Driven by Didier Pironi and Patrick Depailler, it achieved several podium finishes including a win at the 1978 Monaco Grand Prix.

The idea was to position the radiators in the underside of the car, in turn tidying up the aerodynamics, and use the fan to extract heat from them.

[3] A small rear mounted fan had been developed to cool the oil and water radiators with the added bonus of aerodynamic downforce, but unlike Gordon Murray's effort, the team could not get the technology to work effectively.

[2] The 008 made its debut in the season opening Argentine Grand Prix, where Depailler qualified 10th and finished in third.

Although he retired from the following Brazilian Grand Prix, he recorded consecutive podiums at the next three events; a second in South Africa, a third in the United States and his maiden win in Monaco, where he achieved his best qualifying of the year, fifth.