Race details | |||
---|---|---|---|
Race 5 of 16 in the 1978 Formula One season | |||
Date | 7 May 1978 | ||
Location | Circuit de Monaco | ||
Course | Street circuit | ||
Course length | 3.312 km (2.057 mi) | ||
Distance | 75 laps, 248.4 km (154.348 mi) | ||
Weather | Dry | ||
Pole position | |||
Driver | Ferrari | ||
Time | 1:28.34 | ||
Fastest lap | |||
Driver | Niki Lauda | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | |
Time | 1:28.65 on lap 72 | ||
Podium | |||
First | Tyrrell-Ford | ||
Second | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | ||
Third | Wolf-Ford |
Coordinates: 43°44′4.74″N 7°25′16.8″E / 43.7346500°N 7.421333°E
The 1978 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 7 May 1978 at Monaco. It was won by Patrick Depailler of France, his first Formula One victory.
Carlos Reutemann started on pole with the Brabham duo of John Watson and Niki Lauda second and third. Watson had a good start and led into the first corner, whereas Reutemann collided with James Hunt and had to pit for repairs, which left Patrick Depailler and Lauda second and third. For the first half of the race, the top three remained the same until Watson had an off allowing Depailler and Lauda through, but the latter then suffered a puncture and had to pit for tyres before charging back up and retaking second from Watson towards the end of the race. At the front, Depailler took his first career victory with Lauda second, and Jody Scheckter third after Watson made another mistake in the final laps. Jean-Pierre Jabouille's 10th-place finish was Renault's first race finish.