1978 World Rally Championship

The 1978 World Rally Championship was the sixth season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) World Rally Championship (WRC). The schedule remained largely similar to the previous year, with the exception of the removal of the Rally New Zealand from the schedule.

1978 was the last season with an official world championship only for manufacturers. Scoring was modified in 1977 to a more complex system including points both for overall and group placement. A car would still have to place in the overall top 10 to score points. In addition to the Championship for Manufacturers, the FIA awarded the FIA Cup for Rally Drivers. All rallies of the WRC, in addition to another ten events, were counted towards the drivers' totals. In 1979, the Cup for Drivers was incorporated into the WRC as the World Rally Championship for Drivers.

Events

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Black = Tarmac Brown = Gravel Blue = Snow/ice Red = Mixed surface

Schedule and results

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Rally Dates run Championships Podium Drivers (Finishing Time) Podium Cars
 
Monte Carlo Rally
21–28 January Manufacturers
Drivers
  1.   Jean-Pierre Nicolas (6h:57m:03s)
  2.   Jean Ragnotti (6h:58m:55s)
  3.   Guy Fréquelin (6h:59m:55s)
  1. Porsche 911
  2. Renault 5 Alpine
  3. Renault 5 Alpine
 
Arctic Rally
3–5 February Drivers
  1.   Ari Vatanen (6h:25m:03s)
  2.   Henri Toivonen (6h:28m:44s)
  3.   Markku Alén (6h:36m:20s)
  1. Ford Escort RS1800
  2. Chrysler Avenger
  3. Fiat 131 Abarth
 
Swedish Rally
10–12 February Manufacturers
Drivers
  1.   Björn Waldegård (6h:42m:40s)
  2.   Hannu Mikkola (6h:44m:08s)
  3.   Markku Alén (6h:45m:26s)
  1. Ford Escort RS1800
  2. Ford Escort RS1800
  3. Fiat 131 Abarth
 
Safari Rally
23–27 March Manufacturers
Drivers
  1.   Jean-Pierre Nicolas (+8m:18s penalties)
  2.   Vic Preston, Jr. (+8m:55s penalties)
  3.   Rauno Aaltonen (+9m:10s penalties)
  1. Peugeot 504 V6 Coupé
  2. Porsche 911
  3. Datsun 160J
 
Rallye de Portugal
19–23 April Manufacturers
Drivers
  1.   Markku Alén (7h:45m:33s)
  2.   Hannu Mikkola (7h:50m:01s)
  3.   Jean-Pierre Nicolas (8h:01m:01s)
  1. Fiat 131 Abarth
  2. Ford Escort RS1800
  3. Ford Escort RS1800
 
Acropolis Rally Greece
29 May–2 June Manufacturers
Drivers
  1.   Walter Röhrl (10h:00m:50s)
  2.   Markku Alén (10h:10m:54s)
  3.   Shekhar Mehta (10h:23m:36s)
  1. Fiat 131 Abarth
  2. Fiat 131 Abarth
  3. Datsun 160J
 
Scottish Rally
3–7 June Drivers
  1.   Hannu Mikkola (4h:26m:38s)
  2.   Pentti Airikkala (4h:34m:36s)
  3.   Roger Clark (4h:35m:11s)
  1. Ford Escort RS1800
  2. Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS
  3. Ford Escort RS1800
 
Rajd Polski
6–9 July Drivers
  1.   Antonio Zanini (5h:51m:01.2s)
  2.   Franz Wittmann (6h:04m:10.9s)
  3.   Salvador Cañellas (6h:09m:04.8s)
  1. Fiat 131 Abarth
  2. Opel Kadett GT/E
  3. Fiat 131 Abarth
 
1000 Lakes Rally
25–27 August Manufacturers
Drivers
  1.   Markku Alén (3h:30m:10s)
  2.   Timo Salonen (3h:32m:14s)
  3.   Pentti Airikkala (3h:32m:50s)
  1. Fiat 131 Abarth
  2. Fiat 131 Abarth
  3. Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS
 
Rally New Zealand
2–5 September Drivers
  1.   Russell Brookes (9h:57m:12.0s)
  2.   Jim Donald (10h:09m:29.4s)
  3.   Paul Adams (10h:41m:55.8s)
  1. Ford Escort RS1800
  2. Ford Escort RS1800
  3. Ford Escort RS1800
 
Critérium du Québec
13–17 September Manufacturers
Drivers
  1.   Walter Röhrl (4h:54m:23s)
  2.   Markku Alén (5h:02m:56s)
  3.   Anders Kulläng (5h:12m:46s)
  1. Fiat 131 Abarth
  2. Fiat 131 Abarth
  3. Opel Kadett GT/E
 
Tour de France Automobile
16–21 September Drivers
  1.   Michèle Mouton (11h:18m:15.7s)
  2.   Jean-Louis Clarr (11h:34m:01.8s)
  3.   Chris Sclater (11h:40m:04.0s)
  1. Fiat 131 Abarth
  2. Opel Kadett GT/E
  3. Vauxhall Chevette 2300 HS
 
Rallye Sanremo
3–7 October Manufacturers
Drivers
  1.   Markku Alén (10h:53m:28s)
  2.   Maurizio Verini (11h:04m:00s)
  3.   Francis Vincent (11h:10m:31s)
  1. Lancia Stratos HF
  2. Fiat 131 Abarth
  3. Porsche 911
 
Southern Cross Rally
14–18 October Drivers
  1.   George Fury (1h:25m:17s)
  2.   Colin Bond (1h:37m:12s)
  3.   Wayne Bell (1h:58m:32s)
  1. Datsun Stanza
  2. Ford Escort RS1800
  3. Holden Gemini
 
Rallye de España
20–22 October Drivers
  1.   Tony Carello (4h:20m:03s)
  2.   Beny Fernández (4h:29m:40)
  3.   Jorge de Bagration (4h:33m:27s)
  1. Lancia Stratos HF
  2. Fiat 131 Abarth
  3. Lancia Stratos HF
 
Rallye Côte d'Ivoire
21–24 October Manufacturers
Drivers
  1.   Jean-Pierre Nicolas (+2m:28s penalties)
  2.   Timo Mäkinen (+2m:43s penalties)
  3.   Jean Ragnotti (+3m:50s penalties)
  1. Peugeot 504 V6 Coupé
  2. Peugeot 504 V6 Coupé
  3. Renault 5 Alpine
 
Tour de Corse
4–5 November Manufacturers
Drivers
  1.   Bernard Darniche (6h:47m:34s)
  2.   Jean-Claude Andruet (6h:51m:59s)
  3.   Sandro Munari (6h:52m:59s)
  1. Fiat 131 Abarth
  2. Fiat 131 Abarth
  3. Fiat 131 Abarth
 
RAC Rally
19–23 November Manufacturers
Drivers
  1.   Hannu Mikkola (8:47m:23s)
  2.   Björn Waldegård (8h:52m:41s)
  3.   Russell Brookes (8h:58m:55s)
  1. Ford Escort RS1800
  2. Ford Escort RS1800
  3. Ford Escort RS1800

Standings

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Manufacturers' championship

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Markku Alén drives a Fiat 131 Abarth at the 1000 Lakes Rally.
 
Ari Vatanen with a Ford Escort RS1800 at the 1000 Lakes
Pos. Manufacturer  
MON
 
SWE
 
KEN
 
POR
 
GRC
 
FIN
 
CAN
 
ITA
 
CIV
 
FRA
 
GBR
Points
1   Fiat 14 14 - 18 18 18 18 16 - 18 (9) 134
2   Ford - 18 7 16 9 6 13 13 - - 18 100
3   Opel (10) 12 - 13 12 11 16 10 - 12 14 100
4   Porsche 18 - 16 7 - 12 - 14 - 12 - 79
5   Datsun - - 16 - 16 - - - 10 - 10 52
6   Toyota - - - 15 8 13 14 - - - - 50
7   Lancia 8 12 - - 11 - - 18 - - - 49
8   Peugeot - - 18 9 - - - - 18 - - 45
9   Renault 17 - - - - - - - 16 - - 33
10   British Leyland Cars - - - - - - 12 - - - 12 24
11   Saab - 8 - - - - 10 - - - - 18
12   Volkswagen - 9 - - - - 8 - - - - 17
13   Mitsubishi - - 5 - - - - - 11 - - 16
14   Vauxhall - - - - - 14 - - - - - 14
  Alfa Romeo - - - - - - - 14 - - - 14
16   Mercedes - - 12 - - - - - - - - 12
17   Volvo - 10 - - - - - - - - - 10
18   Chrysler - - - - - - - - - - 8 8
19   Škoda - - - - 6 - - - - - - 6
20   Alpine-Renault - - - - - - - - - 5 - 5
21   Lada - - - - 4 - - - - - - 4
Pos. Manufacturer  
MON
 
SWE
 
KEN
 
POR
 
GRC
 
FIN
 
CAN
 
ITA
 
CIV
 
FRA
 
GBR
Points

FIA Cup for Drivers

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Pos. Driver  
MON
 
ARC
 
SWE
 
KEN
 
POR
 
GRC
 
SCO
 
POL
 
FIN
 
NZL
 
CAN
 
TDF
 
ITA
 
GIR
 
AUS
 
ESP
 
CIV
 
FRA
 
GBR
Points
1   Markku Alén - 4 (4) - 9 6 0 - 9 - 6 - 9 9 - - - - 0 52
2   Jean-Pierre Nicolas 9 - - 9 4 0 - - - - - 0 - - - - 9 0 0 31
3   Hannu Mikkola - - 6 - 6 - 9 - 0 - - - - - - - - - 9 30
4   Michèle Mouton 0 - - - - - - - - - - 9 - 3 - - - 2 - 14
5   Russell Brookes - - - - - - 0 - - 9 - - - - - - - - 4 13
6   Walter Röhrl 3 - - - 0 (9) - - - - 9 - 0 - - - - - 1 13
7   Bernard Darniche 2 - - - 0 - - - - - - 0 - - - - - 9 - 11
8   Ari Vatanen - 9 2 - 0 - - - 0 - - - - - - - - - 0 11
9   Jean Ragnotti 6 - - - - - - - - - - 0 - - - - 4 - - 10
10   Pentti Airikkala - - 0 - - - 6 - 4 - - - - - - - - - 0 10
Pos. Driver  
MON
 
ARC
 
SWE
 
KEN
 
POR
 
GRC
 
SCO
 
POL
 
FIN
 
NZL
 
CAN
 
TDF
 
ITA
 
GIR
 
AUS
 
ESP
 
CIV
 
FRA
 
GBR
Points

Pointscoring systems

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Manufacturers' championship

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Overall
finish
Group finish
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 18 - - - - - - - - -
2 17 16 - - - - - - - -
3 16 15 14 - - - - - - -
4 15 14 13 12 - - - - - -
5 14 13 12 11 10 - - - - -
6 13 12 11 10 9 8 - - - -
7 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 - - -
8 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 - -
9 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 -
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1

See also

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