South African Grand Prix
Kyalami
Grand Prix starting grid
Race starts
Grid positions from race-result records; not a separately verified pre-race grid.
| POS | DRIVER | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | René Arnoux | Renault |
| 2 | Nelson Piquet | Brabham |
| 3 | Gilles Villeneuve | Ferrari |
| 4 | Riccardo Patrese | Brabham |
| 5 | Alain Prost | Renault |
| 6 | Didier Pironi | Ferrari |
| 7 | Keke Rosberg | Williams |
| 8 | Carlos Reutemann | Williams |
| 9 | John Watson | McLaren |
| 10 | Michele Alboreto | Tyrrell |
| 11 | Jacques Laffite | Ligier |
| 12 | Eliseo Salazar | ATS |
| 13 | Niki Lauda | McLaren |
| 14 | Derek Warwick | Toleman |
| 15 | Elio de Angelis | Team Lotus |
| 16 | Andrea de Cesaris | Alfa Romeo |
| 17 | Eddie Cheever | Ligier |
| 18 | Nigel Mansell | Team Lotus |
| 19 | Bruno Giacomelli | Alfa Romeo |
| 20 | Manfred Winkelhock | ATS |
| 21 | Raul Boesel | March |
| 22 | Jochen Mass | March |
| 23 | Slim Borgudd | Tyrrell |
| 24 | Derek Daly | Theodore |
| 25 | Chico Serra | Fittipaldi |
| 26 | Jean-Pierre Jarier | Osella |