1980 South African Grand Prix

Previous race

Brazil confirmed the turbocharged Renaults as the team to beat at high altitude. Jabouille took pole and led for 25 laps before his turbo failed; Arnoux inherited the lead and won by 21 seconds for his first career victory. De Angelis finished second for Lotus, with Jones third to remain championship leader. Piquet was struck by a puncture that caused suspension failure; Pironi pitted early with a stuck skirt but charged back to fourth.

Championship

Jones leads the championship after two rounds, with Arnoux second following his Brazil victory.

Background

Kyalami sits at an even higher altitude than Interlagos, making this the circuit where the Renault turbos enjoy their greatest power advantage of the season. The Ligiers and the Williams ground-effect cars were competitive at the lower-altitude Buenos Aires; the turbo advantage here is expected to be decisive.

The FISA–FOCA confrontation over ground-effect aerodynamics — which has simmered throughout the off-season — is growing more acute, and this race is taking place against the backdrop of that political tension.