1979 Dino Ferrari Grand Prix
The 1979 Dino Ferrari Grand Prix was a non-championship Formula One motor race held at the Autodromo Dino Ferrari, Imola on 16 September 1979.
| 1979 Dino Ferrari Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-championship race in the 1979 Formula One season | |||
| Race details | |||
| Date | 16 September 1979 | ||
| Official name | Dino Ferrari Grand Prix | ||
| Location | Autodromo Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy | ||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||
| Course length | 5.060 km (3.144 miles) | ||
| Distance | 40 laps, 202.40 km (125.76 miles) | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver | Ferrari | ||
| Time | 1:32.91 | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari | |
| Time | 1:33.61 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | Brabham-Alfa Romeo | ||
| Second | Lotus-Cosworth | ||
| Third | Ferrari | ||
The event was held in order for the Imola circuit to qualify for World Championship status from the 1980 season onwards, as part of plans to share the Italian Grand Prix with Monza in alternate years. The 1980 Italian Grand Prix was indeed held at Imola, but the race returned permanently to Monza in 1981, with Imola instead given its own race, the San Marino Grand Prix, which was held until 2006.
Sixteen cars entered the race; the eventual winner was Niki Lauda, driving a Brabham-Alfa Romeo. Carlos Reutemann was second in a Lotus-Ford, while Jody Scheckter, who had won the Drivers' Championship at Monza the previous week, was third in his Ferrari. This was the last F1 race in which Brabham used Alfa Romeo engines, and Lauda's last race with the team before he quit the sport during practice for the Canadian Grand Prix two weeks later.