1982 Swiss Grand Prix

Previous race

Elio de Angelis won at the Österreichring by 0.050 seconds — less than half a car length — over Keke Rosberg in a sprint to the flag. Alain Prost had been leading comfortably but retired with a mechanical failure five laps from the end, handing de Angelis the lead. Rosberg closed rapidly on the final lap and dived inside at the last corner, but came up fractionally short. It was the first victory for Lotus since the 1978 Dutch Grand Prix. Rosberg moves into second in the Drivers’ Championship behind the absent Pironi.

Championship standings

Didier Pironi remains on the entry list but has not raced since his career-ending qualifying accident at Hockenheim. Rosberg is now second in the standings, with Watson third. The title is genuinely open.

Circuit

This is the first World Championship Swiss Grand Prix since 1954, and the first since motor racing was banned in Switzerland following the 1955 Le Mans disaster. The race is held at Dijon-Prenois in France — across the border — under the Swiss Grand Prix name. The circuit is set for 80 laps. Ferrari are the only turbo team with a single entry, Tambay, after Pironi’s injury.