1978 24 Hours of Le Mans

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1978 24 Hours of Le Mans
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Index: Races | Winners

The 1978 24 Hours of Le Mans was the 46th Grand Prix of Endurance, and took place on 10 and 11 June 1978.

Race

Le Mans in 1978

In 1978, the Renault V6 turbo, which had lost in 1976 and 1977 to the Porsche 936, finally managed to beat the German cars. Each company had brought no less than four cars, which after qualifying shared the first four rows. After Renault's hare, the brand new A443, holed a piston late on Sunday morning, the modified A442B with its bubble roof was able to hold off Jacky Ickx and the remaining factory Porsches in the closing stages. Mission accomplished at Le Mans, Renault concentrated their efforts on Formula One.

Official results

Pos Class No Team Drivers Chassis Laps
Engine
1 S
+2.0
2 France Renault Sport France Didier Pironi
France Jean-Pierre Jaussaud
Renault Alpine A442B 369
Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
2 S
+2.0
6 Germany Martini Racing Porsche System France Bob Wollek
Germany Jürgen Barth
Belgium Jacky Ickx
Porsche 936/78 364
Porsche Type-935 2.1L Turbo Flat-6
3 S
+2.0
7 Germany Martini Racing Porsche System United States Hurley Haywood
United States Peter Gregg
Germany Reinhold Joest
Porsche 936/77 362
Porsche Type-935 2.1L Turbo Flat-6
4 S
+2.0
4 France Equipe Renault Elf Sport Calberson France Guy Fréquelin
France Jean Ragnotti
France José Dolhem
France Jean-Pierre Jabouille
Renault Alpine A442A 358
Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
5 IMSA
+2.5
90 United States Dick Barbour Racing United Kingdom Brian Redman
United States Dick Barbour
United States John Paul Sr.
Porsche 935/77 337
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
6 Gr.5
+2.0
44 Germany Porsche Kremer Racing United States Jim Busby
United States Chris Cord
United States Rick Knoop
Porsche 935/77 336
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
7 Gr.5
+2.0
41 France Mondelo ASA Cachia
Brazil Team Pace
Brazil Alfredo Guaraná
Brazil Paulo Gomes
Brazil Mário Amaral
Porsche 935/77 329
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
8 Gr.5
+2.0
43 Germany Martini Racing Porsche System Liechtenstein Manfred Schurti
Germany Rolf Stommelen
Porsche 935/78 326
Porsche 3.2L Turbo Flat-6
9 GTP
3.0
72 France Jean Rondeau France Jean Rondeau
France Bernard Darniche
France Jacky Haran
Rondeau M378 294
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
10 S
+2.0
10 United States Grand Touring Cars Inc. Australia Vern Schuppan
France Jacques Laffite
United States Sam Posey
Mirage M9 293
Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
11 S
2.0
31 France ROC La Pierre du Nord France Michel Pignard
France Lucien Roussiaud
Switzerland Laurent Ferrier
Chevron B36 284
ROC-Chrysler 2.0L I4
12 GT
3.0
66 France BP Racing / Anne-Charlotte Verney France Anne-Charlotte Verney
France Xavier Lapeyre
France François Servanin
Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 279
Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
13 GTP
3.0
71 Switzerland André Chevalley Racing Switzerland André Chevalley
France François Trisconi
Inaltera LM 279
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
14 IMSA
+2.5
97 United Kingdom Charles Ivey Racing Australia Larry Perkins
United Kingdom Gordon Spice
United States John Rulon-Miller
Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 278
Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
15 S
+2.0
8 United Kingdom Alain de Cadenet United Kingdom Alain de Cadenet
United Kingdom Chris Craft
De Cadenet-Lola LM 273
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
16 IMSA
+2.5
86 France Écurie Grand Competition Cars
United States North American Racing Team
France François Migault
France Lucien Guitteny
Ferrari 365 GT4/BB 262
Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12
17 GT
+3.0
62 France "Ségolen" France Christian Bussi
France Jean-Claude Briavoine
France "Ségolen"
Porsche 934 259
Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
18
NC
S
2.0
23 Switzerland Artos Francy Sauber PP AG Switzerland Marc Surer
Switzerland Eugen Strähl
Switzerland Harry Blumer
Sauber C5 257
BMW 2.0L I4
19
NC
S
2.0
20 Switzerland C.H. Graeminger Switzerland Sandro Plastina
Switzerland Mario Luini
France Jean-Daniel Grandjean
Cheetah G601 250
Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0L I4
20
NC
GT
3.0
64 France Georges Bourdillat France Georges Bourdillat
France Alain-Michel Bernhard
France Jean-Luc Favresse
Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 241
Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
21
NC
S
2.0
25 France Team Pronuptia France Bruno Sotty
France Gérard Cuynet
France Jean-Claude Dufrey
Lola T294/6 238
Ford Cosworth FVC 1.9L I4
22
NC
S
2.0
24 France Team Pronuptia France Michel Elkoubi
France Pierre Yver
France Philippe Streiff
Lola T296 232
Ford Cosworth FVC 1.9L I4
23
NC
S
2.0
28 France Dominique Lacaud France Michel Lateste
France Jean-François Auboiron
France Dominique Lacaud
Lola T297 217
BMW 2.0L I4
24
NC
Gr.5
+2.0
45 Germany Porsche Kremer Racing Germany Louis Krages
Germany Dieter Schornstein
France Philippe Gurdjian
Porsche 935/77 182
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
25
NC
S
2.0
27 United Kingdom Mogil Motors Ltd. with Kores Racing United Kingdom Tony Charnell
United Kingdom Robin Smith
France Fréderic Alliot
United Kingdom Richard Jones
Chevron B31 180
Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0L I4
26
DNF
S
+2.0
1 France Renault Sport France Jean-Pierre Jabouille
France Patrick Depailler
Renault Alpine A443 279
Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
27
DNF
S
+2.0
5 Germany Martini Racing Porsche System Belgium Jacky Ickx
France Henri Pescarolo
Germany Jochen Mass
Porsche 936/78 255
Porsche Type-935 2.1L Turbo Flat-6
28
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
88 France Pozzi-Thompson JMS Racing France Jean-Claude Andruet
Italy Spartaco Dini
Ferrari 512BB 251
Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12
29
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
87 United States Luigi Chinetti Sr. France Jacques Guérin
France Jean-Pierre Delauney
United States Gregg Young
Ferrari 512BB 232
Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12
30
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
89 France Pozzi-Thompson JMS Racing France Claude Ballot-Léna
France Jean-Louis Lafosse
Ferrari 512BB 218
Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12
31
DNF
S
+2.0
19 United Kingdom IBEC Racing Developments, Ltd. United Kingdom Guy Edwards
United Kingdom Ian Grob
Ibec-Hesketh 308LM 195
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
32
DNF
S
2.0
30 France ROC La Pierre du Nord France Jacques Henry
France Albert Dufrene
Morocco Max Cohen-Olivar
Chevron B36 195
ROC-Chrysler 2.0L I4
33
DNF
GTP
+3.0
78 France WM A.E.R.E.M. / Team Esso Aseptogyl France Christian Debias
France Xavier Mathiot
France Marc Sourd
WM P78 186
Peugeot PRV 2.7L Turbo V6
34
DNF
GTP
3.0
76 France WM A.E.R.E.M. / Team Esso Aseptogyl France Christine Dacremont
France Marianne Hoepfner
WM P76 171
Peugeot PRV 2.7L V6
35
DNF
GT
+3.0
68 France Hervé Poulain Germany Edgar Dören
Germany Gerhard Holup
France Hervé Poulain
Luxembourg Roman Feitler
Porsche 934 167
Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
36
DNF
S
+2.0
3 France Renault Sport United Kingdom Derek Bell
France Jean-Pierre Jarier
Renault Alpine A442A 162
Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
37
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
91 United States Dick Barbour Racing United States Bob Garretson
United States Steve Earle
United States Robert Akin
Porsche 935/77 159
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
38
DNF
S
2.0
29 France ROC Modylook France Michel Dubois
France Daniel Gache
France Julien Sanchez
Chevron B36 142
ROC-Chrysler 2.0L I4
39
DNF
Gr.5
+2.0
48 Switzerland Haberthur
Switzerland Mecarillos-Cégécol Racing Team
Switzerland Herbert Müller
Switzerland Claude Haldi
Switzerland "Nico"
Porsche 935/76 140
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
40
DNF
S
2.0
26 France G.V.E.A. France Georges Morand
France Eric Vaugnat
Switzerland Christian Blanc
Lola T296 130
Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0L I4
41
DNF
S
2.0
21 France Jean-Marie Lemerle France Jean-Marie Lemerle
France Alain Levié
France Pierre-François Rousselot
Lola T294 126
ROC-Chrysler 2.0L I4
42
DNF
GT
3.0
65 France Joël Laplacette Switzerland Antoine Salamin
Switzerland Gerard Vial
France Yves Courage
France Joël Laplacette
Porsche 930 116
Porsche 3.3L Turbo Flat-6
43
DNF
S
2.0
34 United Kingdom BMW Great Britain
United Kingdom Toleman Delivery
Austria Dieter Quester
United Kingdom Tom Walkinshaw
South Africa Rad Dougall
Osella PA6 113
BMW 2.0L I4
44
DNF
S
2.0
32 United Kingdom Dorset Racing Associates with Kelly Girl United Kingdom Ian Harrower
United Kingdom Tony Birchenhough
United Kingdom Miss Juliette Slaughter
United Kingdom Brian Joscelyn
Lola T294 61
Ford Cosworth FVC 2.0L I4
45
DNF
GT
+3.0
61 France Auto Daniel Urcun France Guy Chasseuil
France Jean-Claude Lefévre
France Marcel Mignot
Porsche 934 61
Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
46
DNF
GTP
+3.0
77 France WM A.E.R.E.M. / Team Esso Aseptogyl France Jean-Daniel Raulet
France Marcel Mamers
WM P77 44
Peugeot PRV 2.7L Turbo V6
47
DNF
Gr.5
+2.0
94 United States Whittington Bros. Racing United States Don Whittington
United States Bill Whittington
Austria Franz Konrad
Porsche 935/77 41
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
48
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
85 Belgium Ecurie Francorchamps Belgium Teddy Pilette
Belgium Jean Blaton
France Raymond Touroul
Ferrari 512BB 39
Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12
49
DNF
GT
+3.0
69 France Ravenel Frères Belgium Willy Braillard
France Philippe Dagoreau
France Jean-Louis Ravenel
France Jean Ravenel
Porsche 934 35
Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
50
DNF
Gr.5
+2.0
46 Germany Porsche Kremer Racing United Kingdom Martin Raymond
Belgium "Steve"
United Kingdom Mike Franey
Porsche 935/77 34
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
51
DNF
S
+2.0
11 United States Grand Touring Cars Inc. United States Sam Posey
France Michel Leclère
Mirage M9 33
Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
52
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
84 United States Brad Frisselle Racing
Belgium Wynn's Belgium
United States Brad Frisselle
United States Robert Kirby
United States John Hotchkis
Chevrolet Monza 30
Chevrolet 5.7L V8
53
DNF
S
2.0
33 United Kingdom Dorset Racing Associates
United Kingdom Cloud Engineering
United Kingdom Bob Evans
Republic of Ireland Martin Birrane
United Kingdom Richard Down
United Kingdom Richard Bond
Lola T294 23
Ford Cosworth FVC 2.0L I4
54
DNF
Gr.5
+2.0
47 Germany Weisberg Gelo Team United Kingdom John Fitzpatrick
Netherlands Toine Hezemans
Porsche 935/77 19
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
DQ S
+2.0
12 United Kingdom Simon Phillips Racing
France BATCO France
United Kingdom Nick Faure
United States John Beasley
United Kingdom Simon Phillips
United Kingdom Martin Raymond
De Cadenet-Lola T380 99
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8

Statistics

  • Pole Position - #6 Martini Racing Porsche System - 3:27.06
  • Fastest Lap - #1 Renault Sport - 3:34.20
  • Distance - 5044.53 km
  • Average Speed - 210.188 km/h

Trophy Winners

  • Index of Thermal Efficiency - #6 Martini Racing Porsche System

External links