1.
GV Competitors in United States Grand prix away at start, with car number 11, driven by Carlos Reutemann in second place, followed by car number 12, Gilles Villeneuve of Canada.
0.08

2.
BV Cars rounding bend after start.
0.16

3.
LV Reutemann followed by Villeneuve and others.
0.22

4.
SV Reutemann and Villeneuve over brow of hill followed by others.
0.34

5.
SV Reutemann and Villeneuve rounding bend, followed by number 26, Jaques Lafitte of France. (2 SHOTS)
0.46

6.
SV Mario Andretti (USA) in car number 5 up slope after rounding bend, followed by Alan Jones of Australia in car number 27, followed by Niki Launda in car number 1, followed by another. (2 SHOTS)
1.01

7.
GV Niki Launda leaving his car after breakdown as cars continue racing past. (3 SHOTS)
1.17

8.
SV Car number 27, Alan Jones of Australia, racing around bend.
1.23

9.
GV ZOOM OUT FROM Spectators as cars race down strait.
1.28

10.
GV Carlos Reutemann being flagged in the winner.
1.34

11.
SV Reutemann into winner circle and name on car. (2 SHOTS)
1.44

12.
SV Reutemann receives winners laurels and cup.
2.00



Initials JS/1815


SPORT: MOTOR RACING

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Motor racing -- and Argentina driver Carlos Reutemann drove his Ferrari to an easy victory in the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen on Sunday (1 October) -- completing a clean sweep of the two American Formula One races.

SYNOPSIS: 1978 World Championship leader Mario Andretti of the United States was first off from the start in the number two Lotus after knocking a wheel off his own car in the final warm-up before the race. But Reutemann and his Canadian team-mate Gilles Villeneuve swept past him on the second lap.

From then onwards, to the disappointment of the 100,000 strong home crowd, it was all over for the American -- who has already clinched this year's championship but is trying to equal the late Jim Clark's record of seven Grand Prix wins in a season. Meanwhile, Reutemann was forging ahead, all out to establish a big lead.

And while others struggled he did just that. Early in the race Reutemann was almost thirty seconds in front and cruised easily to victory. Australian Alan Jones moved into second place on the 27th lap in his Williams-Ford.

It was a bad day for Austrian ace Niki Launda too. He now ties for third place in the World Championships with Reutemann, with the late Ronnie Petersen still second on the list. A victory for either Reutemann or Launda in the final Grand Prix of the season in Montreal, Canada, would put the winner in second place with 53 points.

As he passed the chequered flag Reutemann was just over nineteen seconds ahead of Alan Jones. South African Jody Scheckter captured third place in a Wolf-Ford, four laps from the end. After the race Reutemann said he had been "extremely confident". "I know the track", he explained, "Once I established a big lead I knew I could drive easily the rest of the way". Reutemann will be joining the Lotus team next year-- and may well have his sights set on Championship honours.