Keke Rosberg finally became a Grand Prix winner at Dijon-Prenois, taking the Swiss Grand Prix with a late charge past Alain Prost. Niki Lauda finished third. Keke Rosberg’s breakthrough also carried him into the championship lead with two races remaining.
Race Guide
Season: 1982 F1 World Championship
Race date: 29 August 1982
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC+02:00)
Circuit: Dijon-Prenois
Laps: 80 laps
Circuit length: 3.801 km
1954 winner: Juan Manuel Fangio
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Alain Prost | Renault |
| Pole time | 1:01.380 | |
| Fastest lap | Alain Prost | Renault |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:07.477 on lap 2 | |
| First | Keke Rosberg | Williams |
| Second | Alain Prost | Renault |
| Third | Niki Lauda | McLaren |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 27 August 1982 | Practice 1 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 27 August 1982 | Qualifying 1 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 28 August 1982 | Practice 2 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 28 August 1982 | Qualifying 2 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 29 August 1982 | Warm-up | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 29 August 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
Didier Pironi arrived at round 14 leading the 1982 F1 World Championship on 39 points, with Keke Rosberg on 33. Ferrari headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 64 points.
Race entries
The Swiss Grand Prix returned to the championship on French soil, with the race held at Dijon-Prenois. Ferrari again entered Patrick Tambay alone, but a painful trapped nerve threatened his participation. The remaining teams retained their recent driver line-ups.
Friday Free Practice
Rene Arnoux crashed heavily on Friday morning, damaging his Renault and forcing him into the spare for the rest of the weekend. Brabham’s engines ran reliably, but the chassis balance was less convincing than in Austria. Several teams struggled with understeer through Dijon’s downhill corners.
Friday Qualifying
Alain Prost and Rene Arnoux established a commanding Renault advantage on Friday. Their times were strong enough for the team to concentrate on race preparation during Saturday’s qualifying instead of using qualifying tyres again.
Saturday Free Practice
Saturday’s work highlighted sharply different fortunes. Niki Lauda was happy with the McLaren’s performance, while Patrick Tambay’s back and arm pain continued to undermine his weekend. Nigel Mansell also had to recover from a collision with Brian Henton during practice, leaving Lotus with lost preparation time and repair work.
Saturday Qualifying
Riccardo Patrese was quickest on Saturday but could not displace the Renaults from the front row. Niki Lauda qualified fourth, while Keke Rosberg would start eighth. Patrick Tambay’s Friday time secured a place he ultimately could not use, and Nigel Mansell only just made the grid.
Combined Qualifying Classification
Each driver’s faster time from the two qualifying sessions determined the overall order.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Friday Time | Saturday Time | Best Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | Alain Prost | Renault | 1:01.380 | 1:07.902 | 1:01.380 | — |
| 2 | 16 | René Arnoux | Renault | 1:01.740 | 1:07.554 | — | — |
| 3 | 2 | Riccardo Patrese | Brabham | 1:02.997 | 1:02.710 | — | — |
| 4 | 8 | Niki Lauda | McLaren | 1:02.984 | no time | — | — |
| 5 | 22 | Andrea de Cesaris | Alfa Romeo | 1:03.023 | 1:04.205 | — | — |
| 6 | 1 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 1:03.366 | 1:03.183 | — | — |
| 7 | 5 | Derek Daly | Williams | 1:04.238 | 1:03.291 | — | — |
| 8 | 6 | Keke Rosberg | Williams | 1:03.589 | 1:03.783 | — | — |
| 9 | 23 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo | 1:03.776 | 1:04.711 | — | — |
| 10 | 27 | Patrick Tambay | Ferrari | 1:03.896 | no time | — | — |
| 11 | 7 | John Watson | McLaren | 1:03.995 | 1:04.711 | — | — |
| 12 | 3 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell | 1:04.069 | 1:04.102 | — | — |
| 13 | 26 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier | 1:04.087 | 1:04.897 | — | — |
| 14 | 29 | Marc Surer | Arrows | 1:04.928 | 1:05.158 | — | — |
| 15 | 11 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 1:04.967 | 1:05.437 | — | — |
| 16 | 25 | Eddie Cheever | Ligier | 1:05.162 | 1:05.001 | — | — |
| 17 | 31 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Osella | 1:05.179 | 1:05.318 | — | — |
| 18 | 4 | Brian Henton | Tyrrell | 1:05.877 | 1:05.391 | — | — |
| 19 | 14 | Roberto Guerrero | Ensign | 1:05.422 | 1:05.395 | — | — |
| 20 | 9 | Manfred Winkelhock | ATS | 1:05.451 | 1:06.139 | — | — |
| 21 | 35 | Derek Warwick | Toleman | 1:05.927 | 1:05.877 | — | — |
| 22 | 17 | Rupert Keegan | March | 1:06.632 | 1:06.011 | — | — |
| 23 | 36 | Teo Fabi | Toleman | 1:06.017 | 1:06.102 | — | — |
| 24 | 18 | Raul Boesel | March | 1:06.781 | 1:06.136 | — | — |
| 25 | 10 | Eliseo Salazar | ATS | 1:06.297 | 1:06.168 | — | — |
| 26 | 12 | Nigel Mansell | Lotus | 1:06.430 | 1:06.211 | — | — |
| 27 | 20 | Chico Serra | Fittipaldi | 1:06.590 | 1:06.339 | — | — |
| 28 | 33 | Tommy Byrne | Theodore | 1:06.990 | 1:08.118 | — | — |
| 29 | 30 | Mauro Baldi | Arrows | 1:07.836 | 1:08.314 | — | — |
Sunday warm-up
Patrick Tambay withdrew on Sunday morning because his condition had not improved, leaving Ferrari absent from the start. Roberto Guerrero suffered engine trouble in the warm-up; the replacement took too long to install for him to join the grid, so he would start from the pit lane. The late Ferrari withdrawal did not admit a reserve.
What happened in the 1982 Swiss Grand Prix?
The Renaults led early, but Rene Arnoux’s retirement left Alain Prost to defend the team’s advantage. Keke Rosberg worked forward and closed on the leader as the race developed. Niki Lauda remained in contention behind them, while Brabham’s challenge failed to turn its starting positions into victory.
Keke Rosberg caught and passed Alain Prost near the end, taking the lead and finally converting his season-long pace into a win. Confusion at the flag stand meant the chequered flag appeared one lap late, although the result was counted over the scheduled 80 laps.
Alain Prost finished second and Niki Lauda third, with Nelson Piquet, Riccardo Patrese and de Elio de Angelis taking the remaining points. Keke Rosberg’s first championship victory moved him ahead of the injured Didier Pironi in the standings. The title battle would continue to Monza with the Williams driver now in command.
After the race, Keke Rosberg headed the drivers’ standings with 42 points, followed by Didier Pironi on 39. Ferrari led the constructors’ table on 64, with McLaren – Ford on 60.
1982 Swiss Grand Prix race results
The 1982 Swiss Grand Prix was held on 29 August 1982.
1982 Swiss Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | Alain Prost | Renault | 2 | 1:07.477 |
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 Swiss Grand Prix.
1982 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1982 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferrari | 64 |
| 2 | McLaren – Ford | 60 |
| 3 | Williams – Ford | 55 |
| 4 | Renault | 50 |
| 5 | Lotus – Ford | 30 |
| 6 | Brabham – BMW | 22 |
| 7 | Brabham – Ford | 19 |
| 8 | Ligier – Matra | 15 |
| 9 | Tyrrell – Ford | 14 |
| 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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