This race was held on the same day as the 1961 Monaco Grand Prix, therefore very few of the top drivers of the day were in action in Naples. Baghetti took a comfortable victory despite only starting third on the grid, with pole-sitter Gerry Ashmore finishing second after the other main challenger and early leader Roy Salvadori suffered a puncture. Lorenzo Bandini had led for a lap before Baghetti took over on lap 4, and he held the lead until the chequered flag.