Mario Andretti vs Ronnie Peterson

1978·

Mario Andretti beat Ronnie Peterson 11–3 on race day and 11–3 in qualifying at Team Lotus in 1978. Mario Andretti scored 64 points to 51.

Mario AndrettiRonnie Peterson

11Qualifying3

14 shared races

11Race day3

14 shared races

64Points51

in shared races, as awarded at the time

194Points (today’s rules)159

in shared races, rescored 25-18-15…

Wins: 6/2
Podiums: 7/7
Poles: 7/3
Retirements: 3/5
Best finish: P1/P1
Avg. grid: 1.9/4.1

Race by race

Round-by-round comparison of Mario Andretti and Ronnie Peterson
R	Grand Prix	Grid	Mario Andretti	Ronnie Peterson	Points
1	1Argentine Grand Prix	1/3	P1	P5	9 / 2
2	2Brazilian Grand Prix	3/1	P4	Collision	3 / 0
3	3South African Grand Prix	2/12	P7	P1	0 / 9
4	4United States Grand Prix West	4/6	P2	P4	6 / 3
5	5Monaco Grand Prix	4/7	P11▼	Gearbox	0 / 0
6	6Belgian Grand Prix	1/7	P1	P2	9 / 6
7	7Spanish Grand Prix	1/2	P1	P2	9 / 6
8	8Swedish Grand Prix	1/4	Engine	P3	0 / 4
9	9French Grand Prix	2/5	P1	P2	9 / 6
10	10British Grand Prix	2/1	Engine	Fuel system	0 / 0
11	11German Grand Prix	1/2	P1	Gearbox	9 / 0
12	12Austrian Grand Prix	2/1	Accident	P1	0 / 9
13	13Dutch Grand Prix	1/2	P1	P2	9 / 6
14	14Italian Grand Prix	1/5	P6	Accident	1 / 0
	Average finish		P3.3	P2.4

How to read this table

The driver ahead in a round is shown in bold, the other in grey. Grid shows Mario Andretti / Ronnie Peterson.
P1 a win,P3 a podium,DNF a retirement.
▲ a finish at least 4 places better than that driver’s own average finish this season (see the average row), ▼ at least 4places worse. Retirements are not counted in the average.

Other Team Lotus battles in 1978

Other Team Lotus teammate battles in 1978
Matchup	Quali	Race	Points
Mario Andretti vs Hector Rebaque	9–0	7–2	30–1
Ronnie Peterson vs Hector Rebaque	8–0	5–3	34–1

Mario Andretti’s career Ronnie Peterson’s career Team Lotus 1978 season All teammate battles

How these numbers are calculated

Only races both drivers started are counted. Entries that did not qualify, did not pre-qualify or were withdrawn are excluded, as are cars that never left the grid or the garage, and the Indianapolis 500 of 1950–1960.
Until the mid-1960s drivers could share a car during a race. Each driver is compared from the car they started (which sets their grid position), with the best result of any car they drove and the points from all of them, as officially credited.
Qualifying is compared on grid position rather than session times. Session-by-session qualifying data only exists from 1994, while grid position is recorded for over 99% of entries right back to 1950 — including every race of the 1950s, 60s and 70s.
On race day the driver classified ahead takes the round. If neither was classified, the one who completed more laps is credited; if both retired on the same lap it is scored as a tie and excluded from the tally.
Points are those awarded at the time and include sprint races from 2021. Where the season used an older system, a second points row rescores every round under the current system so seasons from different eras can be compared.
These are points scored in the races both drivers started, not their season totals: races either missed, or contested alongside a different teammate, are left out. Up to 1990 even full-season totals differ from the championship standings, because only a driver’s best results counted towards the title. In 1988 Alain Prost outscored Ayrton Senna 105 to 94 and still lost the championship. Theseason page has the final standings.