1977 Swedish Grand Prix


The 1977 Swedish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Scandinavian Raceway on 19 June 1977. It was the eighth race of the 1977 World Championship of F1 Drivers and the 1977 International Cup for F1 Constructors.
The 72-lap race was won by Frenchman Jacques Laffite, driving a Ligier-Matra. This was the first Formula One victory for a French team and a French engine, as well as the first all-French victory in the Formula One World Championship.
German driver Jochen Mass finished second in a McLaren-Ford, with Argentinian Carlos Reutemann third in a Ferrari.

Report

The Swedish race was full of anticipation after Gunnar Nilsson's win last time out, but once again in qualifying, it was his teammate Mario Andretti leading the way from John Watson, with James Hunt heading the second row. At the start, again it was Watson who led into the first corner followed by Jody Scheckter, but soon Andretti passed both of them and opened up a lead. Watson and Scheckter battled for second until they collided, with Scheckter having to retire and Watson pitting for repairs. Hunt took second but he began to drop back and was passed by a charging Jacques Laffite, and then by his teammate Jochen Mass. Andretti however, was dominant until he had to pit due to a fuel metering problem with two laps left, handing the lead to Laffite who went on to take his first ever win ahead of Mass and Reutemann.
Laffite's victory in his Gitanes-sponsored Ligier-Matra marked the first all-French victory in World Championship history.

Classification

Championship standings after the race

;Drivers' Championship standings
;Constructors' Championship standings