Lauda, the reigning world champion, was dissatisfied with the safety arrangements of the mammoth circuit and attempted to organise a boycott the race during a meeting at the third race of the season in Long Beach, California in the United States.
Lauda, o actual campión do mundo, non estaba satisfeito coas medidas de seguridade do xigantesco circuíto e tratou de boicotear a carreira durante un encontro na terceira carreira da tempada en Long Beach nos Estados Unidos.