Round 3 · 1978
South African Grand Prix
WinnerPEOTeam Lotus · from P11
PoleLAU
Fastest lap1:17.090Andretti · L2
Biggest gain+14Jones P18→P4
Retirements14of 26 starters
Classification
| Pos | Driver | Team | Grid | +/− | Laps | Time / Status | Pits | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ronnie Peterson PEO | Team Lotus | 11 | +10 | 78 | 1:42:15.767 | — | 9 |
| 2 | Patrick Depaille ANU | Tyrrell | 12 | +10 | 78 | +0.470 | — | 6 |
| 3 | John Watson WAT | Brabham | 10 | +7 | 78 | +4.440 | — | 4 |
| 4 | Alan Jones JOE | Williams | 18 | +14 | 78 | +38.990 | — | 3 |
| 5 | Jacques Laffite LAF | Ligier | 14 | +9 | 78 | +1:09.220 | — | 2 |
| 6 | Didier Pironi PIR | Tyrrell | 13 | +7 | 77 | +1 lap | — | 1 |
| 7 | Mario Andretti ANI | Team Lotus | 2 | -5 | 77 | +1 lap FL | — | |
| 8 | ATS | 17 | +9 | 77 | +1 lap | — | ||
| 9 | Rolf Stommelen STM | Arrows | 21 | +12 | 77 | +1 lap | — | |
| 10 | Hector Rebaque REB | Team Lotus | 22 | +12 | 77 | +1 lap | — | |
| 11 | Brett Lunger LUN | McLaren | 19 | +8 | 76 | +2 laps | — | |
| 12 | Surtees | 20 | +8 | 76 | +2 laps | — | ||
| — | Eddie Cheever Jr CHE | Hesketh | 25 | 8 | DNF · L8 | — | ||
| — | Clay Regazzoni REA | Shadow | — | 0 | DNQ | — | ||
| — | Fittipaldi | 15 | 9 | DNF · L9 | — | |||
| — | Niki Lauda LAU | Brabham | 1 | 52 | DNF · L52 | — | ||
| — | Carlos Reutemann REU | Ferrari | 9 | 55 | DNF · L55 | — | ||
| — | Arturo Merzario MEZ | Merzario | 26 | 39 | DNF · L39 | — | ||
| — | Jody Scheckter SCK | Wolf | 5 | 59 | DNF · L59 | — | ||
| — | James Hunt HUN | McLaren | 3 | 5 | DNF · L5 | — | ||
| — | Jochen Mass MAJ | ATS | 16 | 43 | DNF · L43 | — | ||
| — | Shadow | — | 0 | DNQ | — | |||
| — | Alpine | 6 | 38 | DNF · L38 | — | |||
| — | Rupert Keegan KEE | Surtees | 23 | 52 | DNF · L52 | — | ||
| — | Riccardo Patrese PAC | Arrows | 7 | 63 | DNF · L63 | — | ||
| — | Patrick Tambay TAM | McLaren | 4 | 56 | DNF · L56 | — | ||
| — | Ferrari | 8 | 55 | DNF · L55 | — | |||
| — | Lamberto Leoni LEM | Ensign | — | 0 | DNQ | — | ||
| — | Keke Rosberg ROG | Theodore | 24 | 15 | DNF · L15 | — | ||
| — | Martini | — | 0 | DNQ | — |
Session schedule
Grand PrixFinal
Championship after round 3
| Pos | Driver | Pts | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mario Andretti ANI | 12 | |
| 2 | Ronnie Peterson PEO | 11 | ▲5 |
| 3 | Niki Lauda LAU | 10 | ▼1 |
| 4 | Patrick Depaille ANU | 10 | ▲1 |
| 5 | Carlos Reutemann REU | 9 | ▼2 |
| 6 | 6 | ▼2 | |
| 7 | John Watson WAT | 4 | ▲6 |
| 8 | Alan Jones JOE | 3 | ▲6 |
Running totals from published race points.
Recent winners at Kyalami
Circuit DNA| Season | Event | Winner | Team | Grid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | South African Grand Prix | Niki Lauda LAU | Ferrari | 3 |
| 1976 | South African Grand Prix | Niki Lauda LAU | Ferrari | 2 |
| 1975 | South African Grand Prix | Jody Scheckter SCK | Tyrrell | 3 |
| 1974 | South African Grand Prix | Carlos Reutemann REU | Brabham | 4 |
| 1973 | South African Grand Prix | Jackie Stewart STJ | Tyrrell | 16 |
| 1972 | South African Grand Prix | Denny Hulme HUM | McLaren | 5 |
| 1971 | South African Grand Prix | Mario Andretti ANI | Ferrari | 4 |
| 1970 | South African Grand Prix | Jack Brabham BRB | Brabham | 3 |