1982 San Marino Grand Prix

Infobox Grand Prix race report
Type = F1
Grand Prix = San Marino
Date = April 25
Year = 1982
Race_No = 4
Season_No = 16
Official name = 2o Gran Premio di San Marino
Location = Autodromo Dino Ferrari
Imola, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Course_mi = 3.132
Course_km = 5.040
Distance_laps = 60
Distance_km = 302.400
Distance_mi = 187.902
Pole_Driver = René Arnoux
Pole_Team = Renault
Pole_Time = 1:29.765
Pole_Country = France
Fast_Driver = Didier Pironi
Fast_Team = Ferrari
Fast_Time = 1:35.036
Fast_L

Fast_Country = France
First_Driver = Didier Pironi
First_Team = Ferrari
First_Country = France
Second_Driver = Gilles Villeneuve
Second_Team = Ferrari
Second_Country= Canada
Third_Driver = Michele Alboreto
Third_Team = Tyrrell-Ford
Third_Country = Italy

The 1982 San Marino Grand Prix was the fourth race of the 1982 Formula One World Championship. It was held on the weekend of April 23rd–April 25th 1982 at the Autodromo Dino Ferrari, Imola. The race was marked by a boycott of many teams as part of a political war, unrelated to the event itself, involving the two dominant forces within the sport, the FISA and the FOCA, which caused the field for this race to be only 14 cars.

Summary

In a decision relating to the 1982 Brazilian Grand Prix, Nelson Piquet and Keke Rosberg were excluded for their cars' crafty use of water tanks as ballast to keep them under the weight limit during race conditions. An immediate outcry from the Formula One Constructors Association (FOCA) followed, and as the decision happened after the USGP West it was decided that the next race would be boycotted, and that race was Imola.

While most FOCA-aligned teams, such as Brabham, McLaren and Williams boycotted the race, four teamsndash Tyrrell, Osella, ATS and Tolemanndash broke their stated boycott and started the race anyway.

Even with these teams defecting and starting the race, there were only 14 starters for the San Marino Grand Prix, of which at the time only the Ferraris and Renaults were considered competitive teams. This did not discourage the "tifosi", maybe even the opposite, since it improved Ferrari's chances, and the track was full of spectators.

Despite the Renaults of René Arnoux and Alain Prost qualifying 1-2, their cars failed in the race leaving Ferrari occupying the top two positions with Gilles Villeneuve leading Didier Pironi. The third-placed Tyrrell of Michele Alboreto was far behind, so Ferrari ordered their drivers to slow down to minimize the risk of mechanical failure or running out of fuel. Villeneuve believed this order also meant that the cars were to maintain position on the track, with Villeneuve ahead of Pironi. However, Pironi believed that the cars were free to race, and passed Villeneuve. Villeneuve believed that Pironi was simply trying to spice up an otherwise dull race, and duly re-passed his teammate, assuming that he would then hold station for the remainder of the race. Thus, Villeneuve failed to protect the inside line going into the Tosa corner on the final lap, and Pironi passed him to take the win. Villeneuve was irate at what he saw as Pironi's betrayal, although opinion inside the Ferrari team was split over the true meaning of the order to slow down.

Villeneuve's expression was sullen on the podium, enraged by Pironi's actions. He was quoted afterwards as saying, "I'll never speak to Pironi again in my life." They proved to be prophetic words, as he was still not on speaking terms with his teammate when he died during qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix two weeks later.

Classification

Notes

*Pole position: René Arnoux - 1:29.765cite book |last=Lang |first=Mike |title=Grand Prix! Vol 4 |publisher=Haynes Publishing Group |date=1992 |pages=p92 |isbn=0-85429-733-2]
*Fastest lap: Didier Pironi - 1:35.036 on lap 44cite book |last=Lang |first=Mike |title=Grand Prix! Vol 4 |publisher=Haynes Publishing Group |date=1992 |pages=p95 |isbn=0-85429-733-2]

References

"Unless otherwise indicated, all race results are taken from cite web |title=The Official Formula 1 website |url=http://www.formula1.com/results/season/1982/345/ |accessdate=2007-06-16

F1 race report
Name_of_race = San Marino Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 1982
Previous_race_in_season = 1982 United States Grand Prix West
Next_race_in_season = 1982 Belgian Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 1981 San Marino Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 1983 San Marino Grand Prix