The 1977 Belgian Grand Prix was held at Zolder on 5 June 1977. It was the seventh race of the 1977 World Championship of F1 Drivers and the 1977 International Cup for F1 Constructors.
In the qualifying session, Mario Andretti (Lotus-Ford took a comfortable pole position with John Watson just beating the second Lotus of Gunnar Nilsson to second, while Niki Lauda started outside the top ten for Scuderia Ferrari. Carlos Reutemann in the other Ferrari car, finished the qualifying session in P7.
The race was wet due to rain earlier in the day, and Watson took the lead at the first corner, but later in the first lap, Andretti ran into the back to him while attempting to retake the lead, resulting in both of them spinning out and Jody Scheckter taking the lead.
Scheckter led the early stages ahead of Nilsson, whereas Carlos Reutemann made an early charge but spun off. The track began to dry and everyone had to pit for tyres, and those who stopped early were the ones who benefited, as now Niki Lauda was leading for Ferrari from Jochen Mass and Scheckter was down to fifth. Mass spun off from second, handing it to Nilsson who then went on to catch and pass Niki Lauda before driving away to his first career victory. Behind second-placed Lauda, Ronnie Peterson completed the podium for Team Tyrrell after Scheckter retired with an engine failure. This remains the only F1 race in which two Swedes shared the podium. Niki Lauda’s Ferrari teammate, Carlos Reutemann, had to retire after an accident on lap 14.
1977 Belgian Grand Prix highlights:
— see video above —
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