1980 United States Grand Prix West

1980 United States Grand Prix West
Race 4 of 14 in the 1980 Formula One season
Race details
Date March 30, 1980
Official name Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
Location Long Beach, California
Course Temporary street course
Course length 3.251 km (2.02 miles)
Distance 80 laps, 260.08 km (161.60 miles)
Weather Sunny and warm with temperatures reaching up to 81 °F (27 °C); wind speeds up to 10.9 miles per hour (17.5 km/h)[1]
Pole position
Driver Brabham-Ford
Time 1:17.694
Fastest lap
Driver Brazil Nelson Piquet Brabham-Ford
Time 1:19.83 on lap 38
Podium
First Brabham-Ford
Second Arrows-Ford
Third Fittipaldi-Ford
Lap leaders

The 1980 United States Grand Prix West (officially the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach[2]) was a Formula One motor race held on March 30, 1980, at Long Beach, California. It was the fourth round of the 1980 Formula One season. The race was the fifth United States Grand Prix West and the sixth street race to be held at Long Beach. The race was held over 80 laps of the 3.251-kilometre circuit for a total race distance of 260 kilometres.

The race was won by Brazilian driver Nelson Piquet driving a Brabham BT49. It was Piquet's debut World Championship victory in just his fourth points finish and announced his emergence as a championship contender. Piquet won by 49 seconds over Italian driver Riccardo Patrese driving an Arrows A3. It was the best result for both Arrows and Patrese in two years after Patrese finished second at the 1978 Swedish Grand Prix. Third was Brazilian driver, twice-World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi driving a Fittipaldi F7. It was Fittipaldi's best result since finishing second at the 1978 Brazilian Grand Prix.

  1. ^ Weather information for the 1980 United States Grand Prix West at The Old Farmers' Almanac
  2. ^ "1980 Formula 1 World Championship Programmes". The Programme Covers Project.