Saturday 6th March 1976

The South African Grand Prix at Kyalami saw Niki Lauda win in a Ferrari from his outside pole position over James Hunt who finished just over a second behind. Hunt also sat on pole for the race. Jochen Mass finished third, 45 seconds back. The win was Lauda’s third win in succession. He finished 1.3 seconds ahead of British driver and Lauda’s season long rival James Hunt in a McLaren M23. Hunt’s McLaren team mate, West German driver Jochen Mass, finished third.

Hunt took pole position for the second time in two races, with Lauda alongside. Lauda led into the first corner, with Hunt dropping down to fourth behind Mass and Italian driver Vittorio Brambilla in his March 761. Hunt was waved through by Mass, and passed Brambilla to take second after five laps. Lauda led from start to finish to win. Behind Hunt and Mass, South African driver Jody Scheckter was fourth in his Tyrrell 007. A lap down in fifth was British driver John Watson in a Penske PC3 with Mario Andretti sixth in a Parnelli VPJ4B.

Two wins from two races saw Lauda twelve points clear in the championship over Hunt and Tyrrell’s Patrick Depailler. In the constructors’ championship, Ferrari were nine points clear of Tyrrell and eleven points ahead of McLaren.