The 1978 USA East Grand Prix was Round 15 of the 1978 Formula 1 World Championship. The event was held at Watkins Glen, United States on Sunday, 1 October 1978. Mario Andretti started on pole position in the Lotus Ford and Carlos Reutemann was the race winner for Ferrari.
1978 USA East Grand Prix Race Result
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Nationality | Team | Tyre | Laps | Time/Retired | Race Time | Gap | Interval | Best Lap | Lap | Speed | Started | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Carlos Reutemann | Argentina | Ferrari | Michelin | 59 | 1:40:48.800 | 1:40:48.800 | - | - | 1:41.426 | 190.846 | 2 | 9 | |
| 2 | 27 | Alan Jones | Australia | Williams Ford | Goodyear | 59 | +19.739 | 1:41:08.539 | +19.739 | +19.739 | 1:41.293 | 190.226 | 3 | 6 | |
| 3 | 20 | Jody Scheckter | South Africa | Wolf Ford | Goodyear | 59 | +45.701 | 1:41:34.501 | +45.701 | +25.962 | 1:41.412 | 189.415 | 11 | 4 | |
| 4 | 15 | Jean Pierre Jabouille | France | Renault | Michelin | 59 | +1:25.007 | 1:42:13.807 | +1:25.007 | +39.306 | 1:41.421 | 188.201 | 9 | 3 | |
| 5 | 14 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Brazil | Fittipaldi Ford | Goodyear | 59 | +1:28.089 | 1:42:16.889 | +1:28.089 | +3.082 | 1:41.703 | 188.107 | 13 | 2 | |
| 6 | 8 | Patrick Tambay | France | McLaren Ford | Goodyear | 59 | +1:50.210 | 1:42:39.010 | +1:50.210 | +22.121 | 1:41.870 | 187.431 | 18 | 1 | |
| 7 | 7 | James Hunt | Great Britain | McLaren Ford | Goodyear | 58 | +1 lap | 1 lap | 1 lap | 1:41.477 | 6 | ||||
| 8 | 22 | Derek Daly | Ireland | Ensign Ford | Goodyear | 58 | +1 lap | 1 lap | 1:42.303 | 19 | |||||
| 9 | 18 | René Arnoux | France | Surtees Ford | Goodyear | 58 | +1 lap | 1 lap | 1:42.294 | 21 | |||||
| 10 | 3 | Didier Pironi | France | Tyrrell Ford | Goodyear | 58 | +1 lap | 1 lap | 1:42.686 | 16 | |||||
| 11 | 26 | Jacques Laffite | France | Ligier Matra | Goodyear | 58 | +1 lap | 1 lap | 1:41.047 | 10 | |||||
| 12 | 21 | Bobby Rahal | United States | Wolf Ford | Goodyear | 58 | +1 lap | 1 lap | 1:43.983 | 20 | |||||
| 13 | 23 | Brett Lunger | United States | Ensign Ford | Goodyear | 58 | +1 lap | 1 lap | 1:43.944 | 24 | |||||
| 14 | 17 | Clay Regazzoni | Switzerland | Shadow Ford | Goodyear | 56 | +3 laps | 3 laps | 2 laps | 1:42.739 | 17 | ||||
| 15 | 55 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | France | Lotus Ford | Goodyear | 55 | Out of Fuel | 4 laps | 1 lap | 1:39.557 | 55 | 8 | |||
| 16 | 36 | Rolf Stommelen | Germany | Arrows Ford | Goodyear | 54 | +5 laps | 5 laps | 1 lap | 1:45.309 | 22 | ||||
| DNF | 37 | Arturo Merzario | Italy | Merzario Ford | Goodyear | 46 | Gearbox | 1:45.206 | 26 | ||||||
| DNF | 9 | Michael Bleekemolen | Netherlands | ATS Ford | Goodyear | 43 | Oil Leak | 1:45.097 | 25 | ||||||
| DNF | 1 | Niki Lauda | Austria | Brabham Alfa Romeo | Goodyear | 28 | Engine | 1:42.460 | 5 | ||||||
| DNF | 5 | Mario Andretti | United States | Lotus Ford | Goodyear | 27 | Engine | 1:43.006 | 1 | ||||||
| DNF | 2 | John Watson | Great Britain | Brabham Alfa Romeo | Goodyear | 25 | Engine | 1:42.736 | 7 | ||||||
| DNF | 4 | Patrick Depailler | France | Tyrrell Ford | Goodyear | 23 | Wheel | 1:42.911 | 12 | ||||||
| DNF | 12 | Gilles Villeneuve | Canada | Ferrari | Michelin | 22 | Engine | 1:41.404 | 4 | ||||||
| DNF | 10 | Keke Rosberg | Finland | ATS Ford | Goodyear | 21 | Transmission | 1:43.629 | 15 | ||||||
| DNF | 16 | Hans-Joachim Stuck | Germany | Shadow Ford | Goodyear | 1 | Fuel System | 2:27.746 | 2:27.746 | 1 | 132.429 | 14 | |||
| DNF | 25 | Hector Rebaque | Mexico | Lotus Ford | Goodyear | Clutch | 23 | ||||||||
| DNQ | 19 | Beppe Gabbiani | Italy | Surtees Ford | Goodyear |