Le Mans 24 Hours 1978 - Racing Sports Cars

Event: 24 Heures du Mans		Date: 11.6.1978
Track: Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans (France), 13.640 kms	Organiser: Automobile Club de l'Ouest
Le Mans 24 Hours
FIA World Challenge for Endurance Drivers (round 5)

Weather:	warm,dry
Start time:	10/6 16:00
Grid:	unknown
Distance:	24 hours
Attendance:	150000

Entered:	75
Practiced:	64
Qualified:	55
Started:	55
Finished:	25
Classified:	17

Classes:	Pract	Start	Class
Group 6 - Sports +2000	14	12	6
Group 6 - Sports 2000	15	14	1
Group 5 - +2000	9	8	3
Group 4 - Grand Touring +3000	5	4	1
Group 4 - Grand Touring 3000	3	3	1
Le Mans GTP - +3000	2	2
Le Mans GTP - 3000	4	3	2
IMSA GTX - +2500	11	9	3

Photo Gallery Entered Cars Technical Data Appearance Race Results Grid Qualifying Lap Times

Pre-race sessions:
2 qualifying sessions held for a total of 660 minutes on 7-8/6

Winners:
Overall:	2	Alpine-Renault A442B	Pironi / Jaussaud
Group 6 - Sports 2000:	31	Chevron B36 ROC	Pignard / Ferrier / Rossiaud
Group 5 - +2000:	44	Porsche 935/77A	Busby / Knoop / Cord
Group 4 - Grand Touring +3000:	62	Porsche 934	Bussi / "Segolen" / Briavoine
Group 4 - Grand Touring 3000:	66	Porsche Carrera RSR	Verney / Lapeyre / Servanin
IMSA GTX - +2500:	90	Porsche 935/77A	Redman / Paul / Barbour
Fastest Laps:
Overall:	1	Alpine-Renault A443	Jean-Pierre Jabouille (F)	3:34.2000	229.2440 km/h
Pole Positions:
Overall:	5	Porsche 936/78	Jacky Ickx (B)	3:27.6000	236.5320 km/h
Group 6 - Sports 2000:	34	Osella PA6 BMW	Walkinshaw / Dougall / Quester	3:56.2000
Group 5 - +2000:	43	Porsche 935/78	Schurti / Stommelen	3:30.9000
Group 4 - Grand Touring +3000:	68	Porsche 934	Feitler / Dören / Poulain / Holup	4:07.0000
Group 4 - Grand Touring 3000:	66	Porsche Carrera RSR	Verney / Lapeyre / Servanin	4:19.6000
Le Mans GTP - +3000:	78	WM P78 Peugeot	Mathiot / Sourd / Debias	3:52.9000
IMSA GTX - +2500:	90	Porsche 935/77A	Redman / Paul / Barbour	3:52.6000
Notes of interest:
Top makes by numbers:	Porsche (21), Lola (7), Ferrari (5), Alpine (4), Chevron (4)
Top engines by numbers:	Porsche (21), Ford (12), Renault (6), Ferrari (5), ROC (4)
Top car types by numbers:	Porsche 935 (10), Porsche 934 (4), Ferrari 512 BB (4)
Driver nationalities:	F (71), GB (25), USA (19), CH (15), D (8), B (6), BR (3), A (2), AUS (2)
Most used colours:	white (37%), red (22%), blue (11%), yellow (9%), black (5%), orange (4%)
Engine positions:	mid-engined (65%), rear-engined (32%), front-engined (3%)
Average engine size:	2804 cc (with regard to 47% turbocharged cars an applicable size is 3331 cc)
Oldest known drivers:	Tony Birchenhough (44), Simon Phillips (44), Claude Ballot-Léna (42)
Youngest known drivers:	Philippe Streiff (23), Didier Pironi (26), Dominique Lacaud (26)
Female drivers:	Christine Dacremont, Marianne Hoepfner, Juliette Slaughter, Anny-Charlotte Verney

Official Race Programme:

Cover	Entry List	Schedule	Track Map