1980 Brazilian Grand Prix

The 1980 Brazilian Grand Prix was the second race of the 1980 Formula One Season. It was won by René Arnoux ahead of Elio de Angelis and Alan Jones.
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==Background==
Heading into the second round of the championship, Alan Jones and held the initial advantage, however had remained competitive in the previous round, poor reliability in the previous round in Argentina hindering their chances. Ligier and Brabham had also proved that they could be potential championship contenders in 1980.
The Brazilian race, taking two weeks after Argentina was believed to be a favourite for the team. The high altitude of the Interlagos circuit would suit the Renault cars better than the normally aspirated engines of their competitors that would find it more difficult to operate in the high altitude. 
==Entry List==
The full entry list for the is outlined below:
No.	Driver 	Entrant 	Constructor	Chassis	Engine	Model 	Tyre
1 	Jody Scheckter 	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 	 	312T5 	 	015 3.0 F12 	
2 	Gilles Villeneuve 	Scuderia Ferrari SpA SEFAC 	 	312T5 	 	015 3.0 F12 	
3 	Jean-Pierre Jarier 	Candy Team Tyrrell 	 	009 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
4 	Derek Daly 	Candy Team Tyrrell 	 	009 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
5 	Nelson Piquet 	Parmalat Racing Team 	 	BT49 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
6 	Ricardo Zunino 	Parmalat Racing Team 	 	BT49 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
7 	John Watson 	Marlboro Team McLaren 	 	M29 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
8 	Alain Prost 	Marlboro Team McLaren 	 	M29 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
9 	Marc Surer 	Team ATS 	 	D3 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
10 	Jan Lammers 	Team ATS 	 	D3 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
11 	Mario Andretti 	Team Essex Lotus 	 	81 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
12 	Elio de Angelis 	Team Essex Lotus 	 	81 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
14 	Clay Regazzoni 	Unipart Racing Team 	 	N180 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
15 	Jean-Pierre Jabouille	Equipe Renault Elf 	 	RE20 	 	EF1 3.0 V6t 	
16 	René Arnoux 	Equipe Renault Elf 	 	RE20 	 	EF1 3.0 V6t 	
17 	Stefan Johansson 	Shadow Cars 	 	DN11 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
18 	David Kennedy 	Shadow Cars 	 	DN11 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
20 	Emerson Fittipaldi 	Skol Fittipaldi Team 	 	F7 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
21 	Keke Rosberg 	Skol Fittipaldi Team 	 	F7 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
22 	Patrick Depailler 	Marlboro Team Alfa Romeo 	 	179 	 	1260 3.0 V12	
23 	Bruno Giacomelli 	Marlboro Team Alfa Romeo 	 	179 	 	1260 3.0 V12	
25 	Didier Pironi 	Equipe Ligier Gitanes 	 	JS11/15	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
26 	Jacques Laffite 	Equipe Ligier Gitanes 	 	JS11/15	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
27 	Alan Jones 	Albilad-Williams Racing Team 	 	FW07B 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
28 	Carlos Reutemann 	Albilad-Williams Racing Team 	 	FW07B 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
29 	Riccardo Patrese 	Warsteiner Arrows Racing Team	 	A3 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
30 	Jochen Mass 	Warsteiner Arrows Racing Team	 	A3 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
31 	Eddie Cheever 	Osella Squadra Corse 	 	FA1 	 	DFV 3.0 V8 	
==Qualifying==
===Qualifying Results===
Pos.	No.	Driver 	Constructor	Time 	Gap
1  	15 	Jean-Pierre Jabouille	 	2:21.40	—
2 	25 	Didier Pironi 	 	2:21.65	+0.25
3 	2 	Gilles Villeneuve 	 	2:22.17	+0.77
4 	28 	Carlos Reutemann 	 	2:22.26	+0.86
5 	26 	Jacques Laffite 	 	2:22.30	+0.90
6 	16 	René Arnoux 	 	2:22.31	+0.91
7 	12 	Elio de Angelis 	 	2:22.40	+1.00
8 	1 	Jody Scheckter 	 	2:23.02	+1.62
9 	5 	Nelson Piquet 	 	2:23.16	+1.76
10 	27 	Alan Jones 	 	2:23.38	+1.98
11 	11 	Mario Andretti 	 	2:23.46	+2.06
12 	7 	Clay Regazzoni 	 	2:24.85	+3.45
13 	12 	Alain Prost 	 	2:24.95	+3.55
14 	29 	Riccardo Patrese 	 	2:25.06	+3.66
15 	21 	Keke Rosberg 	 	2:25.74	+4.34
16 	29 	Jochen Mass 	 	2:25.75	+4.35
17 	23 	Bruno Giacomelli 	 	2:25.80	+4.40
18 	6 	Ricardo Zunino 	 	2:26.53	+5.13
19 	20 	Emerson Fittipaldi 	 	2:26.86	+5.46
20 	9 	Marc Surer 	  	2:27.10	+5.70
21 	22 	Patrick Depailler 	 	2:27.11	+5.71
22 	3 	Jean-Pierre Jarier 	 	2:27.15	+5.75
23 	7 	John Watson 	 	2:27.29	+5.89
24 	4 	Derek Daly 	 	2:28.10	+6.70
DNQ 	10 	Jan Lammers 	  	2:29.54	+8.14
DNQ 	18 	David Kennedy 	 	2:30.32	+8.92
DNQ 	17 	Stefan Johansson 	 	2:31.48	+10.08
DNQ 	31 	Eddie Cheever 	 	2:34.52	+13.12
==Race==
===Report===
As the race got underway it was unsurprising to see pole sitter Jean-Pierre Jabouille drop down the field, his turbo charged slow to get off the line. Jabouille dropping to fourth behind Gilles Villeneuve who took the lead from fourth and the two cars of Didier Pironi and Jacques Laffite. Going into turn three, Jabouille reclaimed third place from Laffite. Further down the field, Ricardo Zunino spun off the circuit after colliding with the back of John Watson's McLaren. Jabouille now up to speed managed to then retake second from Pironi on the second lap. A few corners later, Jabouille was back into the lead going past Villeneuve's Ferrari.
Carlos Reutemann had his second successive retirement, going out with drivershaft failure. Mario Andretti then spun out of the race on the second lap. Villeneuve then relinquished second position to Pironi.
Lap five saw Pironi and Villeneuve come into the pits for new tyres, the Interlagos circuit running heavy on the tyre degradation. The second Ferrari of Jody Scheckter suffering from engine trouble, relinquished sixth to Nelson Piquet before retiring from the race when his engine blew. Jacques Laffite then retired from the race whilst in second position, allowing René Arnoux into second place, meaning it was now a Renault one-two at the front. 
Lap eleven saw Piquet receive a left rear puncture forcing him to come into pits for new tyres. The puncture however had damaged his suspension and a few laps later a suspension failure sent him into the barriers. 
Pironi was making a comeback drive through the field, dicing with the of Riccardo Patrese for sixth position, finally getting past on lap 25. Race leader, Jabouille then pulled into the pits to retire, his turbo charger that had been troubling him throughout the weekend had failed. Jabouille furious to have lost the race, having wanted to start in the spare car but being prevented from doing so by team manager Jean Sage.
Alain Prost was doing well, competing for sixth position with Patrese's Arrows. Prost overtaking Patrese on lap 34, only for Patrese to retake the position from him around the outside of the 170 mph Curva 1. Prost eventually took the position from him to take sixth. With only four laps to go, Villeneuve whilst running in fourth was forced to retire when his car spun off the circuit when his throttle jammed open. 
René Arnoux therefore took a dominant first ever Formula One win, 21 seconds ahead of Elio de Angelis in second place. Alan Jones was third for Williams ahead of Pironi, Prost and Patrese.
Arnoux notably running out of fuel after crossing the finish line, hitching a ride back to the pits on Riccardo Patrese's Arrows.
===Results===
Pos.	No.	Driver 	Constructor	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid	Points
1 	16 	René Arnoux 	 	40 	1:40.01.33 	6 	9
2 	12 	Elio de Angelis 	 	40 	+21.86s 	7 	6
3 	27 	Alan Jones 	 	40 	+1:06.11s 	10 	4
4 	25 	Didier Pironi 	 	40 	+1:40.13s 	22 	3
5 	8 	Alain Prost 	 	40 	+1:45.41s 	13 	2
6 	29 	Riccardo Patrese 	 	39 	+1 lap 	14 	1
7 	9 	Marc Surer 	  	39 	+1 lap 	20 	
8 	6 	Ricardo Zunino 	 	39 	+1 lap 	18 	
9 	21 	Keke Rosberg 	 	39 	+1 lap 	15 	
10 	30 	Jochen Mass 	 	39 	+1 lap 	16 	
11 	7 	John Watson 	 	39 	+1 lap 	23 	
12 	3 	Jean-Pierre Jarier 	 	39 	+1 lap 	22 	
13 	23 	Bruno Giacomelli 	 	39 	+1 lap 	17 	
14 	4 	Derek Daly 	 	38 	+2 laps 	24 	
15 	20 	Emerson Fittipaldi 	 	38 	+2 laps 	19 	
16 	2 	Gilles Villeneuve 	 	36 	Throttle 	3 	
Ret 	22 	Patrick Depailler 	 	33 	Electrical 	21 	
Ret 	15 	Jean-Pierre Jabouille	 	25 	Turbo 	1 	
Ret 	5 	Nelson Piquet 	 	14 	Suspension 	9 	
Ret 	26 	Jacques Laffite 	 	13 	Electrical 	5 	
Ret 	14 	Clay Regazzoni 	 	13 	Engine 	12 	
Ret 	1 	Jody Scheckter 	 	10 	Engine 	8 	
Ret 	11 	Mario Andretti 	 	1 	Spun Off 	11 	
Ret 	28 	Carlos Reutemann 	 	1 	Halfshaft 	4 	
DNQ 	10 	Jan Lammers 	  	 	 	 	
DNQ 	18 	David Kennedy 	 	 	 	 	
DNQ 	17 	Stefan Johansson 	 	 	 	 	
DNQ 	31 	Eddie Cheever 	 	 	 	 	
==Milestones==
* The last race for Autódromo José Carlos Pace in its old layout.
* The last time a flat-12-engined car led a race.
* First podium finish for Elio de Angelis.
==Standings after race==
 
Drivers' World Championship	Drivers' World Championship	Drivers' World Championship	Drivers' World Championship
Pos. 	Driver 	Pts 	+/-
1 	Alan Jones 	13 	
2 	René Arnoux 	9 	9
3 	Nelson Piquet 	6 	1
4 	Elio de Angelis 	6 	7
5 	Keke Rosberg 	4 	2
6 	Alain Prost 	3 	
7 	Derek Daly 	3 	3
8 	Didier Pironi 	3 	3
9 	Bruno Giacomelli 	2 	4
10 	Riccardo Patrese 	1 	1
Constructors' World Championship	Constructors' World Championship	Constructors' World Championship	Constructors' World Championship
Pos. 	Team 	Pts 	+/-
1 	 	13 	
2 	 	9 	9
3 	 	6 	1
4 	 	6 	7
5 	 	4 	2
6 	 	3 	
7 	 	3 	3
8 	 	3 	3
9 	 	2 	4
10 	 	1 	1
 
{| class="wikitable" style="width:80%"	Drivers' World Championship	Drivers' World Championship	Drivers' World Championship	Drivers' World Championship
Pos.	Driver 	Pts 	+/- 	
1 	Alan Jones 	13 	— 	
2 	René Arnoux 	9 	▲9 	
3 	Nelson Piquet 	6 	▼1 	
4 	Elio de Angelis 	6 	▲7 	
5 	Keke Rosberg 	4 	▼2 	
6 	Alain Prost 	3 	— 	
7 	Derek Daly 	3 	▼3 	
8 	Didier Pironi 	3 	▲3 	
9 	Bruno Giacomelli 	2 	▼4 	
10 	Riccardo Patrese 	1 	▲1 	
==External Links==
Category:Grand Prix articles
Category:1980 Grands Prix
Category:Brazilian Grand Prix
Category:Formula One races in Brazil