The usual pre-race paraphernalia ahead of the annual blast around the Circuit de Monaco was dragged out for the 1978 race, with the circuit opened, as ever, by the Prince and Princess of Monaco.[2] The pre-race warm-up passed without issue, before various parades of old cars, drivers and road vehicles heralded the start of the Grand Prix.[2] Indeed, two parade/warm-up laps later and the field were assembled on the grid, with Carlos Reutemann awaiting the change of the starters lights scheduled for 3:30pm.[2]