Keke Rosberg secured the world championship in Las Vegas as Michele Alboreto claimed his first Grand Prix victory. John Watson finished second but could not overturn Keke Rosberg’s points advantage, while Eddie Cheever completed the podium. Ferrari took the constructors’ title at the end of an exceptionally difficult season.
Race Guide
Season: 1982 F1 World Championship
Race date: 25 September 1982
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC-07:00)
Circuit: Caesars Palace Grand Prix Circuit
Laps: 75 laps
Circuit length: 3.650 km
1981 winner: Alan Jones
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Alain Prost | Renault |
| Pole time | 1:16.356 | |
| Fastest lap | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:19.639 on lap 59 | |
| First | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell |
| Second | John Watson | McLaren |
| Third | Eddie Cheever | Ligier |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 23 September 1982 | Practice 1 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 23 September 1982 | Qualifying 1 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 24 September 1982 | Practice 2 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 24 September 1982 | Qualifying 2 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 25 September 1982 | Warm-up | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 25 September 1982 | Race | Start time unconfirmed |
All times are local. The race time is the scheduled start; weather delays and interruptions are described below.
Championship background
Keke Rosberg arrived at round 16 leading the 1982 F1 World Championship on 42 points, with Didier Pironi on 39. Ferrari headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 74 points.
Race entries
Mario Andretti remained with Ferrari for what became his final Formula 1 start. Patrick Tambay’s recurring back trouble again threatened his participation. Keke Rosberg needed only a points finish to guarantee the title, while John Watson had to win and hope the Williams driver finished outside the top six.
Thursday Free Practice
Thursday’s preparation highlighted the opportunity for normally aspirated cars on the tight Caesars Palace layout. Michele Alboreto and Eddie Cheever were particularly competitive, while Renault still had the speed to lead. Brabham worked without Gordon Murray at the circuit and struggled to reproduce its strongest form.
Thursday Qualifying
Alain Prost took pole ahead of Rene Arnoux, with Michele Alboreto and Eddie Cheever on the second row. Keke Rosberg qualified sixth and John Watson ninth. Derek Warwick put the new Toleman tenth, while the short, twisting circuit gave several normally aspirated cars a chance to challenge the turbos.
Friday Free Practice
Friday offered Derek Warwick further development time with the new Toleman, which showed encouraging pace. Lotus had a much harder weekend, and both drivers were left well down the order. The title contenders also faced different priorities: Keke Rosberg needed a dependable race car, while John Watson needed enough speed to win.
Friday Qualifying
Jean-Pierre Jarier lost a front wheel on Friday afternoon and Osella withdrew, allowing first reserve Tommy Byrne onto the grid. The later withdrawals of Patrick Tambay and Roberto Guerrero did not admit further reserves. Renault had the front row, but tyre performance over the full distance would prove decisive.
Combined Qualifying Classification
Each driver’s faster time from the two qualifying sessions determined the overall order.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Thursday Time | Friday Time | Best Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | Alain Prost | Renault | 1:18.922 | 1:16.356 | 1:16.356 | — |
| 2 | 16 | René Arnoux | Renault | 1:17.868 | 1:16.786 | — | — |
| 3 | 3 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 1:18.756 | 1:17.646 | — | — |
| 4 | 25 | Eddie Cheever | Ligier | 1:18.842 | 1:17.683 | — | — |
| 5 | 2 | Riccardo Patrese | Brabham | 1:20.386 | 1:17.772 | — | — |
| 6 | 6 | Keke Rosberg | Williams | 1:19.162 | 1:17.886 | — | — |
| 7 | 28 | Mario Andretti | Ferrari | 1:19.246 | 1:17.921 | — | — |
| 8 | 27 | Patrick Tambay | Ferrari | 1:21.067 | 1:17.958 | — | — |
| 9 | 7 | John Watson | McLaren | 1:19.320 | 1:17.986 | — | — |
| 10 | 35 | Derek Warwick | Toleman | 1:20.181 | 1:18.012 | — | — |
| 11 | 26 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:19.635 | 1:18.056 | — | — |
| 12 | 1 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 1:19.210 | 1:18.275 | — | — |
| 13 | 8 | Niki Lauda | McLaren | 1:19.171 | 1:18.333 | — | — |
| 14 | 5 | Derek Daly | Williams | 1:19.808 | 1:18.418 | — | — |
| 15 | 14 | Roberto Guerrero | Ensign | 1:20.516 | 1:18.496 | — | — |
| 16 | 23 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 1:20.065 | 1:18.622 | — | — |
| 17 | 29 | Marc Surer | Arrows | 1:19.764 | 1:18.734 | — | — |
| 18 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Alfa Romeo | 1:19.728 | 1:18.761 | — | — |
| 19 | 4 | Brian Henton | Tyrrell | 1:21.038 | 1:18.765 | — | — |
| 20 | 31 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Osella | 1:19.222 | no time | — | — |
| 21 | 11 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 1:19.564 | 1:19.302 | — | — |
| 22 | 12 | Nigel Mansell | Lotus | 1:20.986 | 1:19.439 | — | — |
| 23 | 9 | Manfred Winkelhock | ATS | 1:21.563 | 1:19.767 | — | — |
| 24 | 30 | Mauro Baldi | Arrows | 1:20.271 | 1:20.824 | — | — |
| 25 | 18 | Raul Boesel | March | 1:20.766 | 1:21.215 | — | — |
| 26 | 17 | Rupert Keegan | March | 1:26.048 | 1:21.180 | — | — |
| 27 | 33 | Tommy Byrne | Theodore | 1:24.208 | 1:21.555 | — | — |
| 28 | 36 | Teo Fabi | Toleman | 1:22.324 | 1:21.569 | — | — |
| 29 | 10 | Eliseo Salazar | ATS | 1:23.148 | 1:21.583 | — | — |
| 30 | 20 | Chico Serra | Fittipaldi | 1:23.100 | 1:22.387 | — | — |
Saturday warm-up
Saturday’s warm-up removed two potential starters. Patrick Tambay’s back and arm pain became unbearable after a few laps, and Roberto Guerrero’s Ensign suffered an engine failure with no spare available. Both grid places remained empty. Ferrari’s constructors’ hopes would therefore rest on Mario Andretti and the results of its rivals.
What happened in the 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix?
The Renaults led early before Rene Arnoux retired, leaving Alain Prost ahead of Michele Alboreto. John Watson recovered from a poor opening to climb through the field. Mario Andretti retired with suspension trouble, while Keke Rosberg settled into a position that would be enough to secure the championship.
Alain Prost developed tyre vibration and Michele Alboreto closed, then passed him to take the lead. John Watson also overtook the Renault but could not catch the Tyrrell. Eddie Cheever moved into third as Alain Prost slipped backwards, leaving the championship contenders separated by the race leader.
Michele Alboreto became the season’s eleventh different winner, ahead of John Watson and Eddie Cheever. Alain Prost finished fourth, Keke Rosberg fifth and Derek Daly sixth. Keke Rosberg was champion, Ferrari secured the constructors’ crown, and Tyrrell celebrated its first victory since 1978. It was also the final Grand Prix for the Fittipaldi and Ensign teams.
After the race, Keke Rosberg headed the drivers’ standings with 44 points, followed by Didier Pironi on 39. Ferrari led the constructors’ table on 74, with McLaren – Ford on 69.
1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix race results
The 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix was held on 25 September 1982.
1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 59 | 1:19.639 |
Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear. No fastest-lap bonus point was awarded.
1982 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings after the 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix.
1982 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1982 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferrari | 74 |
| 2 | McLaren – Ford | 69 |
| 3 | Renault | 62 |
| 4 | Williams – Ford | 58 |
| 5 | Lotus – Ford | 30 |
| 6 | Tyrrell – Ford | 25 |
| 7 | Brabham – BMW | 22 |
| 8 | Ligier – Matra | 20 |
| 9 | Brabham – Ford | 19 |
| 10 | Alfa Romeo | 7 |
| 11 | Arrows – Ford | 5 |
| 12 | ATS – Ford | 4 |
| 13 | Osella – Ford | 3 |
| 14 | Fittipaldi – Ford | 1 |
| — | March – Ford | 0 |
| — | Ensign – Ford | 0 |
| — | Toleman – Hart | 0 |
| — | Theodore – Ford | 0 |
Drivers counted their best eleven results; constructors counted every round. The standings here show the position after this race.
1982 Formula 1 Race Calendar
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