Nigel Mansell followed his breakthrough victory with another win at the 1985 South African Grand Prix. Keke Rosberg recovered from a spin to complete a Williams one-two, while Alain Prost brought a troubled McLaren home third at Kyalami.
Race Guide
Season: 1985 F1 World Championship
Race date: 19 October 1985
Race start time: Start time unconfirmed local time (UTC+02:00)
Circuit: Kyalami
Laps: 75 laps
Circuit length: 4.104 km
1984 winner: Niki Lauda
| Result | Driver / Time | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Pole position | Nigel Mansell | Williams |
| Pole time | 1:02.366 | |
| Fastest lap | Keke Rosberg | Williams |
| Fastest-lap time | 1:08.149 on lap 74 | |
| First | Nigel Mansell | Williams |
| Second | Keke Rosberg | Williams |
| Third | Alain Prost | McLaren |
Weekend Schedule
| Date | Session | Local Time |
|---|---|---|
| 17 October 1985 | Practice 1 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 17 October 1985 | Qualifying 1 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 18 October 1985 | Practice 2 | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 18 October 1985 | Qualifying 2 | Start time unconfirmed |
| 19 October 1985 | Warm-up | Morning; start unconfirmed |
| 19 October 1985 | Race | Start time unconfirmed |
All times are local. The race time is the scheduled start; weather delays and interruptions are described below.
Championship background
Alain Prost arrived at round 15 leading the 1985 F1 World Championship on 72 points, with Michele Alboreto on 53. McLaren – TAG headed the constructors’ standings after the preceding race with 86 points.
Race entries
Renault and Ligier stayed away amid opposition to apartheid and pressure to boycott the event. RAM and Zakspeed were also absent. Niki Lauda returned to McLaren, while Philippe Streiff temporarily moved from Ligier to Tyrrell. Alan Jones practised but withdrew before the race, leaving twenty starters.
Thursday Free Practice
Thursday’s preparation exposed the difficulty of operating turbocharged engines at Kyalami’s altitude. McLaren experimented with revised turbo arrangements, while Ferrari struggled with an inconsistent balance and engine response. Getting the cars to work across the whole lap was proving much harder than simply chasing speed along the main straight.
Thursday Qualifying
Keke Rosberg was quickest in Thursday qualifying, putting Williams in a strong position. Brabham’s straight-line performance suggested that Nelson Piquet would be a serious threat when the drivers returned for their final attempts.
Thursday Qualifying Classification
1985 South African Grand Prix first qualifying session, 17 October 1985
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Keke Rosberg | Williams | 1:03.073 | — |
| 2 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 1:03.188 | — |
| 3 | 7 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 1:03.844 | — |
| 4 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | 1:04.517 | — |
| 5 | 11 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 1:04.611 | — |
| 6 | 18 | Thierry Boutsen | Arrows | 1:05.079 | — |
| 7 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 1:05.268 | — |
| 8 | 1 | Niki Lauda | McLaren | 1:05.357 | — |
| 9 | 28 | Stefan Johansson | Ferrari | 1:05.406 | — |
| 10 | 8 | Marc Surer | Brabham | 1:05.411 | — |
| 11 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:05.757 | — |
| 12 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Toleman | 1:06.083 | — |
| 13 | 22 | Riccardo Patrese | Alfa Romeo | 1:06.386 | — |
| 14 | 17 | Gerhard Berger | Arrows | 1:06.546 | — |
| 15 | 3 | Martin Brundle | Tyrrell | 1:06.709 | — |
| 16 | 33 | Alan Jones | Lola | 1:07.144 | — |
| 17 | 23 | Eddie Cheever | Alfa Romeo | 1:07.159 | — |
| 18 | 20 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Toleman | 1:07.800 | — |
| 19 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | 1:07.935 | — |
| 20 | 24 | Huub Rothengatter | Osella | 1:09.904 | — |
| 21 | 29 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:10.025 | — |
Friday Free Practice
Friday brought another opportunity to address those problems before final qualifying. McLaren’s larger turbochargers introduced unwelcome response delays, and Ferrari remained well away from the leading pace. Williams and Brabham were much better placed to exploit their power, setting the stage for a close contest for pole.
Friday Qualifying
Nigel Mansell took pole on Friday with 1:02.366, beating Nelson Piquet by 0.124 seconds and Keke Rosberg by 0.138. Ayrton Senna qualified fourth, followed by Marc Surer and de Elio de Angelis. Niki Lauda and Alain Prost started eighth and ninth, while the Ferraris were left on the eighth row.
Friday Qualifying Classification
1985 South African Grand Prix second qualifying session, 18 October 1985
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 1:02.366 | — |
| 2 | 7 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 1:02.490 | — |
| 3 | 6 | Keke Rosberg | Williams | 1:02.504 | — |
| 4 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | 1:02.825 | — |
| 5 | 8 | Marc Surer | Brabham | 1:04.088 | — |
| 6 | 11 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 1:04.129 | — |
| 7 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Toleman | 1:04.215 | — |
| 8 | 1 | Niki Lauda | McLaren | 1:04.283 | — |
| 9 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:04.376 | — |
| 10 | 18 | Thierry Boutsen | Arrows | 1:04.518 | — |
| 11 | 17 | Gerhard Berger | Arrows | 1:04.780 | — |
| 12 | 22 | Riccardo Patrese | Alfa Romeo | 1:04.948 | — |
| 13 | 20 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Toleman | 1:05.114 | — |
| 14 | 23 | Eddie Cheever | Alfa Romeo | 1:05.260 | — |
| 15 | 28 | Stefan Johansson | Ferrari | 1:05.388 | — |
| 16 | 3 | Martin Brundle | Tyrrell | 1:05.649 | — |
| 17 | 33 | Alan Jones | Lola | 1:05.731 | — |
| 18 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 1:05.757 | — |
| 19 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | 1:06.205 | — |
| 20 | 29 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:08.658 | — |
| 21 | 24 | Huub Rothengatter | Osella | 1:09.873 | — |
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 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 1:03.188 | 1:02.366 | 1:02.366 | — |
| 2 | 7 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 1:03.844 | 1:02.490 | 1:02.490 | — |
| 3 | 6 | Keke Rosberg | Williams | 1:03.073 | 1:02.504 | 1:02.504 | — |
| 4 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | 1:04.517 | 1:02.825 | 1:02.825 | — |
| 5 | 8 | Marc Surer | Brabham | 1:05.411 | 1:04.088 | 1:04.088 | — |
| 6 | 11 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 1:04.611 | 1:04.129 | 1:04.129 | — |
| 7 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Toleman | 1:06.083 | 1:04.215 | 1:04.215 | — |
| 8 | 1 | Niki Lauda | McLaren | 1:05.357 | 1:04.283 | 1:04.283 | — |
| 9 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 1:05.757 | 1:04.376 | 1:04.376 | — |
| 10 | 18 | Thierry Boutsen | Arrows | 1:05.079 | 1:04.518 | 1:04.518 | — |
| 11 | 17 | Gerhard Berger | Arrows | 1:06.546 | 1:04.780 | 1:04.780 | — |
| 12 | 22 | Riccardo Patrese | Alfa Romeo | 1:06.386 | 1:04.948 | 1:04.948 | — |
| 13 | 20 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Toleman | 1:07.800 | 1:05.114 | 1:05.114 | — |
| 14 | 23 | Eddie Cheever | Alfa Romeo | 1:07.159 | 1:05.260 | 1:05.260 | — |
| 15 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 1:05.268 | 1:05.757 | 1:05.268 | — |
| 16 | 28 | Stefan Johansson | Ferrari | 1:05.406 | 1:05.388 | 1:05.388 | — |
| 17 | 3 | Martin Brundle | Tyrrell | 1:06.709 | 1:05.649 | 1:05.649 | — |
| 18 | 33 | Alan Jones | Lola | 1:07.144 | 1:05.731 | 1:05.731 | — |
| 19 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | 1:07.935 | 1:06.205 | 1:06.205 | — |
| 20 | 29 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 1:10.025 | 1:08.658 | 1:08.658 | — |
| 21 | 24 | Huub Rothengatter | Osella | 1:09.904 | 1:09.873 | 1:09.873 | — |
Saturday warm-up
The Saturday warm-up preceded a race in intense heat, with engine durability and tyre wear both prominent concerns. Alan Jones’s withdrawal reduced the field before the start. The teams had to choose settings that could survive the distance, rather than repeat the extreme power levels used in qualifying.
Warm-up Classification
1985 South African Grand Prix Warm-up, 19 October 1985
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Time / Gap | Laps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 1:06.856 | — |
| 2 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | +1.440s | — |
| 3 | 6 | Keke Rosberg | Williams | +1.780s | — |
| 4 | 1 | Niki Lauda | McLaren | +2.120s | — |
| 5 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | +2.170s | — |
| 6 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | +2.413s | — |
| 7 | 11 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | +2.510s | — |
| 8 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | +2.840s | — |
| 9 | 28 | Stefan Johansson | Ferrari | +3.023s | — |
| 10 | 8 | Marc Surer | Brabham | +3.246s | — |
| 11 | 18 | Thierry Boutsen | Arrows | +3.473s | — |
| 12 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Toleman | +3.690s | — |
| 13 | 3 | Martin Brundle | Tyrrell | +3.806s | — |
| 14 | 17 | Gerhard Berger | Arrows | +3.893s | — |
| 15 | 20 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Toleman | +4.110s | — |
| 16 | 22 | Riccardo Patrese | Alfa Romeo | +4.260s | — |
| 17 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | +4.613s | — |
| 18 | 23 | Eddie Cheever | Alfa Romeo | +4.673s | — |
| 19 | 29 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | +5.963s | — |
| 20 | 24 | Huub Rothengatter | Osella | +6.143s | — |
What happened in the 1985 South African Grand Prix?
Nigel Mansell led away, but Keke Rosberg worked forward and briefly took first place. Oil from Piercarlo Ghinzani’s failed engine then sent Keke Rosberg spinning, while Nigel Mansell caught his own slide and regained the lead. The Finn recovered, but now faced a substantial chase.
Alain Prost pressed Nigel Mansell through the circuit’s more technical sections before an electrical problem weakened the McLaren’s challenge. Keke Rosberg charged back, using fresh tyres to regain second. Mechanical failures removed both Brabhams and both Lotuses, while Niki Lauda also retired.
Nigel Mansell secured his second consecutive victory, with Keke Rosberg making it a Williams one-two. Alain Prost slowed dramatically in the closing laps but retained third, ahead of Stefan Johansson and the Arrows pair of Gerhard Berger and Thierry Boutsen. Martin Brundle was the only other driver still running at the finish.
After the race, Alain Prost headed the drivers’ standings with 73 points, followed by Michele Alboreto on 53. McLaren – TAG led the constructors’ table on 90, with Ferrari on 80.
1985 South African Grand Prix race results
The 1985 South African Grand Prix was held on 19 October 1985.
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time / Retired | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 75 | 1:28:22.866 | 9 |
| 2 | 6 | Keke Rosberg | Williams | 75 | + 7.572 | 6 |
| 3 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 74 | + 1 Lap | 4 |
| 4 | 28 | Stefan Johansson | Ferrari | 74 | + 1 Lap | 3 |
| 5 | 17 | Gerhard Berger | Arrows | 74 | + 1 Lap | 2 |
| 6 | 18 | Thierry Boutsen | Arrows | 74 | + 1 Lap | 1 |
| 7 | 3 | Martin Brundle | Tyrrell | 73 | + 2 Laps | 0 |
| Ret | 11 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 52 | Engine | 0 |
| Ret | 29 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 45 | Radiator | 0 |
| Ret | 1 | Niki Lauda | McLaren | 37 | Turbo | 0 |
| Ret | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | 16 | Accident | 0 |
| Ret | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | 8 | Engine | 0 |
| Ret | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 8 | Turbo | 0 |
| Ret | 7 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 6 | Engine | 0 |
| Ret | 20 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Toleman | 4 | Engine | 0 |
| Ret | 19 | Teo Fabi | Toleman | 3 | Engine | 0 |
| Ret | 8 | Marc Surer | Brabham | 3 | Engine | 0 |
| Ret | 24 | Huub Rothengatter | Osella | 1 | Electrical | 0 |
| Ret | 22 | Riccardo Patrese | Alfa Romeo | Collision | 0 | |
| Ret | 23 | Eddie Cheever | Alfa Romeo | Collision | 0 | |
| DNS | 33 | Alan Jones | Lola | Withdrew | 0 |
1985 South African Grand Prix Fastest Laps
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Lap | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Keke Rosberg | Williams | 74 | 1:08.149 |
| 2 | 5 | Nigel Mansell | Williams | 74 | 1:08.518 |
| 3 | 2 | Alain Prost | McLaren | 56 | 1:08.713 |
| 4 | 18 | Thierry Boutsen | Arrows | 63 | 1:09.230 |
| 5 | 1 | Niki Lauda | McLaren | 35 | 1:09.500 |
| 6 | 11 | Elio de Angelis | Lotus | 34 | 1:09.960 |
| 7 | 12 | Ayrton Senna | Lotus | 7 | 1:10.077 |
| 8 | 17 | Gerhard Berger | Arrows | 33 | 1:10.258 |
| 9 | 3 | Martin Brundle | Tyrrell | 45 | 1:10.339 |
| 10 | 28 | Stefan Johansson | Ferrari | 41 | 1:10.413 |
| 11 | 7 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham | 3 | 1:10.476 |
| 12 | 27 | Michele Alboreto | Ferrari | 5 | 1:10.850 |
| 13 | 4 | Philippe Streiff | Tyrrell | 5 | 1:11.404 |
| 14 | 19 | Teo Fabi | Toleman | 3 | 1:12.035 |
| 15 | 8 | Marc Surer | Brabham | 2 | 1:12.100 |
| 16 | 29 | Pierluigi Martini | Minardi | 5 | 1:14.428 |
| 17 | 20 | Piercarlo Ghinzani | Toleman | 3 | 1:29.450 |
| 18 | 24 | Huub Rothengatter | Osella | 1 | 1:29.792 |
Only drivers with a recorded lap time appear. No fastest-lap bonus point was awarded.
1985 Post-Race F1 Championship Standings
Championship standings after the 1985 South African Grand Prix.
1985 Post-Race F1 Drivers' Championship Standings
1985 Post-Race F1 Constructors' Championship Standings
| POS | Car | PTS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | McLaren – TAG | 90 |
| 2 | Ferrari | 80 |
| 3 | Lotus – Renault | 71 |
| 4 | Williams – Honda | 62 |
| 5 | Brabham – BMW | 26 |
| 6 | Renault | 16 |
| 7 | Arrows – BMW | 13 |
| 8 | Ligier – Renault | 13 |
| 9 | Tyrrell – Ford | 4 |
| — | Tyrrell – Renault | 0 |
| — | Alfa Romeo | 0 |
| — | Osella – Alfa Romeo | 0 |
| — | RAM – Hart | 0 |
| — | Minardi – Motori Moderni | 0 |
| — | Zakspeed | 0 |
| — | Toleman – Hart | 0 |
| — | Minardi – Ford | 0 |
| — | Spirit – Hart | 0 |
| — | Lola – Hart | 0 |
Drivers counted their best eleven results; constructors counted every round. The standings here show the position after this race.
1985 Formula 1 Race Calendar
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