1983 Race of Champions
| Race details | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Championship race in the 1983 Formula One season | |||
 |
|||
| Date | 10 April 1983 | ||
| Official name | Marlboro Race of Champions | ||
| Location | Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit, Fawkham, Kent, England | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 4.206 km (2.6136 mi) | ||
| Distance | 40 laps, 168.24 km (104.544 mi) | ||
| Weather | Warm, dry | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Williams-Cosworth | ||
| Time | 1:15.766 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 René Arnoux
|
Ferrari | |
| Time | 1:17.826 on lap 18 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Williams-Cosworth | ||
| Second | Tyrrell-Cosworth | ||
| Third | Arrows-Cosworth | ||
The 1983 Race of Champions was a non-championship Formula One race held at Brands Hatch on 10 April 1983. Contested over 40 laps, it was the final non-championship F1 race to be held in the sport's history. Reigning World Champion Keke Rosberg won in a Williams-Ford, narrowly beating the Tyrrell-Ford of F1 rookie Danny Sullivan, while 1980 World Champion Alan Jones was third in an Arrows-Ford.
Only thirteen cars were entered for the event, compared with the maximum grid of 26 starters which took part in the World Championship Grands Prix of 1983. The teams who did not attend, or only sent one of their two cars, were at a scheduled Formula One tyre test at the Paul Ricard Circuit in the south of France in preparation for the French Grand Prix which was held at the same circuit just one week later.
There were two drivers present who did not take part in that year's championship: Brian Henton, who drove a Theodore, and Héctor Rebaque, who drove a Brabham. The Spirit team also made its F1 debut at the event with Swedish driver Stefan Johansson and Honda's first turbo-charged F1 engine, which BBC commentator Murray Walker claimed had completed thousands of miles of trouble free testing. Tyrrell fronted with only one driver. Michele Alboreto was scheduled to race, but it clashed with his drive for Lancia in the opening round of the World Endurance Championship at Monza. Instead his rookie team mate, 32-year-old American Danny Sullivan, was given the opportunity to get more miles under race conditions having only completed in the previous two Grands Prix in Brazil and Long Beach. McLaren fronted with a car for John Watson, fresh from his victory in Long Beach just two weeks earlier. Arrows fronted with two cars, one for 1980 World Champion Alan Jones in his second (and final) drive for the team after making a comeback to F1 at Long Beach, and team driver Chico Serra.
...
Wikipedia