# 1978 German Formula Three Championship

The 1978 German Formula Three Championship (German: 1978 Deutsche Formel-3-Meisterschaft) was a multi-event motor racing championship for single-seat open wheel formula racing cars held in Germany and in Belgium. The championship featured drivers competing in two-litre Formula Three racing cars which conformed to the technical regulations, or formula, for the championship. It commenced on 12 March at Circuit Zolder and ended at Erding on 1 October after nine rounds.
Klaus Zimmermann Racing Team driver Bertram Schäfer became a champion. He won races at Zolder, Nürburgring and Wunstorf. Alan Smith finished as runner-up, he was consistent but wasn't able to win a race. The same was true for Helmut Bross, who completed the top-three in the drivers' standings. Jochen Dauer, Michael Korten and Walter Lechner were the only other drivers who were able to win a race in the season.

## Calendar

All rounds were held in West Germany, excepting Zolder rounds that were held in Belgium.
| Round | Location | Circuit | Date | Supporting |
| 1 | Heusden-Zolder, Belgium | Circuit Zolder | 12 March | IX. AvD/MVBL "Bergischer Löwe" |
| 2 | Nürburg, West Germany | Nürburgring | 2 April | XIII. ADAC Goodyear 300 km Rennen |
| 3 | Nürburg, West Germany | Nürburgring | 28 May | XXIV. ADAC 1000 km Rennen |
| 4 | Wunstorf, West Germany | Wunstorf Air Base | 11 June | ADAC Flugplatz-Rennen Wunstorf |
| 5 | Diepholz, West Germany | Diepholz Airfield Circuit | 23 July | 11. ADAC-Flugplatzrennen Diepholz |
| 6 | Heusden-Zolder, Belgium | Circuit Zolder | 20 August | 12. ADAC-Westfalen-Pokal-Rennen |
| 7 | Ulm-Mengen, West Germany | Ulm-Mengen | 27 August | 13. ADAC-Rundstreckenrennen Ulm-Mengen |
| 8 | Kassel-Calden, West Germany | Kassel-Calden Circuit | 3 September | ADAC-Hessen-Preis |
| 9 | Erding, West Germany | Erding Air Base | 1 October | ADAC Flugplatz-Rennen Erding |

## Championship standings

* Points are awarded as follows:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 20 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Pos | Driver | ZOL1 | NÜR1 | NÜR2 | WUN | DIE | ZOL2 | ULM | KAS | ERD | Points |
| 1 | Bertram Schäfer | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | | | 117 |
| 2 | Alan Smith | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 | | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 87 |
| 3 | Helmut Bross | 2 | 2 | | 2 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 85 |
| 4 | Jochen Dauer | 9 | | | 3 | 1 | | 5 | 1 | 1 | 82 |
| 5 | Hans Georg Burger | | | 4 | | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 | | 56 |
| 6 | Michael Korten | | | | 4 | | | 1 | 3 | | 42 |
| 7 | Walter Lechner | | | 1 | 8 | | 8 | 3 | | | 38 |
| 8 | Rudi Niggemeier | | 4 | | 9 | 6 | 4 | | 6 | | 34 |
| 9 | Thomas von Löwis | | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | | | | | 32 |
| 10 | Frank Jelinski | | | | | | 7 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 26 |
| 11 | Wolfgang Locher | 6 | | | 7 | | 3 | | | | 22 |
| 12 | Heinz Scherle | 3 | | | | | | | | | 12 |
| 13 | Heinrich Wiese | | | 6 | | 8 | | | | | 9 |
| 14 | Axel Plankenhorn | 5 | | | | | | | | | 8 |
| 15 | Herbert Burgmayr | | | | | | | | | 5 | 8 |
| 16 | Andy Wietzke | 10 | | | | 9 | 9 | | | | 5 |
| 17 | Walter Spitaler | 7 | | | | | | | | | 4 |
| 18 | Olaf Höhn | | | | | 7 | | | | | 4 |
| 19 | Franz Konrad | | | | | | 10 | 8 | | | 4 |
| 20 | Peter Kroeber | 8 | | | | | | | | | 3 |
| 21 | Peter Hoffmann | | | | 10 | | | | | | 1 |
| 22 | Konrad Heberer | | | | | 10 | | | | | 1 |
| Pos | Driver | ZOL1 | NÜR1 | NÜR2 | WUN | DIE | ZOL2 | ULM | KAS | ERD | Points |
| Colour | Result |
| Gold | Winner |
| Silver | Second place |
| Bronze | Third place |
| Green | Points finish |
| Blue | Non-points finish |
| Blue | Non-classified finish (NC) |
| Purple | Retired (Ret) |
| Red | Did not qualify (DNQ) |
| Red | Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) |
| Black | Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White | Did not start (DNS) |
| White | Withdrew (WD) |
| White | Race cancelled (C) |
| Blank | Did not practice (DNP) |
| Blank | Did not arrive (DNA) |
| Blank | Excluded (EX) |