The Type 78 was a very important car. This was the team’s first example of their research into "Ground Effect".
The drivers for 1977 were Mario Andretti and Gunner Nilsson, optimistic after testing.
Lotus were now back amongst the front runners with Andretti 3rd in the Drivers Championship with Nilsson equal 8th.
Nilsson left Lotus at the end of 1977 to join the Arrows team, but was diagnosed with terminal Cancer and was given less than a year to live.
The 78 continued to be used by Team Lotus until the second generation ground effect car, the Type 79 was ready.
Round 1 in Argentina brought a win from pole position for Andretti and 5th place for Peterson.
Using aerodynamics on the underside of the chassis to suck the car to the ground, greatly increasing cornering speeds.
The first Grand Prix of the season in Argentina saw Andretti taking over Nilsson's car for the race after his own had the fire extinguisher explode.
Andretti had qualified 4th and was running 3rd until two laps from the end when a wheel bearing failed and dropped him to 5th.
Round 2 in Brazil saw Nilsson finish 5th with Andretti retiring.
South Africa didn’t bring any points, but the fourth race of the season at Long Beach brought Andretti his first victory of the season, while Nilsson brought his 78 home 8th.
The following Grand Prix in Spain was even better with Andretti winning from pole and Nilsson finishing 5th.
Monaco brought Team Lotus 2 more points courtesy of Andretti finishing 5th, while the Belgian Grand Prix saw pole position for Andretti, but the win and fastest lap for Gunner Nilsson.
The following race in Sweden may have seen Andretti claim pole, fastest lap and race lead for 67 laps, but at the finish he had slipped to 6th.
Round 9 in France gave Team Lotus their best finish of the year with win, pole and fastest lap for Andretti and 4th place for Nilsson.
The British Grand Prix at Silverstone gave Nilsson his second podium of the season with 3rd place and ultimately his last finish for Lotus, with retirements in the final 7 Grand Prix.
Andretti fared better after Silverstone with 3 poles, two fastest laps and a victory and 2nd place from the last 5 races of 1977.
Team Lotus meanwhile had surged back to 2nd in the Constructors Championship.
Into his place stepped Ronnie Peterson, back after two frustrating seasons with March and Tyrrell.
The following Brazilian Grand Prix saw Peterson claim pole position but only Andretti finished, in 4th place.
Hector Rebaque also started in a third 78, but retired.
The third race of the season gave Peterson his first win on his return to Lotus. Andretti finished 7th in South Africa but had the consolation of setting fastest lap. Rebaque also finished 10th in the third 78.
The Long Beach Grand Prix saw a double points finish for Lotus with Andretti 2nd and Peterson 4th.
Monaco didn’t bring any points for Lotus, and this was the last race that Andretti drove the 78, switching to the 79 thereafter.
Peterson continued with the 78 for one more race and took 2nd place and fastest lap in Belgium.
Rebaque drove his 78 for the rest of the season and finished 6th in the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.
