The 1978 British Formula One Championship (formally the 1978 Aurora AFX F1 Championship) was the first season of the British Formula One Championship. It commenced on 24 March 1978 and ended on 24 September after twelve races. [1]
The Aurora AFX F1 Championship replaced the Shellsport Group 8 series that had been run in 1976 and 1977 to Formula Libre rules. As part of the changes, Formula 5000 and Formula Atlantic cars were no longer eligible to race in the Aurora AFX championship. Formula 1 cars were now the focus of the series, with Formula 2 cars still being permitted as a 'B-class'. [2]
Entry List [3] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | No. | Driver | Chassis | Engine | Rounds |
Formula 1 | |||||
Melchester Racing | 1 | Tony Trimmer | McLaren M23 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 1–5, 7, 9–10, 12 |
Divina Galica | 11 | ||||
Team March | 3 | Bruce Allison | March 75A/761 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 4-8 |
4 | Guy Edwards | 1-2 | |||
3 | Bruce Allison | March 781 | 9-12 | ||
4 | Guy Edwards | 3-12 | |||
21 | Geoff Lees | 7 | |||
Centro Asegurador F1 | 5 | Emilio de Villota | McLaren M25 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 1–6, 10-12 |
McLaren M23 | 8-9 | ||||
Valentino Musetti | 7 | Valentino Musetti | March 752/761 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 1-9 |
Mario Deliotti Racing | 7 | Valentino Musetti | Ensign N177 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 10-12 |
9 | Geoff Lees | Ensign N175 | 1-4 | ||
Bruce Allison | 2 | ||||
Giancarlo Martini | 5-6 | ||||
Ray Mallock | 7 | ||||
Desiré Wilson | 8-12 | ||||
Alo Lawler | 10 | Alo Lawler | Surtees TS19 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 1-3 |
Stanley BRM | 11 | Teddy Pilette | BRM P207 | BRM P202 3.0 V12 | 1–4, 7-12 |
Team Olympus | 13 | Divina Galica | Surtees TS19 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 5 |
J. C. Cooper | 14 | Bob Evans | Surtees TS19 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 5-6 |
Hesketh 308E | 7-12 | ||||
17 | John Cooper | Hesketh 308C | 1-8 | ||
Hesketh 308E | 9, 11-12 | ||||
Geoff Lees | 10 | ||||
Dennis Leech | 16 | Dennis Leech | March 761 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 11 |
Jörg Zaborowski | 19 | Jörg Zaborowski | March 761 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 3 |
BS Fabrications | 30 | Brett Lunger | McLaren M26 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 5 |
Theodore Racing | 32 | David Kennedy | Wolf WR3 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 12 |
Gerd Biechteler | 65 | Gerd Biechteler | March 761 | Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0 V8 | 4, 6 |
Formula 2 | |||||
Graham Eden Racing | 6 | Mike Wilds | Ralt RT1 | Ford BDG 2.0 L4 | All |
Mario Deliotti Racing | 9 | Geoff Lees | Chevron B42 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 11 |
L & B Excavations | 10 | Alo Lawler | Ralt RT1 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 6, 8, 11 |
Stephen South | 12 | Stephen South | March 782 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 10-11 |
Kim Mather | 15 | Kim Mather | Chevron B35D | Ford BDG 2.0 L4 | 1–9, 12 |
Fred Opert Racing | 16 | Boy Hayje | Chevron B42 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 5 |
Chevron Cars | 16 | Elio de Angelis | Chevron B42 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 10 |
MacLaren's of Broxburn | 18 | Iain McLaren | Chevron B35 | Ford BDX 2.0 L4 | 1, 4 |
Chevron B40 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 9 | |||
Adrian Russell | 20 | Adrian Russell | March 762 | Ford BDX 2.0 L4 | 1-11 |
Boxer Cars | 22 | Norman Dickson | Boxer PR276 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 3, 5 |
Geoff Brabham | 6 | ||||
Emilio de Villota | 7 | ||||
Andy Barton | 23 | Andy Barton | Barton JTB3 | Ford BDX 2.0 L4 | 4 |
March 77B/772P | Ford BDG 2.0 L4 | 9 | |||
Warren Booth | 29 | Warren Booth | Scott F2 | Ford BDX 2.0 L4 | 1, 6, 8 |
Nigel Clarkson | 30 | Nigel Clarkson | March 742 | Ford BDX 2.0 L4 | 1–2, 12 |
Alan Baillie | 38 | Alan Baillie | March 752 | Ford BDX Swindon 2.0 L4 | 1, 4, 6–7, 11-12 |
Ray Mallock | 9 | ||||
Kevin Bowditch | 41 | Kevin Bowditch | Lola T460 | Ford 2.0 L4 | 6-7 |
Carlo Giorgio | 42 | Carlo Giorgio | March 742 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 2, 5 |
Dr. Joseph Ehrlich | 43 | Brett Riley | March 762 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 9-10 |
Dicksons of Perth | 47 | Norman Dickson | March 772P | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 10-11 |
Eugen Grupp | 64 | Eugen Grupp | Toj F202 | BMW M12 2.0 L4 | 9 |
Osterreich ASC | 65 | Gerd Biechteler | March 782 | BMW M12 2.0 L4 | 9 |
Briggs Racing Enterprises | 71 | John David Briggs | Chevron B42 | Hart 420R 2.0 L4 | 10-11 |
77 | Don Breidenbach | 10-11 | |||
Walter Raus | 78 | Walter Raus | March 762 | BMW M12 2.0 L4 | 2 |
Smith and Jones | 90 | Richard Jones | March 742 | Ford BDG 2.0 L4 | 10-12 |
Bill Wood | ? | Bill Wood | March 742 | Ford 2.0 L4 | 5 |
Rnd | Track | Date | Laps | Pole Position | Fastest Lap | Race Winner | Constructor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Oulton Park | 24 March | 65 | Tony Trimmer | Tony Trimmer | Tony Trimmer | McLaren |
2 | Brands Hatch | 27 March | 40 | Guy Edwards | Geoff Lees | Tony Trimmer | McLaren |
3 | Snetterton | 16 April | 55 | Tony Trimmer | Tony Trimmer | Tony Trimmer | McLaren |
4 | Mallory Park | 1 May | 75 | Tony Trimmer | Emilio de Villota | Geoff Lees | Ensign |
5 | Zandvoort | 15 May | 38 | Brett Lunger | Brett Lunger | Bob Evans | Surtees |
6 | Donington Park | 21 May | 55 | Giancarlo Martini | Giancarlo Martini | Giancarlo Martini | Ensign |
7 | Thruxton | 29 May | 50 | Guy Edwards | Geoff Lees | Tony Trimmer | McLaren |
8 | Oulton Park | 24 June | 65 | Emilio de Villota | Teddy Pilette | Guy Edwards | March |
9 | Mallory Park | 30 July | 75 | Tony Trimmer | Emilio de Villota | Bruce Allison | March |
10 | Brands Hatch | 28 August | 40 | Stephen South | Emilio de Villota | Tony Trimmer | McLaren |
11 | Thruxton | 10 September | 45 | Emilio de Villota | Geoff Lees | Guy Edwards | March |
12 | Snetterton | 24 September | 50 | Emilio de Villota | David Kennedy | David Kennedy | Wolf |
Points are awarded to the top ten classified finishers using the following structure:
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | FL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 20 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
|
Bold – Pole |
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