1978 World Championship for Makes

The 1978 World Sportscar Championship season was the 26th season of FIA World Sportscar Championship motor racing. It featured the 1978 World Championship for Makes, which was contested from 4 February to 3 September 1978 over an eight race series. The 24 Hours of Daytona and the 1000 km Nürburgring were part of the inaugural FIA World Challenge for Endurance Drivers.[1]

The championship was open to cars in Groups 1 to 5,[2] i.e.:

Porsche was awarded the overall championship [5] and the Division 2 title for cars with an engine capacity of over 2 litres.[6] BMW was awarded the Division 1 title for cars with an engine capacity of up to 2 litres [6] and Porsche won the GT Cup.[6]

Schedule

edit
 
Porsche won the championship with their 935 model (pictured in 1977)
 
BMW placed first in Division 1 with the 320i
Rnd Race name Circuit Date
1   24 Hours of Daytona Daytona International Speedway 4 February
5 February
2   6 Hours of Mugello Mugello Circuit 19 March
3   6 Hours of Dijon Dijon-Prenois 16 April
4   6 Hours of Silverstone Silverstone Circuit 14 May
5   1000km Nürburgring Nürburgring 28 May
6   Misano 6 Hours Misano Circuit 25 June
7   Watkins Glen 6 Hours Watkins Glen International 8 July
8   6 Hours of Vallelunga Vallelunga 3 September

Round results

edit
Rnd Circuit Over 2.0 Winning Team Under 2.0 Winning Team GT Cup Winning Team Results
Over 2.0 Winning Drivers Under 2.0 Winning Drivers GT Cup Winning Drivers
Over 2.0 Winning Car Under 2.0 Winning Car GT Cup Winning Car
1 Daytona   #99 Brumos Porsche None None Results
  Peter Gregg
  Rolf Stommelen
  Toine Hezemans
None None
  Porsche 935-77A None None
2 Mugello   #12 Gelo Racing Team   #31 Faltz Preparation   #4 Jolly Club Results
  Hans Heyer
  Toine Hezemans
  John Fitzpatrick
  Dieter Quester
  Derek Bell
  Fulvio Bacchelli
  Claudio Magnani
  Porsche 935-77A   BMW 320i   Lancia Stratos
3 Dijon   #2 Porsche Kremer Racing   #21 BMW Italia-Osella #31 Meccarillos Racing Team Results
  Bob Wollek
  Henri Pescarolo
  Giorgio Francia
  Eddie Cheever
  Angelo Pallavicini
  Peter Bernhard
  Enzo Calderari
  Porsche 935-77A   BMW 320i   Porsche 934
4 Silverstone   #1 Martini Racing   #53 BMW Belgium #25 Wrangler Racing Team Results
  Jochen Mass
  Jacky Ickx
  Harald Grohs
  Eddy Joosen
  Eberhard Sindel
  Preben Kristoffersen
  Porsche 935-78   BMW 320i   Porsche 934
5 Nürburgring   #3 Gelo Racing Team   #34 BMW Motorsport GmbH #48 Norddeutscher Automobilclub Results
  Hans Heyer
  Klaus Ludwig
  Toine Hezemans
  Hans-Joachim Stuck
  Markus Höttinger
  Gerhard Happel
  Götz von Tschirnhaus
  Porsche 935-77A   BMW 320i   Porsche Carrera RSR
6 Misano   #7 Porsche Kremer Racing   #2 BMW Belgium #18 Angelo Pallavicini Results
  Bob Wollek
  Henri Pescarolo
  Harald Grohs
  Patrick Nève
  Angelo Pallavicini
  Edi Kofel
  Marco Vanoli
  Porsche 935-77A   BMW 320i   Porsche 934
7 Watkins Glen   #30 Gelo Racing Team   #10 BMW Faltz   #29 Billy J. Hagan Results
  Peter Gregg
  Toine Hezemans
  John Fitzpatrick
  Hans-Joachim Stuck
  Dieter Quester
  Hoyt Overbagh
  Billy Hagan
  Porsche 935-77A   BMW 320i   Chevrolet Monza 350
8 Vallelunga   #3 Porsche Kremer Racing   #34 BMW Schweiz   #12 Angelo Pallavicini Results
  Bob Wollek
  Henri Pescarolo
  Marc Surer
  Freddy Kottulinsky
  Angelo Pallavicini
  Marco Vanoli
  Porsche 935-77A   BMW 320i   Porsche 934

Points system

edit

Points were awarded to the top 10 finishers in each division on a 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1 basis. Manufacturers were only allocated points for their highest finishing car with no points awarded for positions filled by any other car from that manufacturer.

Only the best six points finishes could be retained towards the championship, with any other points earned not included in the total.[6]

Championship results

edit

The overall championship was awarded to the winner of Division 2 (Over 2000cc),[5] Porsche thus scoring their third straight World Championship for Makes victory.

Division 1 (Up to 2000cc)

edit
Position [5] Manufacturer [5] Total [5]
1 BMW 120
2 Porsche 12
3 Fiat 10
4 Alpine 8
5 Volkswagen 6
6 Ford 4

Division 2 (Over 2000cc)

edit
Position [5] Manufacturer [5] Total [5]
1 Porsche 120
2 De Tomaso 8
3 Chevrolet 4
4 Ferrari 3
= Lancia 3

GT Cup

edit
Position [5] Manufacturer [5] Total [5]
1 Porsche 115
2 Lancia 20
= Chevrolet 20
4 Fiat 10
5 Alpine 8

References

edit
  1. ^ "World Challenge for Endurance Drivers - Championships - Racing Sports Cars". www.racingsportscars.com. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  2. ^ János Wimpffen, 1978 - A German International Championship, Time and Two Seats, 1999, pages 1144 to 1145
  3. ^ a b c d e Contents, 1977 FIA Yearbook
  4. ^ a b c d e Contents, 1979 FIA Yearbook
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k János Wimpffen, 1978 Summary, Time and Two Seats, 1999, pages 1179 to 1180
  6. ^ a b c d World Championship for Makes 1978, 1979 FIA Yearbook, Grey section, pages 87 & 88
edit