Mario, pensive in Sweden
Mario Andretti is both confident and pensive ahead of the Swedish Formula One Grand Prix held at Anderstorp on 17 June 1978, picture above, with James Hunt in the back ground.
The American has a 10-point lead over team-mate Ronnie Peterson and knows his ground-effect Lotus 79 is the dominating car of the championship. He again takes pole position, this time ahead of the two new Brabham-Alfa Romeo’s BT46B of John Watson and Niki Lauda, suspected of ‘sandbagging’.
Center of the new Brabham BT46B concept (invented by Gordon Murray), was a large fan which drew air through the engine water radiator, supposedly to cool the engine, but in fact generating ground effect by sucking air from under the car, creating a partial vacuum that initiated an enormous amount of downforce. Its legality was protested, but it was allowed to race.
Niki Lauda took a commanding victory in what was soon called the “fan car”, while Mario Andretti was forced to retire with a broken engine. This Brabham BT46B, was never raced again, Bernie Ecclestone choosing not to enter into a big conflict with the other teams, and Mario Andretti claimed the 1978 World Drivers’ championship in his Lotus 79.
Picture below: Mario Andretti (Lotus 79) leading Niki Lauda (Brabham BT46B) at the start of the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix held at Anderstorp.