Fabi moved to Formula One in 1982, driving the No. 36 Candy Toleman TG181C-Hart 415T. The team had only qualified twice the previous year, and the season got off to a difficult start when the season-opening South African Grand Prix was disrupted by a drivers' strike. Under pressure from Toleman manager Alex Hawkinge, Fabi was the only driver to break the strike (Jochen Mass took no part from the start). His place was then jeopardised when Candy switched support to Tyrrell, but he saw out the season. The TG181C was uncompetitive and the team largely focused on lead driver Derek Warwick. This resulted in Fabi only qualifying for six races out of a possible 14. He qualified for the San Marino Grand Prix, due to the FISA–FOCA war which meant that only 14 cars attempted to qualify for the race. In the race Fabi finished seventh, eight laps down. Fabi qualified for the Belgian Grand Prix, starting and finishing twenty-first. He then failed to qualify at the Monaco Grand Prix before skipping both the Detroit Grand Prix and the Canadian Grand Prix. He failed to qualify at the German Grand Prix and the Caesars Palace Grand Prix. His best finish in the remaining races was twentieth at the Austrian Grand Prix, and he left Formula One at the end of the season.