1978 Canadian Grand Prix

Championship standings

Both championships are already settled — Andretti as Drivers’ Champion, Lotus as Constructors’ Champions. This final round is a dead rubber for the title.

Previous race

Reutemann won at Watkins Glen, completing a sweep of both US races in 1978. Jones was second for Williams, Scheckter third. Andretti developed brake problems early and retired with a blown engine. Jarier set the fastest race lap in his first appearance for Lotus, but ran out of fuel when running third and was classified 15th.

Between-race developments

Riccardo Patrese returns to the Arrows cockpit after missing the United States Grand Prix, having been barred by the GPDA following the Monza accident.

Brabham announce that Nelson Piquet will join the team in a third car alongside Lauda and Watson. Piquet has raced this season with Ensign and BS Fabrications; this is his debut with Brabham ahead of a planned full season in 1979.

Entrants

This is Gilles Villeneuve’s home race. Villeneuve is competing for the first time at the new Circuit Île Notre-Dame in Montreal, a street circuit built on a man-made island in the St. Lawrence Seaway — the same venue used for rowing at the 1976 Summer Olympics.

Track changes

The Canadian Grand Prix moves from Mosport Park near Toronto to the new Circuit Île Notre-Dame in Montreal. The move was prompted by safety and organisation concerns at the hilly Mosport circuit.

Practice

Rain on Friday morning delayed the first practice session by 20 minutes. Reutemann was fastest in both Friday sessions with the Ferrari. Brabham struggled badly — Piquet crashed into the wall in the second session, and neither Brabham qualified by the end of Friday. Saturday morning was also wet, with conditions improving towards the end; Lauda went quickest in that session. Pole position went to Jarier, who edged Scheckter by 0.011 seconds. Reutemann, despite leading Friday practice, qualified only 11th.

Weather

Mostly cloudy, 5 °C (41 °F).