STORY OF THE DAY: Reutemann Inherits the Lead and Controls Long Beach

On 2 April 1978, Carlos Reutemann won the United States Grand Prix West at Long Beach in Ferrari 312 T3 number 11. The Argentine took command after teammate Gilles Villeneuve crashed while leading and finished eleven seconds ahead of Mario Andretti’s Lotus, drawing level with the American in the championship standings.

Villeneuve’s accident came while he was attempting to lap another car, turning an internal Ferrari contest into Reutemann’s race to manage. On a demanding street circuit lined by concrete barriers, he avoided the errors that eliminated others and converted Ferrari’s pace into a measured victory.

The 312 T3 retained Ferrari’s three-litre flat-12 engine and transverse gearbox but introduced a new monocoque, revised suspension and updated aerodynamics. Designed under Mauro Forghieri, it represented Ferrari’s adaptation to changing tyre characteristics and the accelerating aerodynamic development of the late 1970s.

Born in Santa Fe, Argentina, Reutemann entered Formula One with Brabham and joined Ferrari during 1976. His smooth technique and formidable natural speed made him a regular winner, although championship success eluded him. At Long Beach, restraint mattered as much as pace, and his composure produced one of his four victories for Ferrari.