Brazilian Grand Prix 1980 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Rene Arnoux delivered Renault's turbocharged revolution a significant victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, showcasing the raw power advantage of forced induction at the high-altitude Interlagos circuit. The Frenchman dominated the race in the yellow and black RS20, demonstrating that turbo power provided a genuine alternative to the ground-effect cars that had dominated 1979. Arnoux's victory was particularly impressive given the turbo's greater fuel consumption, which forced Renault to run heavier fuel loads that compromised their power-to-weight ratio.

Elio de Angelis secured a strong second place for Lotus, showing that Colin Chapman's team remained competitive despite falling behind Williams in the ground-effect development race. Championship leader Alan Jones could only manage third place, highlighting that even the dominant FW07B had vulnerabilities at certain circuits. The Brazilian Grand Prix demonstrated that 1980 would see a technical battle between naturally aspirated ground-effect cars and turbocharged challengers, with Renault's 1.5-liter V6 producing significant horsepower advantages that could overcome aerodynamic deficits on power circuits. Arnoux's victory gave Renault genuine hope of championship success after years of development.