1978 Italian Grand Prix
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race 14 of 16 in the 1978 Formula One season | |||
 |
|||
| Date | September 10, 1978 | ||
| Location | Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 5.800 km (3.6 mi) | ||
| Distance | 40 laps, 232.000 km (144 mi) | ||
| Weather | Sunny | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Lotus-Ford | ||
| Time | 1:37.520 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Mario Andretti
|
Lotus-Ford | |
| Time | 1:38.23 on lap 33 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | ||
| Second | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | ||
| Third | Ferrari | ||
The 1978 Italian Grand Prix was the 14th motor race of the 1978 Formula One season. It was held on 10 September 1978 at Monza. It was marred by the death of Ronnie Peterson following an accident at the start of the race.
With three races remaining, Mario Andretti (Lotus-Ford) led the World Drivers' Championship by 12 points from his team-mate Ronnie Peterson. Niki Lauda (Brabham-Alfa Romeo), in third place, was 28 points behind Andretti, and, with only 9 points for a win, could not overtake him.
Andretti took pole position alongside Gilles Villeneuve (Ferrari), with Jean-Pierre Jabouille (Renault) in third place, Lauda in fourth and Peterson in fifth.
The race starter was overenthusiastic, turning on the red lights before all the cars had lined up, and several cars in the middle of the field got a jump on those at the front. The result was a funneling effect of the cars approaching the chicane, and the cars were tightly bunched together with little room for maneuver. James Hunt was overtaken on the right hand side by Riccardo Patrese and Hunt instinctively veered left and hit the rear right wheel of Peterson's Lotus 78, with Vittorio Brambilla, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Patrick Depailler, Didier Pironi, Derek Daly, Clay Regazzoni and Brett Lunger all involved in the ensuing melee. Peterson's Lotus went into the barriers hard on the right hand side and caught fire. He was trapped, but Hunt, Regazzoni and Depailler managed to free him from the wreck before he received more than minor burns. He was dragged free and laid in the middle of the track fully conscious, but with severe leg injuries. It took 20 minutes before medical help was dispatched to the scene. Brambilla — who had been hit on the head by a flying wheel and rendered unconscious— and Peterson were taken to the Niguarda hospital nearby Milan.
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