United States GP 1982

United States GP, 1982

Although there were still some outstanding battles over protests, the World Championship decider in Las Vegas as a straight fight between Keke Rosberg and John Watson and with nine points between them Watson's only hope was that Keke would fail to finish and he would win. This would give him the title because Rosberg had won only a single race.

Ferrari decided to keep Mario Andretti for a second race while Jacques Laffite announced that he was moving to Williams in 1983. The entry was the same as at Monza but this time Alain Prost and Rene Arnoux were on the front row in their Renaults. Michele Alboreto was a surprising third for Tyrrell ahead of Eddie Cheever's Talbot Ligier and the Brabham-BMW of Riccardo Patrese. Rosberg was fifth with Andretti's Ferrari alongside and Patrick Tambay behind them, ahead of Watson. The top 10 was completed by Derek Warwick in the new Toleman-Hart TG183.

On race day it was announced that Tambay would not be starting because of his back problems.

At the start the two Renaults took off in the lead with Prost leading Arnoux, Alboreto and Patrese. Cheever, Andretti, Rosberg and Piquet followed. on the second lap Arnoux took the lead but Prost was back ahead by lap 15 while Arnoux soon disappeared with an engine failure. On lap 52 Prost fell behind Alboreto, the Renault vibrating badly. A Tyrrell was leading a Grand Prix for the first time in years. On lap 56 Watson moved to second but he was a long way behind and as Rosberg was running in fifth place the McLaren driver's hopes of the title were over. As Prost faded back so Cheever moved to third.

Alboreto duly won his first Formula 1 triumph, leading home Watson, Cheever, Prost, Rosberg and Derek Daly in the second Williams.

POSNODRIVERENTRANTLAPSTIME/RETIREMENTQUAL POS
Michele Alboreto Tyrrell-Cosworth  75 1h41m56.888s  
John Watson McLaren-Cosworth  75 1h42m24.180s  
25 Eddie Cheever Talbot Ligier-Matra  75 1h42m53.338s  
15 Alain Prost Renault  75 1h43m05.536s  
Keke Rosberg Williams-Cosworth  75 1h43m08.263s  
Derek Daly Williams-Cosworth  74  14 
29 Marc Surer Arrows-Cosworth  74  17 
Brian Henton Tyrrell-Cosworth  74  19 
22 Andrea de Cesaris Alfa Romeo  73  18 
10 23 Bruno Giacomelli Alfa Romeo  73  16 
11 30 Mauro Baldi Arrows-Cosworth  73  23 
12 17 Rupert Keegan March-Cosworth  73  25 
13 18 Raul Boesel March-Cosworth  69  24 
nc Manfred Winkelhock ATS-Cosworth  62  22 
Niki Lauda McLaren-Cosworth  53 Engine 13 
33 Tommy Byrne Theodore-Cosworth  39 Spin 26 
35 Derek Warwick Toleman-Hart  32 Spark Plugs 10 
11 Elio de Angelis Lotus-Cosworth  28 Engine 20 
28 Mario Andretti Ferrari  26 Rear Suspension 
Nelson Piquet Brabham-BMW  26 Spark Plug 12 
16 Rene Arnoux Renault  20 Engine 
Riccardo Patrese Brabham-BMW  17 Clutch 
12 Nigel Mansell Lotus-Cosworth  Accident 21 
26 Jacques Laffite Talbot Ligier-Matra  Ignition 11 
ns 27 Patrick Tambay Ferrari   Driver Unfit 
ns 14 Roberto Guerrero Ensign-Cosworth   Engine 15 
ns 31 Jean-Pierre Jarier Osella-Cosworth   Accident 27 
nq 36 Teo Fabi Toleman-Hart    28 
nq 10 Eliseo Salazar ATS-Cosworth    29 
nq 20 Chico Serra Fittipaldi-Cosworth    30