1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix

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1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix
Race 16 of 16 in the 1982 Formula One World Championship
Circuit Caesars Palace.png
Race details
DateSeptember 25, 1982
Official name 2nd Caesars Palace Grand Prix
Location Las Vegas Strip
Course Temporary street course
Course length 3.650 km (2.268 miles)
Distance 75 laps, 273.75 km (170.10 miles)
Weather Sunny with temperatures reaching up to 98.8 °F (37.1 °C); wind speeds approaching 18.1 miles per hour (29.1 km/h) [1]
Pole position
Driver Renault
Time 1:16.356
Fastest lap
Driver Flag of Italy.svg Michele Alboreto Tyrrell-Ford
Time 1:19.639 on lap 59
Podium
First Tyrrell-Ford
Second McLaren-Ford
Third Ligier-Matra
Lap leaders
  • 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix

The 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 25, 1982 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the sixteenth and final race of the 1982 FIA Formula One World Championship, and the second and last F1 race to be held in Caesars Palace.

Contents

The 75-lap race was won by Michele Alboreto, driving a Tyrrell-Ford. Alboreto scored Tyrrell's first victory since the 1978 Monaco Grand Prix, becoming the eleventh different winning driver of 1982 while Tyrrell became the seventh different winning constructor. John Watson finished second in a McLaren-Ford, with Eddie Cheever third in a Ligier-Matra. Keke Rosberg finished fifth in his Williams-Ford to secure the Drivers' Championship, with Ferrari taking the Constructors' Championship despite neither car finishing in the top six.

This was the last F1 race for 1978 World Champion Mario Andretti. It was also the last race for the Ensign and Fittipaldi teams, the last for March until 1987, and the last for Matra as an engine supplier.

Background

When the 1982 Formula One schedule was first released in October 1981, the Caesars Palace Grand Prix was scheduled for Saturday, October 16, 1982. [2]

In anticipation of the second year in Las Vegas, race organizers attempted to make the weekend even larger by also scheduling an CART Indy car race. The weekend would consist of a Can-Am race on Friday, the Formula One Grand Prix on Saturday, then the track would be converted to an oval for Indy cars on Sunday. [3]

Shortly after CART announced their 1982 schedule confirming the Las Vegas race twin bill, the Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile (FISA) announced the Caesars Palace Grand Prix would be moved to September 25. Jean-Marie Balestre, head of FISA, explained this was done to shorten the one month wait between the Italian Grand Prix and the Caesars Palace Grand Prix. It was also done so the American television broadcaster, NBC, would not have a conflict with their coverage of the 1982 World Series being held the same weekend. This new date was in conflict with CART's previously scheduled race at Michigan International Speedway. Furthermore, FISA prevented any future F1-IndyCar combination weekends by instituting a rule that banned two open-wheel series with engines over two liters from competing at the same venue on the same weekend. [4]

In response, CART president John Frasco said, "I don't know all the politics, but it's pretty obvious FISA doesn't want to race with us... I didn't think we were competing against each other because we would be racing on different configurations. Caesars Palace thought the doubleheader concept was fascinating, so did Bernie Ecclestone, and so did we. But obviously, other people involved didn't feel that way." [5]

Qualifying report

For the first time since the World Championship began in 1950, a country hosted three rounds in the same season in 1982. The final race of the year, and the third in the US, would once again decide the Championship. Keke Rosberg of Williams had 42 points, to 33 for McLaren's John Watson, and needed to finish sixth or better to secure the title. Meanwhile, the race was former world champion Mario Andretti's final grand prix.

The course's tight turns and short straights allowed the non-turbo cars to be more competitive than usual, with Michele Alboreto's Tyrrell and Eddie Cheever's Talbot Ligier fastest among them. The turbocharged Renaults of Alain Prost and René Arnoux took first and second positions in qualifying, more than eight-tenths clear of Alboreto. The two Championship contenders, Rosberg and Watson, meanwhile, were in sixth and ninth places respectively, separated by the Ferraris of Mario Andretti and Patrick Tambay.

Championship permutations

Rosberg and Watson both entered this race with a chance of winning the Drivers' Championship.

For the first time since 1964, three teams entered the final race with a chance of winning the Constructors' Championship.

Race report

At the green light for the race on Saturday, Prost led from the pole, followed by teammate Arnoux. Cheever, from the fourth spot on the grid, was determined to get around the outside of Alboreto on the first left-hander. They touched wheels, but both continued with Alboreto still in front, Cheever's Ligier sporting a vibrating front wheel and the Tyrrell of Alboreto bearing a tire mark on the right sidepod.

For the first ten laps, the Renaults steadily pulled away from Alboreto, with Arnoux now leading Prost. The Tyrrell began to match Arnoux's times, however, and then to close on him, as Prost took back the lead on lap 15. Speculation of a problem with Arnoux's car proved true, as the Renault was faltering, and he retired on lap 21.

Watson, meanwhile, had dropped to twelfth in the opening laps, but passed Piquet on lap 12, then Rosberg, Andretti and Cheever on successive laps, eventually reaching third place, with a thirty-second gap to the two leaders. However, when Andretti, hoping to help clinch the Constructors' title for Ferrari, slid off directly in front of Rosberg on lap 27 with a broken rear suspension link, Rosberg took over the fifth place he sought.

Among the leaders, Alboreto began inching closer to Prost again, and Watson continued to close on both of them. Niki Lauda's McLaren retired on lap 54, while Alboreto had eliminated the gap to Prost, and gotten by him to take the lead in a Grand Prix for the first time. Prost's tires were picking up rubber and had developed a vibration. In four more laps, Watson had also caught and passed him, but he was having the same problem as Prost, and so could make no progress on Alboreto.

Alboreto cruised to a comfortable victory, his first ever and the first for Tyrrell in four years. Alboreto was the 11th different victor that year. Cheever was also able to overtake the ailing Prost for third, nine laps from the end. Less than three seconds behind Prost, and the last car on the lead lap, was Rosberg, who therefore won the world title. Ferrari won the Constructors' Championship despite not finishing in the points.

Classification

Qualifying

PosNoDriverConstructorQ1Q2Gap
115 Flag of France.svg Alain Prost Renault 1:18.9221:16.356
216 Flag of France.svg René Arnoux Renault 1:17.8681:16.786+0.430
33 Flag of Italy.svg Michele Alboreto Tyrrell-Ford 1:18.7561:17.646+1.290
425 Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Cheever Ligier-Matra 1:18.8421:17.683+1.327
52 Flag of Italy.svg Riccardo Patrese Brabham-BMW 1:20.3861:17.772+1.416
66 Flag of Finland.svg Keke Rosberg Williams-Ford 1:19.1621:17.886+1.530
728 Flag of the United States.svg Mario Andretti Ferrari 1:19.2461:17.921+1.565
827 Flag of France.svg Patrick Tambay Ferrari 1:21.0671:17.958+1.602
97 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Watson McLaren-Ford 1:19.3201:17.986+1.630
1035 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Derek Warwick Toleman-Hart 1:20.1811:18.012+1.656
1126 Flag of France.svg Jacques Laffite Ligier-Matra 1:19.6351:18.056+1.700
121 Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Nelson Piquet Brabham-BMW 1:19.2101:18.275+1.919
138 Flag of Austria.svg Niki Lauda McLaren-Ford 1:19.1711:18.333+1.977
145 Flag of Ireland.svg Derek Daly Williams-Ford 1:19.8081:18.418+2.062
1514 Flag of Colombia.svg Roberto Guerrero Ensign-Ford 1:20.5161:18.496+2.140
1623 Flag of Italy.svg Bruno Giacomelli Alfa Romeo 1:20.0651:18.622+2.266
1729 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Marc Surer Arrows-Ford 1:19.7641:18.734+2.378
1822 Flag of Italy.svg Andrea de Cesaris Alfa Romeo 1:19.7281:18.761+2.405
194 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Brian Henton Tyrrell-Ford 1:21.0381:18.765+2.409
2031 Flag of France.svg Jean-Pierre Jarier Osella-Ford 1:19.222no time+2.866
2111 Flag of Italy.svg Elio de Angelis Lotus-Ford 1:19.5641:19.302+2.946
2212 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Nigel Mansell Lotus-Ford 1:20.9861:19.439+3.083
239 Flag of Germany.svg Manfred Winkelhock ATS-Ford 1:21.5631:19.767+3.411
2430 Flag of Italy.svg Mauro Baldi Arrows-Ford 1:20.2711:20.824+3.915
2518 Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Raul Boesel March-Ford 1:20.7661:21.215+4.410
2617 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Rupert Keegan March-Ford 1:26.0481:21.180+4.824
2733 Flag of Ireland.svg Tommy Byrne Theodore-Ford 1:24.2081:21.555+5.199
2836 Flag of Italy.svg Teo Fabi Toleman-Hart 1:22.3241:21.569+5.213
2910 Flag of Chile.svg Eliseo Salazar ATS-Ford 1:23.1481:21.583+5.227
3020 Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Chico Serra Fittipaldi-Ford 1:23.1001:22.387+6.031
Source: [6]

Race

PosNoDriverConstructorTyreLapsTime/RetiredGridPoints
13 Flag of Italy.svg Michele Alboreto Tyrrell-Ford G 751:41:56.88839
27 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg John Watson McLaren-Ford M 75+ 27.29296
325 Flag of the United States.svg Eddie Cheever Ligier-Matra M 75+ 56.45044
415 Flag of France.svg Alain Prost Renault M 75+ 1:08.64813
56 Flag of Finland.svg Keke Rosberg Williams-Ford G 75+ 1:11.37562
65 Flag of Ireland.svg Derek Daly Williams-Ford G 74+ 1 Lap141
729 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Marc Surer Arrows-Ford P 74+ 1 Lap17
84 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Brian Henton Tyrrell-Ford G 74+ 1 Lap19
922 Flag of Italy.svg Andrea de Cesaris Alfa Romeo M 73+ 2 Laps18
1023 Flag of Italy.svg Bruno Giacomelli Alfa Romeo M 73+ 2 Laps16
1130 Flag of Italy.svg Mauro Baldi Arrows-Ford P 73+ 2 Laps23
1217 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Rupert Keegan March-Ford M 73+ 2 Laps25
1318 Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Raul Boesel March-Ford M 69+ 6 Laps24
NC9 Flag of Germany.svg Manfred Winkelhock ATS-Ford M 62+ 13 Laps22
Ret8 Flag of Austria.svg Niki Lauda McLaren-Ford M 53Engine13
Ret33 Flag of Ireland.svg Tommy Byrne Theodore-Ford G 39Spun Off26
Ret35 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Derek Warwick Toleman-Hart P 32Spark Plugs10
Ret11 Flag of Italy.svg Elio de Angelis Lotus-Ford G 28Engine20
Ret28 Flag of the United States.svg Mario Andretti Ferrari G 26Suspension7
Ret1 Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Nelson Piquet Brabham-BMW G 26Spark Plugs12
Ret16 Flag of France.svg René Arnoux Renault M 20Engine2
Ret2 Flag of Italy.svg Riccardo Patrese Brabham-BMW G 17Clutch5
Ret12 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Nigel Mansell Lotus-Ford G 8Collision21
Ret26 Flag of France.svg Jacques Laffite Ligier-Matra M 5Ignition11
DNS27 Flag of France.svg Patrick Tambay Ferrari G 0Driver Unfit8
DNS14 Flag of Colombia.svg Roberto Guerrero Ensign-Ford M 0Engine15
DNS31 Flag of France.svg Jean-Pierre Jarier Osella-Ford P
DNQ36 Flag of Italy.svg Teo Fabi Toleman-Hart P
DNQ10 Flag of Chile.svg Eliseo Salazar ATS-Ford M
DNQ20 Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Chico Serra Fittipaldi-Ford P
Source: [7] [8]

Final championship standings after the race

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References

  1. "Weather information for the "1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix"". The Old Farmers' Almanac. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
  2. "Formula 1 Dates Set". Springfield Leader and Press. October 9, 1981. p. 18. Retrieved November 11, 2023 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. "CART Announced Schedule Featuring First F1 Doubleheader". The Press Democrat. November 29, 1981. p. 44. Retrieved November 11, 2023 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  4. Vierra, Dan (December 25, 1981). "Wrench in CART's Works". Sacramento Bee. p. 53. Retrieved November 11, 2023 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  5. Miller, Robin (January 10, 1982). "Indy Car, Formula 1 Twin Bill at Vegas Wiped Out By FISA". The Indianapolis Star. p. 73. Retrieved November 11, 2023 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  6. "1982 Las Vegas Grand Prix". formula1.com. Archived from the original on February 19, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  7. "1982 Las Vegas Grand Prix". formula1.com. Archived from the original on February 19, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
  8. "1982 Las Vegas Grand Prix - Race Results & History - GP Archive". GPArchive.com. September 25, 1982. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  9. 1 2 "Las Vegas 1982 - Championship • STATS F1". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved March 14, 2019.

Further reading

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1982 Italian Grand Prix
FIA Formula One World Championship
1982 season
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1983 Brazilian Grand Prix
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1981 Caesars Palace Grand Prix
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1983 Caesars Palace Grand Prix (CART)