Give me space!

Clay Regazzoni, Shadow DN8 and Hans Stuck, Shadow DN9-Cosworth, battle for the inside of the hairpin (photo above), during practice for the 1978 United States Grand Prix West, run on the streets of Long Beach, California.

The two Shadows, with different liveries, qualified at the back of the grid (20th Regazzoni and 23rd Stuck), but the German will not start, following an accident during practice, and Regazzoni will limit the damage with a tenth place at the finish, but far from the points.

The race was dominated by Carlos Reutemann and his Ferrari 312T3, fitted with such effective Michelin tires, who won the event ahead of Mario Andretti and his ground-effect Lotus 78, and Patrick Depailler on his Tyrrell 008, so simple and effective, and who would soon win the Monaco Grand Prix.

It was a disappointing 1978 season for the Shadow team: Clay Regazzoni salvaged some pride with two fifth-place finishes in Brazil and Sweden, while Hans Joachim Stuck did the same in England. A meager haul for Shadow, who finished eleventh out of fourteen in the constructors’ championship.