Italian Grand Prix 1980 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Nelson Piquet delivered a brilliant victory at the Italian Grand Prix held at Imola, demonstrating his championship credentials with back-to-back wins. The Brazilian's triumph at the challenging Autodromo Dino Ferrari kept the championship mathematically alive heading into the penultimate round, though Alan Jones's second place meant the Australian remained firmly in control of the title race. Piquet drove a calculated race, using Brabham's nimble handling to overcome Williams' aerodynamic advantages on the technical Italian circuit.

Jones and Reutemann secured another valuable 2-3 finish for Williams, with Jones needing only to finish ahead of Piquet at the next race to secure his first World Championship. The race was held at Imola rather than Monza, with the Emilian circuit providing a stern test of both driver skill and mechanical reliability. Reutemann's consistent podium finishes throughout the season had established him as a genuine championship contender for 1981, though he was content to support Jones's title bid in the closing races of 1980. Piquet's consecutive victories had injected drama into what had seemed a foregone conclusion, though the mathematics still heavily favored Williams.