On This Day in F1 History: Peterson's Final Masterclass
Forty-eight years ago today, Ronnie Peterson won the Austrian Grand Prix at the Österreichring. It was the tenth and final victory of his Formula 1 career. The Swedish driver, known as "Superswede," took his second win of the 1978 season in a chaotic race that was interrupted by heavy rain and restarted.
The date was August 13, 1978, and the race was held at the 5.9-kilometre Österreichring. Peterson started from pole position, his 14th and last in Formula 1.
The Lotus driver was joined on the front row by his teammate Mario Andretti, the eventual 1978 champion.
A Race of Two Halves
The race was stopped after just seven laps when a sudden downpour made the track undriveable. The order at the time of the stoppage determined the starting grid for the restart, with Peterson leading from Patrick Depailler and John Watson. Cars that had been pushed off the track were allowed to restart, while those requiring outside assistance were not.
When the race resumed, Peterson continued to control the pace. Depailler followed him home in second place, 47 seconds behind. Gilles Villeneuve finished third in his Ferrari, scoring his first career podium. The Canadian's drive was a sign of things to come.
The End of an Era
Peterson's victory was his second of the season, following his win in South Africa. The Austrian Grand Prix was also the second-to-last win for the Lotus team's dominant 1978 season. Andretti had won five races at that point and was the favourite for the title.
Sadly, the race would be Peterson's last win. Less than a month later, the Swede died from complications that emerged in hospital after a first-lap accident at the 1978 Italian Grand Prix. The 34-year-old's death sent shockwaves through the sport, and his final victory at the Österreichring remains a poignant memory of a driver many consider the fastest of his generation.
Peterson's death confirmed Andretti as the 1978 champion at Monza, a sad way for Andretti and the entire team to close their season. Years later, in a letter to his younger self, the American said that he would gladly trade the title to have his friend back.
That title was Lotus' final Drivers' championship, and the team's Constructors' title from that year was also their last.
The 1978 Austrian Grand Prix was a snapshot of Peterson's talent: raw speed, racecraft, and a masterclass in difficult conditions.
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