Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Muna 1978 Merzario akabatana neSwiss Formula One entrant Guglielmo Bellasi ndokuvaka hwaro hwechikwata chake. Merzario's first self-built Formula One effort, the A1, yakaonekwa muna 1978 uye yaive mota yakajairika yakavakirwa zvakanyanya paMarch 761B yake, iine ruvara rutsvuku uye bhodhi rakasviba rinoyeuchidza zvishoma nezveFerrari 312T2 mukushandiswa kwayo kwepombi-parutivi ducting yekupinza mweya. Yakashandisa mubatanidzwa wenguva dzose weCosworth DFV injini uye Hewland gearbox. Chipfeko chakachinja kubva pakuva chitsvuku kuenda kuchitema pamberi pe
1978 Monaco Grand Prix, kunyange zvazvo yakanga isati iri kusvikira kuSweden Grand Prix iyo yakapedza nhangemutange, kunyange zvazvo isina kuiswa, iri makumbo masere kure nemukundi mushure mekumira kwenguva refu. Nokuda kweAustria Grand Prix, A1 yechipiri yakabudiswa pachena, kunyange zvazvo yaifungidzirwa kuti iyi yakanga iri yechikwata chekare chaMarch 761B ine muviri mutsva. Nemotokari iyi yaaiva nayo, Merzario akaita zviri nani zvishoma mumakwikwi asi zvakadaro akakundikana kuiswa mumakwikwi. Nokuda kweItaly Grand Prix, zvose zviri zviviri A1s zvakapinda, naAlberto Colombo achityaira A1 yepakutanga uye Merzario achitora A1 yechipiri yechipiri. Colombo akaisa nguva inononoka panguva yekukodzera uye haana kuita gridhi, nepo Merzario akakodzera zvakanaka, chete kuti injini ikundikane panguva yemakwikwi. Chikwata chakakwanisa motokari yacho kanokwana kasere muna 1978, asi yakasiya basa kanomwe nekutadza kwemichina.