Mario Andretti in the rain at Montreal’s 1978 season finale

With the 1978 title already secured, Mario Andretti’s final Lotus appearance of the season came in a soaked Montreal practice session, where temperatures fell to 5°C and snow was considered a possibility

Mario Andretti drives a Lotus through rain at Montreal

David Phipps/Sutton Images

September 1, 2026

October 7, 1978
Montreal, Canada

With the 1978 F1 title already in the bag for Lotus’s Mario Andretti, the final round of the season saw the American finish the race a lap down, with Motor Sport reporting an “end-of-term” feel to the proceedings. This is Andretti during a saturated practice session – and at 5°C some expected the rain to turn to snow.