The 1978 Tour de Corse (also known as the 22º Tour de Corse - Rallye de France) was the 10th round of the sixth World Rally Championship season, and the 18th event in the second FIA Cup for Rally Drivers. It took place on November 4 and 5 in the County of Corsica in France, and the rally was run primarily on the road. Bernard Darniche repeated his 1977 win with co-driver Alain Mahé, again driving a Fiat 131 Abarth - as did second-place finisher Jean-Claude Andruet and third-placed Sandro Munari.
Report In 1978, the Tour de Corse in Corsica was the penultimate race of the World Rally Championship. The race was held across ten stages, with Jean-Claude Andruet winning four of them. Andruet led the rally until the ninth stage. As usual, most of the top finishers (9 out of the top 10) were from France. Triumph had mounted a significant effort this year, with two TR7 V8s driven by Tony Pond and Jean-Luc Thérier, but both had to retire before the first two special stages were over after the transmission oil plugs fell out of both the cars.
Aside from four Fiat 131 Abarth in the top five, three Porsche 911, two Opel Kadett GT/E, and one Alpine A110 finished in the points.
Results 1978 Tour de Corse results Finish Totaltime Group Car # DriverCo-driver Car Mfr.points Overall Ingroup 1 1 6 h : 47 m : 34 s 4 1 Bernard Darniche Alain Mahé Fiat 131 Abarth 18 2 2 6 h : 51 m : 59 s 4 3 Jean-Claude Andruet "Biche" Fiat 131 Abarth 3 3 6 h : 52 m : 59 s 4 5 Sandro Munari Fiat 131 Abarth 4 4 6 h : 57 m : 44 s 4 9 Jacques Alméras Jean-Claude Perramond Porsche 911 12 5 5 6 h : 58 m : 12 s 4 10 Michèle Mouton Françoise Conconi Fiat 131 Abarth 6 1 7 h : 05 m : 11 s 3 29 Pierre-Louis Moreau Patrice Baron Porsche 911 7 1 7 h : 06 m : 09 s 2 6 Jean-Pierre Nicolas Vincent Laverne Opel Kadett GT/E 12 8 2 7 h : 17 m : 55 s 3 27 Daniel Rognoni Gilbert Dini Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 9 6 7 h : 19 m : 19 s 4 21 Claude Balesi Jean-Paul Cirindini Alpine-Renault A110 1800 5 10 1 7 h : 31 m : 03 s 1 89 Christian Dorche Jean-François Fauchille Opel Kadett GT/E 11 2 7 h : 32 m : 11 s 1 91 Bernard Picone Robert Cianelli Opel Kadett GT/E 12 3 7 h : 32 m : 13 s 3 24 Robert Simonetti Jean-Michel Simonetti Alpine-Renault A110 1800 13 2 7 h : 36 m : 10 s 2 41 Jean-Marie Jacquemin Dorothée Jacquemin-Lebeau Chrysler Sunbeam 14 3 7 h : 39 m : 58 s 2 77 Daniel Canarelli Gilbert Giraud Opel Kadett GT/E 15 7 7 h : 44 m : 53 s 4 19 Jean-Marie Soriano G. Morelli Alpine-Renault A110 1600 16 4 7 h : 54 m : 47 s 2 38 Auguste Turiani (Tchine) Denise Emanuelli Opel Kadett GT/E 17 5 8 h : 02 m : 35 s 2 49 Alain Coppier Robert Jocteur-Monrozier Peugeot 104 ZS 18 3 8 h : 05 m : 08 s 1 107 Ange-Paul Franceschi Daniel Chiesa Opel Kadett GT/E 19 4 8 h : 08 m : 47 s 1 97 Martine Cordesse Nicole Garçon Opel Kadett GT/E 20 6 8 h : 15 m : 58 s 2 61 Gilbert Casanova Jean-Yves Arrii Simca Rallye 2 21 7 8 h : 23 m : 17 s 2 47 Georges Fantino Auguste Giuge Opel Kadett GT/E 22 5 8 h : 28 m : 53 s 1 94 Vincent Sanna Gilbert Luigi Opel Kadett GT/E 23 6 8 h : 31 m : 45 s 1 101 Richard Thomas (rally driver) Jean-Claude Bonnard Opel Kadett GT/E 24 7 8 h : 33 m : 03 s 1 114 François Baldacci Joseph Cristiani Opel Kadett GT/E 25 8 8 h : 34 m : 10 s 1 117 Jean-Pierre Deriu "Chasty" Simca Rallye 3 26 9 8 h : 35 m : 05 s 1 111 F. Bartoli J-L. Colonna Opel Kadett GT/E 27 4 8 h : 35 m : 08 s 3 35 Pierre Gusciani R. Pradier Alpine-Renault A110 1600 28 10 8 h : 38 m : 48 s 1 103 Mathieu Martinetti Frédéric Coubard Autobianchi A112 Abarth 29 8 8 h : 45 m : 57 s 2 44 Jean-Charles Silvani Tanaka(Driver) Renault 5 Alpine 30 9 8 h : 46 m : 36 s 2 70 Guillaume Sanson Jean-Pierre Demaille Peugeot 504 31 11 8 h : 49 m : 55 s 1 105 X. Bartoli Mme. L. Bartoli Opel Kadett GT/E 32 12 8 h : 57 m : 27 s 1 106 Jean-Baptiste Bastelica Pierre Colombiani Volkswagen Golf GTi 33 5 8 h : 59 m : 29 s 3 34 Izé De Castelli J-C. Guilbert-Moine Porsche 911 SC 34 10 9 h : 14 m : 10 s 2 71 Jean-Charles Bassoul François Bassoul Renault 5 Alpine 35 13 9 h : 18 m : 24 s 1 121 B. Pasqualini P. Massiani Peugeot 104 36 11 9 h : 20 m : 02 s 2 57 M. Bussotti (Benny) M. d'Apolo Opel Kadett GT/E 37 12 9 h : 34 m : 34 s 2 84 L. Tomasi M. Giudicelli Simca Rallye 2 SS1 Retired (clutch) 4 2 Tony Pond Fred Gallagher Triumph TR7 V8 SS5 Retired (differential) 4 4 Jean-Pierre Manzagol Jean-François Philippi Alpine-Renault A110 1800 SS2 Retired (gearbox) 4 7 Jean-Luc Thérier Michel Vial Triumph TR7 V8 SS1 Retired (engine) 4 8 Francis Serpaggi Dominique Subrini Lancia Stratos HF SS2 Retired (accident) 4 11 Bruno Scabini Lancia Stratos HF SS3 Retired (electrical) 4 12 Vincent Francis Willy Huret Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0 SS3 Retired (punctures) 4 14 Attilio Bettega Gianni Vacchetto Lancia Stratos HF SS3 Retired 4 15 VerduraFarre Alpine-Renault A110 1600 Retired 4 16 Sébastien Vannucci François "FanFan" Vannucci Alpine-Renault A110 Retired 4 17 Murati Jacques Filippi Alpine-Renault A110 Retired 4 18 Ange-Marie Venturini Dominique Simonini Alpine-Renault A110 Retired 4 20 Marc Wilmot Uwe Fraas Alpine-Renault A110 SS5 Retired (Accident) 3 22 Gérard Swaton Bernard Cordesse Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Retired 3 23 "Sartou" Maurice Gélin Porsche 911 Retired 3 25 Giancarlo Ontano Giuseppe Fiorucci Porsche 911 Retired 3 26 Michel Branca Camoin Alpine-Renault A310 SS6 Retired (accident) 3 28 Christian Gardavot Georges Otto Porsche 911 Retired 3 31 "Rocal" A. Paolucci Porsche 911 Retired 3 32 Francis Leymarie Patrick Vieux-Rochat Alpine-Renault A110 Retired 3 33 Jean Taibi Pierre Innocenti Alpine-Renault A110 1600S Retired 3 36 "Noquin" Gérard Roncin Porsche 911 SS4 Retired (brakes) 1 37 Jean-Louis Clarr "Tilber" Opel Kadett GT/E SS3 Retired (electrics) 2 39 Yves Loubet Jean-Louis Mérigot Opel Kadett GT/E SS3 Retired (suspension) 2 42 Jean-Sébastien Couloumiès Jean-Bernard Vieu Opel Kadett GT/E Retired 2 43 Charles Alberti René Alemany ("Toutàfond") Opel Kadett GT/E SS2 Retired (oil pipe) 2 45 Christine Dacremont Isabelle Perrier Fiat 127 Sport Retired 2 46 Jean Bondrille Vincent Fattaccio Opel Kadett GT/E SS2 Retired (oil) 2 48 Antonella Mandelli Cristina Bertone Fiat 127 Sport Retired 2 50 Agostini Cipriani Triumph Dolomite Sprint SS5 Retired (distributor) 2 51 Mariane Fourton Marie-Madeleine Fouquet Fiat 127 Sport Retired 2 52 "La Guepe" Christiane Dutto Simca Rallye 2 Retired 2 53 Albert Braida Alain Boniface Volkswagen Golf GTi Retired 2 54 Jean-Jacques Audouard Rochebrun Opel Kadett GT/E SS3 Retired (distributor) 2 55 Anna Cambiaghi Enrica Marenghi Fiat 127 Sport Retired 2 56 "Olgui" Christian Ledent Opel Kadett GT/E Retired 2 58 Luc Desangles Paul-Marie Feretti Opel Kadett GT/E SS6 Retired (distributor) 2 59 Joëlle Chardin-Hazard Antoinette Straumann Fiat 127 Sport Retired 2 60 F-J. Galgani R. Dominici Toyota Retired 2 62 Jean-Yves Navucet Dominique Le Corre Opel Kadett GT/E SS10 Retired (electrical) 2 63 Maurizia Baresi Iva Boggio Fiat 127 Sport Retired 2 64 Massimo Belfiglio Mauro Fulchieri Autobianchi A112 Abarth Retired 2 65 Touquet Touquet Toyota Retired 2 66 Simongiovanni Muffragi Simca Rallye 2 Retired 2 68 Jean-André AntonettiJ. Fabiani Opel Kadett GT/E Retired 2 69 J. Milanini D. Agostini Opel Ascona Retired 2 72 Jacques de Peretti César de Peretti Opel Kadett GT/E Retired 2 73 Jean Lasfargeas Emile Opel Kadett GT/E Retired 2 74 Patrick Bernardini Alain Marketou Simca Rallye 2 Retired 2 76 Bernard Matteudi Philippe Denkin Opel Kadett GT/E Retired 2 78 André Colonna Jean Campana Renault 5 Alpine Retired 2 79 Jean-Pierre Carducci Cerezuela Simca Rallye 2 Retired 2 80 Jacques Filippi Charles Luciani Simca Rallye 2 Retired 2 81 Jean-Charles Martinetti Philippe Gabrielli Simca Rallye 2 Retired 2 82 BaranovskyAttil Peugeot 104 Retired 2 83 François Andreucci Panutti Simca Rallye 2 Retired 2 85 MemeMariani Peugeot 104 Retired 1 86 Claude Laurent Jacques Marché Peugeot 104 ZS Retired 1 87 Dominique De Meyer Baudon Opel Kadett GT/E Retired 1 90 Jean-Pierre Mari ("Smack") Jean-Pierre Giacomoni Toyota Celica Liftback SS5 Retired (mechanical) 1 92 Marc Praschl Christian Petit Ford Escort RS2000 Mk II Retired 1 93 Xavier Carlotti Jean-Luc Pegoix Peugeot 104 ZS Retired 1 95 "Bagheera" "Titus" Opel Kadett GT/E Retired (accident) 1 96 Jean-Pierre Leude François Souquet Opel Kadett GT/E Retired 1 98 José Murati de Susini Opel Kadett GT/E Retired 1 99 Jean-Félix Farrucci Albert Gori Opel Kadett GT/E Retired 1 100 J-P. Istria Patrick de la Foata Opel Kadett GT/E Retired 1 102 Gugliemi Seigneurie Opel Kadett GT/E Retired 1 104 Charles Marcelli ("Toupi") Jean Filippini ("Rolac") Volkswagen Golf GTi Retired 1 108 Italo ArenaDavinen Toyota Retired 1 109 Alex De Lanfranchi Quilici Volkswagen Golf GTi Retired 1 110 Grazzini Caraffa Opel Ascona Retired 1 112 Félicien Balesi Balesi Volkswagen Golf GTi Retired 1 113 Chiappe Antonini Volkswagen Golf GTi Retired 1 115 Jean PorriMijane Opel Kadett GT/E Retired 1 116 Rinaldi Albertini Simca Rallye 2 Retired 1 118 MembreMerlang DAF Retired 1 119 ColombaniCameron Peugeot 104 Retired 1 120 André Paoletti Paoletti Simca Rallye 2 Retired 1 122 Godart Breton Volkswagen Golf GTi
Championship standings 1978 World Rally Championship for Manufacturers: points standings after round 10 After round 10 Team Season end Position Points Position Points 1 134 Fiat 1 134 2 86 Opel 3 100 3 82 Ford 2 100 4 79 Porsche 4 79 5 50 Toyota 6 50 6 49 Lancia 7 49 7 45 Peugeot 8 45 8 42 Datsun 5 52 9 33 Renault 9 33 10 18 Saab 11 18 11 17 Volkswagen 12 17 12 16 Mitsubishi 13 16 13 14 Vauxhall 14 14 Alfa Romeo 14 14 15 12 British Leyland Cars 10 24 Mercedes 16 12 17 10 Volvo 17 10 18 6 Škoda 19 6 19 5 Alpine-Renault 20 5 20 4 Lada 21 4
References
External links Official website 1978 Tour de Corse at Rallye-info ()