| «1978-03» | South Africa Grand Prix - XII Grand Prix of South Africa |
| 1978-03-04 | Kyalami - 78 laps × 4.104 km : 320.112 km |
| Pos | Grid | Car | Driver | Constructor | Time | Gap | Interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | Niki Lauda | Brabham • Alfa Romeo | 01:14.650 | 197.916 km/h | |
| 2 | 2 | 5 | Mario Andretti | Lotus • Ford Cosworth | 01:14.900 | +00.250 (+0.335%) | +00.250 |
| 3 | 3 | 7 | James Hunt | McLaren • Ford Cosworth | 01:15.140 | +00.490 (+0.656%) | +00.240 |
| 4 | 4 | 8 | Patrick Tambay | McLaren • Ford Cosworth | 01:15.300 | +00.650 (+0.871%) | +00.160 |
| 5 | 5 | 20 | Jody Scheckter | Wolf • Ford Cosworth | 01:15.320 | +00.670 (+0.898%) | +00.020 |
| 6 | 6 | 15 | Jean-Pierre Jabouille | Renault | 01:15.360 | +00.710 (+0.951%) | +00.040 |
| 7 | 7 | 35 | Riccardo Patrese | Arrows • Ford Cosworth | 01:15.480 | +00.830 (+1.112%) | +00.120 |
| 8 | 8 | 12 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | 01:15.500 | +00.850 (+1.139%) | +00.020 |
| 9 | 9 | 11 | Carlos Reutemann | Ferrari | 01:15.520 | +00.870 (+1.165%) | +00.020 |
| 10 | 10 | 2 | John Watson | Brabham • Alfa Romeo | 01:15.620 | +00.970 (+1.299%) | +00.100 |
| 11 | 12 | 6 | Ronnie Peterson | Lotus • Ford Cosworth | 01:15.940 | +01.290 (+1.728%) | +00.320 |
| 12 | 11 | 4 | Patrick Depailler | Tyrrell • Ford Cosworth | 01:15.970 | +01.320 (+1.768%) | +00.030 |
| 13 | 14 | 3 | Didier Pironi | Tyrrell • Ford Cosworth | 01:16.380 | +01.730 (+2.317%) | +00.410 |
| 14 | 13 | 26 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier • Matra | 01:16.400 | +01.750 (+2.344%) | +00.020 |
| 15 | 16 | 14 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Copersucar • Ford Cosworth | 01:16.470 | +01.820 (+2.438%) | +00.070 |
| 16 | 15 | 9 | Jochen Mass | ATS • Ford Cosworth | 01:16.600 | +01.950 (+2.612%) | +00.130 |
| 17 | 17 | 10 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | ATS • Ford Cosworth | 01:17.120 | +02.470 (+3.309%) | +00.520 |
| 18 | 18 | 27 | Alan Jones | Williams • Ford Cosworth | 01:17.160 | +02.510 (+3.362%) | +00.040 |
| 19 | 20 | 30 | Brett Lunger | McLaren • Ford Cosworth | 01:17.300 | +02.650 (+3.550%) | +00.140 |
| 20 | 19 | 19 | Vittorio Brambilla | Surtees • Ford Cosworth | 01:17.320 | +02.670 (+3.577%) | +00.020 |
| 21 | 22 | 36 | Rolf Stommelen | Arrows • Ford Cosworth | 01:17.490 | +02.840 (+3.804%) | +00.170 |
| 22 | 21 | 25 | Hector Rebaque | Lotus • Ford Cosworth | 01:17.500 | +02.850 (+3.818%) | +00.010 |
| 23 | 23 | 18 | Rupert Keegan | Surtees • Ford Cosworth | 01:17.570 | +02.920 (+3.912%) | +00.070 |
| 24 | 24 | 32 | Keke Rosberg | Theodore • Ford Cosworth | 01:17.620 | +02.970 (+3.979%) | +00.050 |
| 25 | 25 | 24 | Eddie Cheever | Hesketh • Ford Cosworth | 01:17.830 | +03.180 (+4.260%) | +00.210 |
| 26 | 26 | 37 | Arturo Merzario | Merzario • Ford Cosworth | 01:18.150 | +03.500 (+4.689%) | +00.320 |
| 27 | 31 | René Arnoux | Martini • Ford Cosworth | 01:18.210 | +03.560 (+4.769%) | +00.060 | |
| 28 | 17 | Clay Regazzoni | Shadow • Ford Cosworth | 01:18.300 | +03.650 (+4.889%) | +00.090 | |
| 29 | 22 | Lamberto Leoni | Ensign • Ford Cosworth | 01:18.380 | +03.730 (+4.997%) | +00.080 | |
| 30 | 16 | Hans Joachim Stuck | Shadow • Ford Cosworth | 01:18.450 | +03.800 (+5.090%) | +00.070 |