1978 British Formula One Championship

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]

Teams and drivers

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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

Results and standings

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Races

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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

Drivers' standings

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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
Pos. Driver OUL
 
BRH
 
SNE
 
MAL
 
ZAN
 
DON
 
THR
 
OUL
 
MAL
 
BRH
 
THR
 
SNE
 
Pts
1   Tony Trimmer 1 1 1 2 DNS 1 2 1 2 149
2   Bob Evans 1 3 2 5 7 2 2 7 93
3   Emilio de Villota 2 3 2 4 Ret 5 7 Ret 4 Ret 8 8 86
4   Guy Edwards Ret 4 Ret 10 Ret 2 Ret 1 3 DNS 1 Ret 78
5   Geoff Lees Ret 2 3 1 Ret 5 5 69
6   Bruce Allison DNS 6 Ret Ret 4 2 1 Ret 12 3 63
7   Valentino Musetti NC NC Ret 3 7 4 5 3 Ret 6 4 DNS 62
8   John Cooper 3 8 Ret 8 8 7 8 7 9 10 4 44
9   Mike Wilds Ret 6 Ret 7 6 DNS 6 6 8 7 13 5 43
10   Desiré Wilson Ret 6 4 3 6 34
11   Giancarlo Martini 4 1 32
12   David Kennedy 1 22
13   Teddy Pilette Ret 5 Ret Ret Ret 4 Ret Ret Ret Ret 20
14   Divina Galica 2 7 19
15   Kim Mather 4 Ret NC 5 NC Ret DNS NC Ret Ret 18
16   Boy Hayje 3 12
=[1]   Ray Mallock 3 12 12
=[1]   Elio de Angelis 3 12
19   Iain McLaren 5 9 10 11
=[1]   Adrian Russell DNQ 10 NC 13 9 8 9 8 NC Ret Ret 11
21   Brett Lunger 5 10
22   Brett Riley 5 Ret 8
23   Don Breidenbach 10 6 7
24   Geoff Brabham 6 6
25   Walter Raus 7 4
26   John David Briggs 8 17 3
27   Stephen South Ret 9 2
=[1]   Warren Booth NC 9 Ret 2
=[1]   Carlo Giorgio 9 Ret 2
=[1]   Richard Jones 9 11 Ret 2
  Andy Barton 12 11 0
  Gerd Biechteler 11 DNS 13 0
  Alan Baillie DNQ 14 NC NC 15 DNS 0
  Norman Dickson DNS Ret DNS 14 0
  Dennis Leech 16 0
  Alo Lawler Ret Ret DNS Ret Ret Ret 0
  Bill Wood Ret 0
  Kevin Bowditch DNQ DNS 0
  Nigel Clarkson DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
  Jörg Zaborowski DNQ 0
  Eugen Grupp DNQ 0
Pos. Driver OUL
 
BRH
 
SNE
 
MAL
 
ZAN
 
DON
 
THR
 
OUL
 
MAL
 
BRH
 
THR
 
SNE
 
Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest Lap

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "1978 AURORA AFX BRITISH F1 CHAMPIONSHIP". motorsportmagazine.com. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  2. ^ "8W - Who? - Marcus Pye". www.forix.com. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  3. ^ "Formula 1 - 3-litre Formula 1 (1966 - 1985)". oldracingcars.com. Retrieved July 17, 2018.