6th			2				8th
7th	jaguar							6th		6th
8 =	ford					4th				4th
8 =	Ferrari	3						1		4th
10 =	Volkswagen					3				3
10 =	Lancia		3							3

World challenge for long-distance drivers

The table includes the seven races of the drivers' championship, as noted in the race calendar.

Overall rating

position	driver	constructor	1	2	3	4th	5	6th	7th	total
1	John Paul Sr.	Porsche , Mazda	22nd	20th	3		16	20th	18th	99
2	Bonky Fernandez	Porsche, Mazda	22nd	20th	18th				16	76
3	Peter Gregg	Porsche, Datsun	16		20th		18th	18th		72
4th	Dick Barbour	Porsche, AMC	23		18th			16	9	66
5	Diego Febles	Porsche, Mazda	23	11				13	15th	62
6th	Steve Earle	Porsche, BMW	18th	18th	16			2	4th	58
7th	Manfred Schurti	Porsche	23			19th	13			55
8th	Gary Belcher	Porsche, AMC	19th					15th	11	45
9	Toine Hezemans	Porsche	24			20th				44
10 =	Rick knoop	Porsche, AMC		18th			5	4th	6th	43
10 =	Jim Busby	Porsche	15th				15th		13	43

literature

• Peter Higham: The Guinness Guide to International Motor Racing. A complete Reference from Formula 1 to Touring Car. Guinness Publishing Ltd., London 1995, ISBN 0-85112-642-1 .

Web links

• Results of the 1978 World Sports Car Championship
• World Challenge for Driver