1982 South African Grand Prix

The 1982 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on the 23 January 1982 at Kyalami. It was the first race of the 1982 FIA Formula One World Championship and the 28th edition of the South African Grand Prix and the 16th time that the Grand Prix had been held at Kyalami.

1982 South African Grand Prix
Race 1 of 16 in the 1982 Formula One World Championship
Race details
Date	23 January 1982
Location	Kyalami Transvaal Province, South Africa
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	4.104 km (2.55 mi)
Distance	77 laps, 316.008 km (196.358 mi)
Weather	Dry
Pole position
Driver	René Arnoux	Renault
Time	1:06.351
Fastest lap
Driver	Alain Prost	Renault
Time	1:08.278 on lap 49
Podium
First	Alain Prost	Renault
Second	Carlos Reutemann	Williams-Ford
Third	René Arnoux	Renault
Lap leaders

Reutemann and Prost on the podium.

The prelude to the race was notable for a strike action by the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, led by Niki Lauda and Didier Pironi, in protest at the new superlicence conditions imposed by FISA, which would have tied the drivers to a single team for up to three years. A late compromise was reached and the race went ahead. The drivers were subsequently fined between US$5,000 and US$10,000 and handed suspended race bans; however, the FIA Court of Appeal later reduced the penalties and criticised FISA's handling of the dispute.[1]

Turbocharged cars took the first six positions on the grid. Despite Alain Prost suffering a puncture while leading, he was able to recover to win the race. Lauda, in his first race after two years out of F1, finished fourth. It was the final podium F1 finish for Carlos Reutemann, who retired from Grand Prix racing after the next race in Brazil,[2] and his place at Williams was taken by Mario Andretti for the following race, at Long Beach.