1978 24 Hours of Le Mans

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

1978 24 Hours of Le Mans
Previous: 1977 Next: 1979
Index: Races | Winners

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 Tyres Laps
Engine
1 S
+2.0
2 Renault Sport Didier Pironi
Jean-Pierre Jaussaud
Renault Alpine A442B M 369
Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
2 S
+2.0
6 Martini Racing Porsche System Bob Wollek
Jürgen Barth
Jacky Ickx
Porsche 936/78 D 364
Porsche Type-935 2.1L Turbo Flat-6
3 S
+2.0
7 Martini Racing Porsche System Hurley Haywood
Peter Gregg
Reinhold Joest
Porsche 936/77 D 362
Porsche Type-935 2.1L Turbo Flat-6
4 S
+2.0
4 Equipe Renault Elf Sport Calberson Guy Fréquelin
Jean Ragnotti
José Dolhem
Jean-Pierre Jabouille
Renault Alpine A442A M 358
Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
5 IMSA
+2.5
90 Dick Barbour Racing Brian Redman
Dick Barbour
John Paul Sr.
Porsche 935/77 G 337
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
6 Gr.5
+2.0
44 Porsche Kremer Racing Jim Busby
Chris Cord
Rick Knoop
Porsche 935/77 G 336
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
7 Gr.5
+2.0
41 Mondelo ASA Cachia
Team Pace
Alfredo Guaraná
Paulo Gomes
Mário Amaral
Porsche 935/77 D 329
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
8 Gr.5
+2.0
43 Martini Racing Porsche System Manfred Schurti
Rolf Stommelen
Porsche 935/78 D 326
Porsche 3.2L Turbo Flat-6
9 GTP
3.0
72 Jean Rondeau Jean Rondeau
Bernard Darniche
Jacky Haran
Rondeau M378 G 294
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
10 S
+2.0
10 Grand Touring Cars Inc. Vern Schuppan
Jacques Laffite
Sam Posey
Mirage M9 G 293
Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
11 S
2.0
31 ROC La Pierre du Nord Michel Pignard
Lucien Roussiaud
Laurent Ferrier
Chevron B36 G 284
ROC-Chrysler 2.0L I4
12 GT
3.0
66 BP Racing / Anne-Charlotte Verney Anne-Charlotte Verney
Xavier Lapeyre
François Servanin
Porsche 911 Carrera RSR M 279
Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
13 GTP
3.0
71 André Chevalley Racing André Chevalley
François Trisconi
Inaltera LM G 279
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
14 IMSA
+2.5
97 Charles Ivey Racing Larry Perkins
Gordon Spice
John Rulon-Miller
Porsche 911 Carrera RSR G 278
Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
15 S
+2.0
8 Alain de Cadenet Alain de Cadenet
Chris Craft
De Cadenet-Lola LM G 273
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
16 IMSA
+2.5
86 Écurie Grand Competition Cars
North American Racing Team
François Migault
Lucien Guitteny
Ferrari 365 GT4/BB G 262
Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12
17 GT
+3.0
62 "Ségolen" Christian Bussi
Jean-Claude Briavoine
"Ségolen" (André Gahinet)
Porsche 934 M 259
Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
18
NC
S
2.0
23 Artos Francy Sauber PP AG Marc Surer
Eugen Strähl
Harry Blumer
Sauber C5 P 257
BMW 2.0L I4
19
NC
S
2.0
20 C.H. Graeminger Sandro Plastina
Mario Luini
Jean-Daniel Grandjean
Cheetah G601 G 250
Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0L I4
20
NC
GT
3.0
64 Georges Bourdillat Georges Bourdillat
Alain-Michel Bernhard
Jean-Luc Favresse
Porsche 911 Carrera RSR M 241
Porsche 3.0L Flat-6
21
NC
S
2.0
25 Team Pronuptia Bruno Sotty
Gérard Cuynet
Jean-Claude Dufrey
Lola T294/6 G 238
Ford Cosworth FVC 1.9L I4
22
NC
S
2.0
24 Team Pronuptia Michel Elkoubi
Pierre Yver
Philippe Streiff
Lola T296 G 232
Ford Cosworth FVC 1.9L I4
23
NC
S
2.0
28 Dominique Lacaud Michel Lateste
Jean-François Auboiron
Dominique Lacaud
Lola T297 G 217
BMW 2.0L I4
24
NC
Gr.5
+2.0
45 Porsche Kremer Racing Louis Krages
Dieter Schornstein
Philippe Gurdjian
Porsche 935/77 G 182
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
25
NC
S
2.0
27 Mogil Motors Ltd. with Kores Racing Tony Charnell
Robin Smith
Fréderic Alliot
Richard Jones
Chevron B31 G 180
Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0L I4
26
DNF
S
+2.0
1 Renault Sport Jean-Pierre Jabouille
Patrick Depailler
Renault Alpine A443 M 279
Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
27
DNF
S
+2.0
5 Martini Racing Porsche System Jacky Ickx
Henri Pescarolo
Jochen Mass
Porsche 936/78 D 255
Porsche Type-935 2.1L Turbo Flat-6
28
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
88 Pozzi-Thompson JMS Racing Jean-Claude Andruet
Spartaco Dini
Ferrari 512BB M 251
Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12
29
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
87 Luigi Chinetti Sr. Jacques Guérin
Jean-Pierre Delauney
Gregg Young
Ferrari 512BB G 232
Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12
30
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
89 Pozzi-Thompson JMS Racing Claude Ballot-Léna
Jean-Louis Lafosse
Ferrari 512BB M 218
Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12
31
DNF
S
+2.0
19 IBEC Racing Developments, Ltd. Guy Edwards
Ian Grob
Ibec-Hesketh 308LM G 195
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8
32
DNF
S
2.0
30 ROC La Pierre du Nord Jacques Henry
Albert Dufrene
Max Cohen-Olivar
Chevron B36 G 195
ROC-Chrysler 2.0L I4
33
DNF
GTP
+3.0
78 WM A.E.R.E.M. / Team Esso Aseptogyl Christian Debias
Xavier Mathiot
Marc Sourd
WM P78 M 186
Peugeot PRV 2.7L Turbo V6
34
DNF
GTP
3.0
76 WM A.E.R.E.M. / Team Esso Aseptogyl Christine Dacremont
Marianne Hoepfner
WM P76 M 171
Peugeot PRV 2.7L V6
35
DNF
GT
+3.0
68 Hervé Poulain Edgar Dören
Gerhard Holup
Hervé Poulain
Roman Feitler
Porsche 934 G 167
Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
36
DNF
S
+2.0
3 Renault Sport Derek Bell
Jean-Pierre Jarier
Renault Alpine A442A M 162
Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
37
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
91 Dick Barbour Racing Bob Garretson
Steve Earle
Robert Akin
Porsche 935/77 G 159
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
38
DNF
S
2.0
29 ROC Modylook Michel Dubois
Daniel Gache
Julien Sanchez
Chevron B36 G 142
ROC-Chrysler 2.0L I4
39
DNF
Gr.5
+2.0
48 Haberthur
Mecarillos-Cégécol Racing Team
Herbert Müller
Claude Haldi
"Nico" (Nick McGranger)
Porsche 935/76 G 140
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
40
DNF
S
2.0
26 G.V.E.A. Georges Morand
Eric Vaugnat
Christian Blanc
Lola T296 G 130
Ford Cosworth BDG 2.0L I4
41
DNF
S
2.0
21 Jean-Marie Lemerle Jean-Marie Lemerle
Alain Levié
Pierre-François Rousselot
Lola T294 G 126
ROC-Chrysler 2.0L I4
42
DNF
GT
3.0
65 Joël Laplacette Antoine Salamin
Gerard Vial
Yves Courage
Joël Laplacette
Porsche 930 M 116
Porsche 3.3L Turbo Flat-6
43
DNF
S
2.0
34 BMW Great Britain
Toleman Delivery
Dieter Quester
Tom Walkinshaw
Rad Dougall
Osella PA6 P 113
BMW 2.0L I4
44
DNF
S
2.0
32 Dorset Racing Associates with Kelly Girl Ian Harrower
Tony Birchenhough
Miss Juliette Slaughter
Brian Joscelyn
Lola T294 G 61
Ford Cosworth FVC 2.0L I4
45
DNF
GT
+3.0
61 Auto Daniel Urcun Guy Chasseuil
Jean-Claude Lefévre
Marcel Mignot
Porsche 934 D 61
Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
46
DNF
GTP
+3.0
77 WM A.E.R.E.M. / Team Esso Aseptogyl Jean-Daniel Raulet
Marcel Mamers
WM P77 M 44
Peugeot PRV 2.7L Turbo V6
47
DNF
Gr.5
+2.0
94 Whittington Bros. Racing Don Whittington
Bill Whittington
Franz Konrad
Porsche 935/77 G 41
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
48
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
85 Ecurie Francorchamps Teddy Pilette
Jean Blaton
Raymond Touroul
Ferrari 512BB M 39
Ferrari 4.9L Flat-12
49
DNF
GT
+3.0
69 Ravenel Frères Willy Braillard
Philippe Dagoreau
Jean-Louis Ravenel
Jean Ravenel
Porsche 934 D 35
Porsche 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
50
DNF
Gr.5
+2.0
46 Porsche Kremer Racing Martin Raymond
"Steve" (Jean-Pierre Wielemans)
Mike Franey
Porsche 935/77 G 34
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
51
DNF
S
+2.0
11 Grand Touring Cars Inc. Sam Posey
Michel Leclère
Mirage M9 G 33
Renault 2.0L Turbo V6
52
DNF
IMSA
+2.5
84 Brad Frisselle Racing
Wynn's Belgium
Brad Frisselle
Robert Kirby
John Hotchkis
Chevrolet Monza G 30
Chevrolet 5.7L V8
53
DNF
S
2.0
33 Dorset Racing Associates
Cloud Engineering
Bob Evans
Martin Birrane
Richard Down
Richard Bond
Lola T294 G 23
Ford Cosworth FVC 2.0L I4
54
DNF
Gr.5
+2.0
47 Weisberg Gelo Team John Fitzpatrick
Toine Hezemans
Porsche 935/77 G 19
Porsche Type-935 3.0L Turbo Flat-6
DQ S
+2.0
12 Simon Phillips Racing
BATCO France
Nick Faure
John Beasley
Simon Phillips
Martin Raymond
De Cadenet-Lola T380 G 99
Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0L V8


Statistics

  • Pole Position - #6 Martini Racing Porsche System (Jacky Ickx) - 3:27.06
  • Fastest Lap - #1 Renault Sport (Jean-Pierre Jabouille) - 3:34.20
  • Distance - 5044.53 km
  • Average Speed - 210.188 km/h

Trophy Winners

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