1978 Italian Grand Prix

1978 Italian Grand Prix
1978 Italian Grand Prix
Race 14 of 16 in the 1978 Formula One season
Race details
Date	10 September 1978
Location	Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	5.800 km (3.6 miles)
Distance	40 laps, 232.000 km (144 miles)
Scheduled distance	52 laps, 301.600 km (187.2 miles)
Weather	Sunny
Pole position
Driver	Mario Andretti;
Time	1:37.520
Fastest lap
Driver	Mario Andretti
Time	1:38.230 on lap 33
Podium
First	Niki Lauda;
Second	John Watson;
Third	Carlos Reutemann;
	Lap leaders ;

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. The race was won by Niki Lauda (Brabham-Alfa Romeo), after both Mario Andretti (Lotus-Ford) and Gilles Villeneuve (Ferrari), who had finished first and second, were given a one-minute penalty and dropped to sixth and seventh. Lauda's teammate John Watson (Brabham-Alfa Romeo) and Carlos Reutemann (Ferrari) completed the podium.

With three races remaining, Andretti led the World Drivers' Championship by 12 points from Peterson, who was his teammate. Lauda, in third place, was 28 points behind Andretti; with only 9 points for a win, he could not overtake him. Lotus also led Brabham by 33 points in the Constructors' standings. Andretti initially appealed to the penalty but, upon hearing the news of Peterson's death and having become World Champion, he dropped it. Lauda himself gave the Grand Prix trophy to Andretti. As of 2024, this marks the last race win for an Alfa Romeo-powered car. Andretti remains the last American and the second ever to win the Formula One World Championship; these remain the final Drivers' (6) and Constructors' (7) titles won by Lotus.